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
| Bm7 | G |
Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older.
| Em | F#m |
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder.
| Bm7 | G |
You’d been to the station to meet every train, and.
| Em | F#m |
You came home without Lili Marlene.
Bridge 2
| Bm7 | C#m7 | Bm7 | C#m7 |
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life.
| Bm7 | A | Bm7 | A |
And when she came back she was nobody’s wife.
Chorus 2
| D | D |
Well, I see you there with the rose in your teeth.
| Asus2 (A) | Asus2 (A) |
One more thin gypsy thief.
| Bm7 | Bm7 |
Well, I see Jane’s awake.
| C#m7 | A A/E | G G/D | F#m |
She sends her regards.
Instrumental
| Bm7 | G | Em | F#m |
Verse 3
| Bm7 | G |
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer.
| Em | F#m |
What can I possibly say?
| Bm7 | G |
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you.
| Em | F#m |
I’m glad you stood in my way.
Bridge 3
| Bm7 | C#m7 | Bm7 | C#m7 |
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me.
| Bm7 | A | Bm7 | A |
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
| 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’s chords and TAB in the key of D
The incredibly beautiful Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen can only be played like the man himself if you tune down a tone, use my online guitar tuner to achieve this.
If you want to play along with the original this is a must, if you don’t, you could just sing it in the key of D as it says above, without playing along to the original.
Speaking of changing things, do check out Jennifer Warnes‘s version as well, she used to sing with Cohen live and ended up releasing an entire album of his tunes.
As a member, you get TAB for exactly how Leonard himself “plays it in D”, followed by a modified version in C (no need to tune down). I’ve included chords and lyrics for playing in C below as well.
Try both ways as this will teach you more about the song and how big of a difference these things in general affect a song when played on the guitar.
Here’s a link to the complete lesson (members only): Famous Blue Raincoat chord analysis and TAB.
Become a member today and get unlimited access to all my guitar courses, the SEPR practice route, and the eBook Spytunes Method – You can learn guitar!
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
| Am7 | Bm7 | Am7 | Bm7 |
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life.
| Am7 | G | Am7 | G |
And when she came back she was nobody’s wife.
Chorus 2
| C | C |
Well, I see you there with the rose in your teeth.
| Gadd9 (G) | Gadd9 (G) |
One more thin gypsy thief.
| Am7 | Am7 |
Well, I see Jane’s awake.
| Bm7 | G G/D | F F/C | Em |
She sends her regards.
Instrumental
| Am7 | F | Dm | Em |
Verse 3
| Am7 | F |
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer.
| Dm | Em |
What can I possibly say?
| Am7 | F |
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you.
| Dm | Em |
I’m glad you stood in my way.
Bridge 3
| Am7 | Bm7 | Am7 | Bm7 |
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me.
| Am7 | G | Am7 | G |
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
| C | C |
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 |
Sincerely, L Cohen.
Outro
| Am7 | F | Dm | Em |
Famous Blue Raincoat chords | Related pages
Intermediate Acoustic
Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
Five similar tunes
- Angel Eyes chords
- Hallelujah chords
- Mad World chords
- The Needle And The Damage Done chords
- Robin Hood chords
Leonard Cohen
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
Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Warnes was in the cast for the musical Hair, sang BV’s for Leonard Cohen, and duets with Joe Cocker and Bill Medley.
Her best tunes include Famous Blue Raincoat, (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, Up Where We Belong, and First We Take Manhattan.
Jennifer Warnes on the web
Country & Folk
In the primarily acoustic genres of Country & Folk, you must acquire what matters the most: A repertoire. Nothing else will give you the gig.
Learn tunes by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, America, Don McLean, and many more.
