Bird on a Wire

(Leonard Cohen)  




( Key of E)

E----------------Bm7----------E-------------------A
Like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir,
-------E-----------Bm7-------E----A----E
I have tried in my way to be free.
E----------------Bm7----------E--------------------------A
Like a worm on a hook, like a knight in an old-fashioned book,
-------E-------------Bm7--------E----A----E
I have saved all my ribbons for thee.

E----------------------------A-------------Bm7
And if I have been unkind, I hope you will let it go by.
-------E--------------------------A
And if I have been untrue, well I hope you know
-------Bm7
It was not to you.

-------E----------Bm7----------E--------------A
Like a babe, stillborn, like a beast with its horn,
-------E---------Bm7--------------------E----A----E
I have torn everyone who reached out to me.
E-------------------Bm7------E--------------------A
But I swear by this song, by all that I have done wrong,
------------E-----------Bm7---E----A----E
That I will make it all up to you.

(Guitar break)

E----------------------------------------A
I saw a man leaning on his crutch and he said to me,
------------Bm7
"Why do you ask for so much?"
------------E
But I saw a women, she was leaning in her door
--------A-------------------------Bm7
And she cried out to me, "Why not ask for more?"

-------E---------Bm7----------E-------------------A
Like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir,
-------E-----------Bm7-------E----A----E
I have tried in my way to be free.
E-------------------Bm7----------E----------------A
But I swear by this song, by all that I have done wrong
------------E--------Bm7---------------E----A----E
That I will make it, make it all up to thee.