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: Learn the progressions
The chords for Bird on the Wire are simple. Played in the time signature of 6/8 and the key of A, the verse is this:
| A (I) | E (V) E/B | A | D (IV) |
| A | E E/B | A Asus4 | Aadd9 A |
The chorus is twice as long as we play the same chord for two bars moving IV – I – II – I. Upon repeating this chord progression, we end on V instead of I, like this:
| D (IV) | D | A (I) | A |
| Bm (II) | Bm | A (I) | A |
| D | D | A | A |
| Bm | Bm | E (V) Esus4 | E |
The chords may be simple but the picking pattern is more intricate and unusual than one may first suspect. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Bird on the Wire – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you decided on the picking pattern, 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 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 the album Songs from a Room using a more folk approach.
Since then, it’s been covered by Johnny Cash, Jennifer Warnes, KD Lang, Joe Cocker, Tim Hardin, and many more.
Described by Mr Cohen as a Cowboy Song, an Anthem, and even a Bohemian My Way, Bird on the Wire was the song that got him out of depression and into writing again.
As Leonard was spending his time on the Island of Hydra (Greece) with his Norwegian friend Marianne, he slipped into depression. It was Marianne who encouraged him to start writing again.
As Leonard was sitting in his room and saw a bird sitting on the newly installed telephone wires, the song came to him.
If you’re thinking, was that Marianne the same woman he had written So Long, Marianne for a few years earlier, then yes, it was. He later referred to her as his muse.
Bird on the Wire Chords | Related Pages
Bird on the Wire | Guitar Lesson + TAB
With this guitar lesson, you can learn to play Bird on the Wire by Leonard Cohen using TAB and chord analysis.
| A | E |
Like a bird on the wire…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Leonard Cohen tunes
Following a career as a novelist and poet for over a decade, Leonard Cohen released his debut album in 1967.
His best tunes include Suzanne, Bird on the Wire, Famous Blue Raincoat, Chelsea Hotel #2, Hallelujah, Dance Me To The End Of Love, and So Long, Marianne.
Leonard Cohen on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about Bird on the Wire chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
