Suzanne - chords, tab and comments


From his first album Songs of Leonard Cohen(1967). Until then, Cohen had been a novelist and poet, releasing "The Favourite Game"(1963), "Flowers for Hitler"(1964) and "Beautiful Losers"1966). Then he took to his guitar, and the rest is history.
"Suzanne" is Cohen in a nutshell: his harmony ways, the magical lyrics inspired by religion and penetrated by intense feelings brought him first cult status, then gradually world wide fame. Together with the later "Halleluja" this song will stand forever as a signature - though there are dozens that would have done as well.
I never mess with Cohen's songs. This is straight forward from his original; even the key suits me, and I've adapted his simple fingerpicking as well.
E
Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
         F#m
you can hear the boats go by : you can spend the night beside her
          E
and you know that she's half crazy but that's why you want to be there
          G#m                                A
and she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China
           E                                 F#m
and just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her
          E                                  F#m
then she gets you on her wavelenght and she lets the river answer
             E
that you've always been her lover

         G#m                             A
and you want to travel with her and you want to travel blind
         E
and you know that she will trust you
            F#m                                E
for you've touched her perfect body with your mind
E major
E
A major
A
F Sharp minor
F#m
G Sharp minor
G#m
Leonard Cohen