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The Stranger Song by Leonard Cohen - Guitar Chords

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Version 1 Version 2
            Leonard Cohen
    -------------
  The Stranger Song


 Intro: Esus2-Em

 It sounds something like that 
 (give heed to G-string melody!):

   Esus2   Em      Esus2   Em
 e---------------------------------|
 B---------------------------------|
 G-2---0---0---0---2---0---0---0---|
 D---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|
 A-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
 E-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
 
 (Similar fingerpicking goes throughout whole song.
  Play it very fast)

 Further: Esus2-Em = Em*

   C/G       G6         G*      D*/F               
 |-(0)-|   |-(0)-|   |--x--|  |-(0)-|
 |--1--|   |--0--|   |-(0)-|  |-(0)-|
 |--0--|   |--0--|   |--0--|  |--2--|
 |--2--|   |--0--|   |--0--|  |--0--|
 |--3--|   |--2--|   |--5--|  |--0--|
 |-(3)-|   |-(0)-|   |--3--|  |--2--|
 
 Em*       C/G              G6                 G*
     It's true that all the men you knew were dealers
                                      D*/F
     who said they were through with dealing
                                Em*
     Every time you gave them shelter
       D*/F 
     I know that kind of man
                   Em* 
     It's hard to hold the hand of anyone
             D*/F                            Em*
     who is reaching for the sky just to surrender,
             D*/F                            Em* 
     who is reaching for the sky just to surrender. 

     And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind 
     you find he did not leave you very much 
     not even laughter 
     Like any dealer he was watching for the card 
     that is so high and wild 
     he'll never need to deal another 
     He was just some Joseph looking for a manger 
     He was just some Joseph looking for a manger 

     And then leaning on your window sill 
     he'll say one day you caused his will 
     to weaken with your love and warmth and shelter 
     And then taking from his wallet 
     an old schedule of trains, he'll say 
     I told you when I came I was a stranger 
     I told you when I came I was a stranger. 

     But now another stranger seems 
     to want you to ignore his dreams 
     as though they were the burden of some other 
     O you've seen that man before 
     his golden arm dispatching cards 
     but now it's rusted from the elbows to the finger 
     And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter 
     Yes he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter. 

     Ah you hate to see another tired man 
     lay down his hand 
     like he was giving up the holy game of poker 
     And while he talks his dreams to sleep 
     you notice there's a highway 
     that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder. 
     It is curling just like smoke above his shoulder. 

     You tell him to come in sit down 
     but something makes you turn around 
     The door is open you can't close your shelter 
     You try the handle of the road 
     It opens do not be afraid 
     It's you my love, you who are the stranger. 

     Well, I've been waiting, I was sure 
     we'd meet between the trains we're waiting for 
     I think it's time to board another 
     Please understand, I never had a secret chart 
     to get me to the heart of this 
     or any other matter 
     When he talks like this 
     you don't know what he's after 
     When he speaks like this, 
     you don't know what he's after. 

     Let's meet tomorrow if you choose 
     upon the shore, beneath the bridge 
     that they are building on some endless river 
     Then he leaves the platform 
     for the sleeping car that's warm 
     You realize, he's only advertising one more shelter 
     And it comes to you, he never was a stranger 
     And you say ok the bridge or someplace later. 

     And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind ... 

     And leaning on your window sill ... 

     I told you when I came I was a stranger. 
 _________________ 
 aleister, Irkutsk
We also have 43 songs by Leonard Cohen

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