Hallelujah | Chords + Lyrics (capo 5)
Intro
|6/8 N.C Em D | C7 | C7 C9 | Em | Em7 |
| C7 | C7 C9 | Em | Em7 | C/Bb | C/Bb |
| Em/B | Em/B | C7/Bb | C7/Bb | Em | A7b5 |
| C/G | C/G | C/G | C/G D |
| G5/D | Em7 | G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 |
Verse 1
| G5 | Em7 |
I heard there was a secret chord.
| G5 | Em7 |
That David played and it pleased the Lord.
| C | C D | G/B | D |
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
| G/B | C D |
Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth.
| Em | C |
The minor fall and the major lift.
| D | B7/D# | Em | Em D5 |
The baffled king composing Hallelujah.
Chorus 1
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Instrumental 1
| G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 |
Verse 2
| G5 | Em7 |
Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof.
| G5 | Em7 |
You saw her bathing on the roof.
| C | C D | G/B | D |
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
| G/B | C D |
She tied you to her kitchen chair.
| Em | C |
She broke your throne and she cut your hair.
| D | B7/D# | Em | Em D5 |
And from your lips, she drew the Hallelujah.
Chorus 2
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Instrumental 2
| G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 |
Verse 3
| G5 | Em7 |
Well, Baby, I’ve been here before.
| G5 | Em7 |
I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor.
| C | C D | G/B | D |
You know, I used to live alone before I knew you.
| G/B | C D |
And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch.
| Em | C |
And Love is not a victory march.
| D | B7/D# | Em | Em D5 |
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.
Chorus 3
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Instrumental 3
| G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 |
Verse 4
| G5 | Em7 |
Well, there was a time when you let me know.
| G5 | Em7 |
What’s really going on below.
| C | C D | G/B | D |
But now you never show that to me, do you?
| G/B | C D |
But remember, when I moved in you.
| Em | C |
And the holy dove was moving too.
| D | B7/D# | Em | Em D5 |
And every breath, we drew was Hallelujah.
Chorus 4
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Instrumental 4
| Cadd9 | C G/B | Em9 | Em9 |
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
| G5 | Em7 | G5 | Em7 |
| C C6 | C | C6 | G |
| D | Em | C | D |
| Cmaj7 | C | C | C | D | D |
Verse 5
| G5 | Em7 |
Maybe there’s a God above.
| G5 | Em7 |
But, all I’ve ever learned from love.
| C | C D | G/B | D | D |
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you?
| G/B | C D |
And it’s not a cry, that you hear at night.
| Em | C |
It’s not somebody who’s seen the light.
| D | B7/D# | Em | Em D5 |
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.
Outro
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | G/B | D/A |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | Em | Em7 |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| C | C | C G/B |
Hallelujah.
| G/B | G/B | D | D | D | Cadd9 | G/B | A7sus4 | Em | Em Emadd9 Em |
Hallelujah.
| C | C | Em | Em | C | D | G/D | G/D ||
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah chords + Lyrics (Leonard Cohen)
Intro
|6/8 C | G |
Verse 1
| C | Am7 |
I heard there was a secret chord.
| C | Am7 |
That David played and it pleased the Lord.
| F | G | C | G |
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
| C | F G |
Well, it goes like this the fourth, the fifth.
| Am | F |
The minor fall and the major lift.
| G | E7/G# | Am | N.C |
The baffled king composing Hallelujah.
Chorus 1
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Verse 2
| C | Am7 |
Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof.
| C | Am7 |
You saw her bathing on the roof.
| F | G | C | G |
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
| C | F G |
She tied you to her kitchen chair.
| Am | F |
She broke your throne and she cut your hair.
| G | E7/G# | Am | N.C |
And from your lips, she drew the Hallelujah.
Chorus 2
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Verse 3
| C | Am7 |
You say I took the name in vain.
| C | Am7 |
I don’t even know the name.
| F | G | C | G |
But if I did, well really, what’s it to ya?
| C | F G |
There’s a blaze of light.
| Am | F |
It doesn’t matter which you heard.
| G | E7/G# | Am | N.C |
The holy or the broken Hallelujah.
Chorus 3
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Verse 4
| C | Am7 |
I did my best, it wasn’t much.
| C | Am7 |
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch.
| F | G | C | G |
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you.
| C | F G |
And even though it all went wrong.
| Am | F |
I’ll stand before the Lord of Song.
| G | E7/G# | Am | N.C |
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.
Chorus 4
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F N.C | N.C | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | Am | Am |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | C | G |
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
| F | F | to fade
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah chords, progressions, and TAB (Jeff Buckley)
Jeff Buckley really made Hallelujah his own, even changing the lyrics, or did he?
What actually happened was that John Cale (Velvet Underground) asked Leonard Cohen if he could cover it, Leonard didn’t just say yes, but sent him more verses than he had recorded himself, and John picked other ones he liked.
Jeff then simply copied John’s version and the lyrics he had chosen, adding the intricate long pre-intro and changing some of the chords.
I haven’t done a deep dive into the piano chords John played, but I have checked Jeff’s chords and they are definitely different from Cohen’s.
Members get TAB for both Jeff’s version and a simpler arrangement based on the original Leonard Cohen recording.
Cohen’s original version of Hallelujah can easily be played using mainly open-position chords in the key of C, making it a great beginner guitar song.
Here’s a link to the complete lesson (members only): Hallelujah chord analysis and TAB.
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Jeff Buckley
Growing up in California under a different name and playing in bands, Jeff Buckley moved to New York at the age of 24 to pursue a solo career.
His best-known tunes all came from his only studio album Grace, most notably a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
Jeff Buckley on the web
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
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