First tab, please be gentle. =]
Capo on 3rd fret
*This is not how Leonard Cohen or anyone I've seen plays it, this is just my own
interpretation. Same chords, just played slightly differently. It matches the vocals
spot on
and you can still play along with the original recording*
G/D
I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm,
Em/B
your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm,
C/E
yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new,
G/D
in city and in forest they smiled like me and you,
Em/B
but now it's come to distances and both of us must try,
C/D
your eyes are soft with sorrow,
D/A G/D D
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
[G]I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time,
[Em]walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme
[C]you know my love goes with you as your love stays with me,
[G]it's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea,
[Em]but let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie,
[C]your eyes are soft with sorrow,
[D]Hey, that's no way to say good[G]bye.[D]
This is how I fingerpick the different sections.
G/D
"I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm"
e|---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3-------|
B|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|-0-------0-------2---0-----------------|
A|-------------------------3---2---------|
E|-----3-------3-------------------------|
Em/B
"your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm"
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/l/leonard_cohen/hey_thats_no_way_to_say_goodbye_crd.html ]
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
B|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|---------------------------------------|
A|-2-------2-------3---2---0-------------|
E|-----0-------0---------------3---------|
C/E
"yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new"
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
B|---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|-2-------2-------3---2---0-------------|
A|-----------------------------3---------|
E|-----0-------0-------------------------|
G/D
"in city and in forest they smiled like me and you"
e|---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3-------|
B|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|-0-------0-------2---0-----------------|
A|-------------------------3---2---------|
E|-----3-------3-------------------------|
Em/B
"but now it's come to distances and both of us must try"
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
B|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|---------------------------------------|
A|-2-------2-------3---2---0-------------|
E|-----0-------0---------------3---------|
C/D
"your eyes are soft with sorrow"
e|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
B|---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1-------|
G|---------------------------------------| x2
D|-2-------2-------3---2---0-------------|
A|-----------------------------3---------|
E|-----0-------0-------------------------|
Normally, for the "Hey, that's now way to say goodbye" part, I simply keep the same
rhythm I've been playing for the rest of the song, strumming with my thumb on the down
beats, the top two strings of the off beats, alternating between the root [in this case,
the A in the D chord] and another note in the chord [I usually play the D string]. If you'd
like, when he sings the B on "hey THAT'S now WAY to SAY" you can move your pointer
finger off of the G string and change the bass to a B where I capitalized the words previously.
