Bird on the Wire | Chords + Lyrics
Verse 1
|6/8 A | E E/B |
Like a bird on the wire.
| A | D |
Like a drunk in a midnight choir.
| A | E E/B | A Asus4 | A Aadd9 |
I have tried, in my way to be free.
Verse 2
Like a worm on a hook.
Like a knight from some old-fashioned book.
I have saved all my ribbons for thee.
Chorus 1
| D | D | A | A Aadd9 |
If I, if I have been unkind.
| Bm | Bm | A | A |
I hope that you, can just let it go by.
| D | D | A | A Aadd9 |
If I, if I have been untrue.
| Bm | Bm | E Esus4 | E |
I hope you know it was never to you.
Verse 3
Oh, like a baby, stillborn.
Like a beast with his horn.
I have torn everyone who reached out for me.
Verse 4
But I swear by this song.
And by all that I have done wrong.
I will make it all up to thee.
Chorus 2
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch.
He said to me, “You must not ask for so much”.
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door.
She cried to me, “Hey, why not ask for more?”
Verse 5
Oh, like a bird on the wire.
Like a drunk in a midnight choir.
| A | E | D | A |
I have tried in my way to be free.
Bird on the Wire Chords: Capturing the Essence
The chords for Bird on the Wire are simple, but the song’s 6/8 time signature and delicate picking pattern give it a distinctive feel. Played in the key of A, the verse follows this progression:
| A (I) | E (V) E/B | A | D (IV) |
| A | E E/B | A Asus4 | Aadd9 A |
The chorus is twice as long, following a IV – I – II – I movement. On the repeat, instead of resolving to I, we land on V, creating a natural transition back into the verse:
| D (IV) | D | A (I) | A |
| Bm (II) | Bm | A (I) | A |
| D | D | A | A |
| Bm | Bm | E (V) Esus4 | E |
While the chords are straightforward, the picking pattern is more intricate than it first appears. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Bird on the Wire – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve settled on your picking approach, all you’ll need is a chord chart, like this:
Bird on the Wire Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
I’m very pleased with the layout of the chord chart here. I feel it’s obvious that we play two verses, and repeat the chorus with a different end. Do all that again, and then play the first half of a verse, before we go to the outro.
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Bird on the Wire chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro, here’s a link to that file: Bird on the Wire chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Bird on the Wire – A Cowboy Song, Anthem, or a Bohemian My Way?
First released by Judy Collins in a country style in 1968, Bird on the Wire was soon recorded by Leonard Cohen himself in 1969 for his album Songs from a Room, where he took a more folk-inspired approach.
Since then, the song has been covered by artists such as Johnny Cash, Jennifer Warnes, KD Lang, Joe Cocker, Tim Hardin, and many others.
Described by Cohen as a Cowboy Song, an Anthem, and even a Bohemian My Way, Bird on the Wire was the song that helped him emerge from depression and return to writing.
While staying on the Greek Island of Hydra with his Norwegian friend Marianne, Leonard fell into a period of depression. It was Marianne who encouraged him to start writing again.
One day, as Leonard sat in his room and observed a bird perched on the newly installed telephone wires, the song came to him.
If you’re wondering whether this was the same Marianne who inspired So Long, Marianne a few years earlier, the answer is yes. She later became known as his muse.
Bird on the Wire Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Bird on the Wire (Leonard Cohen) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: