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Born In Chains

Leonard Cohen
Version1
90

Chords in this song

Strum
D-DU-UDU
 I was born  in chains  but I was taken  out of Egypt
 I was bound  to a burden,  but the burden  it was raised
 Oh Lord,  I can no longer  keep this secret
 Blessed  is the name,  the name  be praised.
 I fled to the edge of a mighty sea of sorrow
 Pursued by the riders of a cruel and dark regime
 But the waters parted and my soul crossed over
 Out of Egypt, out of Pharaoh’s dream.
 Word  of words and  the measure of all measures
 Blessed  is the name,  the  name be blessed
 Written  on my heart  in burning letters
 That’s all I know,  I cannot read the rest  .
 I was idled with my soul, when I heard that you could use me
 I followed very closely, but my life remained the same
 But then you showed me where you had been wounded
 In every atom, broken is the name.
 I was alone on the road, your love was so confusing
 And all the teachers told me that I had myself to blame
 But in the arms of sensual illusion
 A sweet unknowing unified the name.
 Word of words, and the measure of all measures
 Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
 Written on my heart in burning letters
 That’s all I know, I do not know the rest.
 I’ve heard the soul unfold in the chambers of its longing
 And the bitter liquor sweeten in the hammered cup
 Ah but all the ladders of the night have fallen
 Just darkness now, to lift the longing up.
 But all the ladders of the night have fallen
 Just darkness now, to lift the spirit up.
 Word of words, and measure of all measures
 Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
 Written on my heart in burning letters
 That’s all I know, I cannot read the rest .
 Cannot read the rest
 Shall not read the rest

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Readable chord sheet for Born In Chains by Leonard Cohen

I was b[G]orn in c[B/F#]hains but I was t[Em]aken out of Egypt
I was b[G]ound to a b[B/F#]urden, but the bu[Em]rden it was r[D5]aised
Oh L[C]ord, I can no l[E]onger keep t[E7]his [Am4]secr[Am]et
Bl[F]essed is the n[C/G]ame, the n[Eb/Bb]ame be pr[D]aised.

[SHARON]
I fled to the edge of a mighty sea of sorrow
Pursued by the riders of a cruel and dark regime
But the waters parted and my soul crossed over
Out of Egypt, out of Pharaoh’s dream.

[LEONARD, ROSCOE BECK, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
W[B]ord of w[B7]ords [B]and the measure of all m[Esus4]easures [Em3]
B[B]lessed is the n[B7]ame, t[B]he name be b[Esus4]lessed   [Em3]
Wr[C]itten on my h[Cm9]eart in burning l[G]etters [Em]
That’s all I kn[Eb]ow, I cannot read the r[D]est .

[HATTIE]
I was idled with my soul, when I heard that you could use me
I followed very closely, but my life remained the same
But then you showed me where you had been wounded
In every atom, broken is the name.

[CHARLEY]
I was alone on the road, your love was so confusing
And all the teachers told me that I had myself to blame
But in the arms of sensual illusion
A sweet unknowing unified the name.

[LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Word of words, and the measure of all measures
Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
Written on my heart in burning letters
That’s all I know, I do not know the rest.

[LEONARD]
I’ve heard the soul unfold in the chambers of its longing
And the bitter liquor sweeten in the hammered cup
Ah but all the ladders of the night have fallen
Just darkness now, to lift the longing up.

[DINO SOLDO (saxophone), LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
[sax]
[sax]
But all the ladders of the night have fallen
Just darkness now, to lift the spirit up.

[LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Word of words, and measure of all measures
Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
Written on my heart in burning letters
That’s all I know, I cannot read the rest .

[SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Cannot read the rest
Shall not read the rest

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