Bird on a wire melody
(written by Leonard
Cohen (†
2016))
(Esther Ofarim, 1969)
German translation:
"Ich versuchte auf meine Art, frei zu sein.. War ich jemals untreu, sei
sicher, dann niemals Dir."
guitar
chords
Buy it here
Watch live performance of 1971:
Like a bird on a wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Like a worm on a hook,
like a knight from some old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee.
If I, if I have been unkind,
I hope that you can just let it go by.
If I, if I have
been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.
Like a baby, stillborn,
like a beast with his horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me.
But I swear by this song
and by all that I have done wrong
I will make it all up to thee.
I saw a beggar
leaning on his wooden crutch,
he said to me, "You must not ask for so much."
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door,
she cried to me, "Hey, why not ask for more?"
Oh like a bird on
a wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
see live
performance & rehearsal of 1970:
(rehearsal starts at 1:53 with different voice and slightly different melody)
Bird on a wire of 2015, starting at 2:03: