Chords
Famous Blue Raincoat

Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen is a letter to a fictional man who had an affair with the narrators wife or lover. The track is noted for its poetic and melancholic lyrics and complex plot, delving into themes of betrayal, regret, and forgiveness. The song echoes Cohens personal experiences and his ability to convey deep human emotions through his songwriting.

Key: Am

Introduction:  Am   F   Dm7   Em7   Am   F   Dm7   Em7  

difficulty
easy |||||
      Am                        F 
It' s four in the morning, the end of December
     Dm7                      Em7 
I' m writing you now just to see if you' re better
 Am                       F 
New York is cold, but I like where I' m living
         Dm7                      Em7 
There' s music on Clinton Street all through the evening
 Am                    Bm                    Am                 Bm 
  I hear that you' re building your little house deep in the desert
 Am                   G                           Am                    G 
  You' re living for nothing now, I hope you' re keeping some kind of record

          C                                 G 
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
     G                         Am                                     Bm     G 
She said that you gave it to her that night that you planned to go clear
 F                  Em7 
  Did you ever go clear?

         Am                         F 
Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older
      Dm7                       Em7 
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
       Am                      F 
You' d been to the station to meet every train
     Dm7                    Em7 
And you came home without Lili Marlene
         Am          Bm          Am             Bm 
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life
 Am                   G    Am                  G 
  And when she came back, she was nobody' s wife

         C                                    G 
Well, I see you there with the rose in your teeth
                     Am                          Bm    G 
One more thin gypsy thief, well, I see Jane' s awake
 F                  Em7 
  She sends her regards

     Am                      F 
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer?
 Dm7                  Em7 
What can I possibly say?
   Am                        F 
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
     Dm7                   Em7 
I' m glad you stood in my way
 Am                  Bm      Am                 Bm 
  If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me
 Am                     G        Am                  G 
  Well, your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free

          C                           G 
Yes, and thanks for the trouble you took from her eyes
                  Am                          Bm      G 
I thought it was there for good, so I never tried
     C                                 G 
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair
     G                         Am                                     Bm     G 
She said that you gave it to her that night that you planned to go clear
 F                Em7 
  Sincerely, L. Cohen

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