Famous Blue Raincoat | Chords + Lyrics (tune down 1 tone)
Intro
||: Bm7 | G | Em | F#m :||
Verse 1
| Bm7 | G |
It’s four in the morning, the end of December.
| Em | F#m |
I’m writing you now just to see if you’re better.
| Bm7 | G |
New York is cold, but I like where I’m living.
| Em | F#m |
There’s music on Clinton Street all through the evening.
Bridge 1
| Bm7 | C#m7 | Bm7 | C#m7 |
I hear that you’re building your little house deep in the desert.
| Bm7 | A | Bm7 | A |
You’re living for nothing now, I hope you’re keeping some kind of record.
Chorus 1
| D | D |
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair.
| Asus2 (A) | Asus2 (A) |
She said that you gave it to her.
| Bm7 | Bm7 |
That night that you planned to go clear.
| C#m7 | A A/E | G G/D | F#m |
Did you ever go clear?
Verse 2
Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older.
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder.
You’d been to the station to meet every train, and.
You came home without Lili Marlene.
Bridge 2
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life.
And when she came back she was nobody’s wife.
Chorus 2
Well, I see you there with the rose in your teeth.
One more thin gypsy thief.
Well, I see Jane’s awake.
She sends her regards.
Instrumental
| Bm7 | G | Em | F#m |
Verse 3
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer.
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you.
I’m glad you stood in my way.
Bridge 3
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me.
Well, your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free.
Chorus 3
| D | D |
Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes.
| Asus2 (A) | Asus2 (A) |
I thought it was there for good.
| Bm7 | Bm7 | C#m7 | A A/E |
So I never tried.
Chorus 4 (as chorus 1)
| D | D |
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair.
| Asus2 (A) | Asus2 (A) |
She said that you gave it to her.
| Bm7 | Bm7 |
That night that you planned to go clear.
| C#m7 | A A/E | G G/D | F#m |
Sincerely, L Cohen.
Outro
| Bm7 | G | Em | F#m |
Famous Blue Raincoat | Chords + Lyrics (standard tuning)
Intro
||: Am7 | F | Dm | Em :||
Verse 1
| Am7 | F |
It’s four in the morning, the end of December.
| Dm | Em |
I’m writing you now just to see if you’re better.
| Am7 | F |
New York is cold, but I like where I’m living.
| Dm | Em |
There’s music on Clinton Street all through the evening.
Bridge 1
| Am7 | Bm7 | Am7 | Bm7 |
I hear that you’re building your little house deep in the desert.
| Am7 | G | Am7 | G |
You’re living for nothing now, I hope you’re keeping some kind of record.
Chorus 1
| C | C |
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair.
| Gadd9 (G) | Gadd9 (G) |
She said that you gave it to her.
| Am7 | Am7 |
That night that you planned to go clear.
| Bm7 | G G/D | F F/C | Em |
Did you ever go clear?
Verse 2
| Am7 | F |
Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older.
| Dm | Em |
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder.
| Am7 | F |
You’d been to the station to meet every train, and.
| Dm | Em |
You came home without Lili Marlene.
Bridge 2
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life.
And when she came back she was nobody’s wife.
Chorus 2
Well, I see you there with the rose in your teeth.
One more thin gypsy thief.
Well, I see Jane’s awake.
She sends her regards.
Instrumental
| Am7 | F | Dm | Em |
Verse 3
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer.
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you.
I’m glad you stood in my way.
Bridge 3
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me.
Well, your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free.
Chorus 3
| C | C | Gadd9 (G) | Gadd9 (G) |
Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes.
| Am7 | Am7 |
I thought it was there for good.
| Bm7 | G G/D |
So I never tried.
Chorus 4 (as chorus 1)
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair.
She said that you gave it to her.
That night that you planned to go clear.
Sincerely, L Cohen.
Outro
| Am7 | F | Dm | Em |
Famous Blue Raincoat Chords: A Complete Guide to the Guitar Progressions
To play Famous Blue Raincoat as Leonard Cohen did, you’ll need to tune your guitar down a whole tone. Use my online guitar tuner to get it just right.
If you want to play along with the original recording, this step is essential. Otherwise, you can keep standard tuning and play it in the key of D without matching Cohen’s version.
Speaking of different interpretations, check out Jennifer Warnes’s version—she used to perform with Cohen and later recorded an entire album of his songs.
I’ve provided TAB for how Leonard played it in D, along with a modified version in C (so you don’t need to tune down). You’ll also find chords and lyrics for the C version above.
Try both approaches—it’s a great way to understand how these small changes can make a big difference in how a song feels on the guitar.
Here’s a link to the full TAB lesson: Famous Blue Raincoat – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve worked through the patterns using the TAB, a simple chord chart will be all you need. I’ve made one for you here.
Famous Blue Raincoat Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Famous Blue Raincoat Chord Chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Famous Blue Raincoat iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key, a great idea if you don’t want to tune down!
Famous Blue Raincoat and the Art of Amphibrach
Released as an album track from Songs of Love and Hate (1971), Famous Blue Raincoat stands as a true lyrical masterpiece.
Written in the form of a letter, Cohen employed a poetic technique called amphibrach—where two short syllables surround a long one. For example:
“There’s music on Clinton Street all through the evening.”
This rhythmic structure, often found in Russian and Polish poetry, takes its name from the Greek word meaning “short on both sides.” In American literature, you can even spot it in the works of Dr Seuss.
The amphibrachic rhythm propels the lyrics forward in a captivating way, showcasing just how seriously Cohen approached his craft. Before he was a songwriter, he was a poet—and it shows.
If you’re looking to improve your lyric writing, studying Cohen is essential. He stands alongside Bob Dylan as one of the greatest, and some might argue, even surpasses him.
Famous Blue Raincoat Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Famous Blue Raincoat (Leonard Cohen) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: