You Want It Darker

by Leonard Cohen
Loading song
Fetching song
1
—
Download Sheet & MIDIPlay on Guitar

Other arrangements of You Want It Darker

Pick a learning view.

Lyrics

If (Em)you are the deal er,

I’m out of the game,

if you are the heal er, it means

(G)I’m bro ken and (Am)lame.

If (Em)thine is the glo ry then

mine must be the shame.

You want it dark er,

(Am)we kill the flame.

(Em)Mag ni fied, sanc ti fied, be thy ho ly name,

vi li fied, cru ci fied, (G)in the hu man frame.

A (Em)mil lion can dles burn ing for the help that ne ver came,

you want it dark er.

Hi (D)ne ni, hi ne ni,

I’m rea dy, my Lord.

There’s a lov er in the sto ry but the sto ry’s still the same,

there’s a lul la by for suff ’ring and a pa ra dox to blame.

But it’s writ ten in the scrip tures and it’s not some i dle claim.

(Am)They’re lin ing up the pris ’ners and the guards are tak ing aim,

I strug gled with some de mons, they were mid dle class and tame.

I di dn’t know I had per mis sion to mur der and to maim,

Hi (D)ne ni, hi ne ni,

I’m rea dy, my Lord.

There’s a

(Em)Mag ni fied, sanc ti fied, be thy ho ly name,

vi li fied, cru ci fied, (G)in the hu man (Am)frame.

A (Em)mil lion can dles burn ing for the love that nev er came,

you want it dark er,

(Am)we killed the flame.

If

Hi (D)ne ni, hi ne ni.

Hi (D)ne ni, hi ne ni.

I’m rea dy, my (Em)Lord.

Hi (Em)ne

ni,

(hi) (Em)ne

ni,

hi ne

(Em7)ni.

(Em)Lord.

Hi (Em)ne

ni,

(hi) (Em)ne

ni,

hi ne

(Em7)ni.

You Want It Darker — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

2 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of E, 60 BPM.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (E) sits too high or low for your voice, use the transpose control to shift the accompaniment into a comfortable range — the backing moves with you. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the vocal melody in.

Try other practice modes:

About “You Want It Darker”

Can I sing "You Want It Darker" karaoke-style with the lyrics on screen?
Yes — Karaoke mode puts the lyrics of "You Want It Darker" on screen a line at a time and lights up each word in time, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word and the chord shown just above. The piano backing plays underneath in E, and you can transpose it to fit your voice.
What key is the piano accompaniment for "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen in?
The backing track is in E at 60 BPM. If that doesn't sit in your vocal range, use the live transpose control to shift up or down semitones — the accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.
Can I sing over "You Want It Darker" with this accompaniment?
Yes — that's exactly what it's built for. The vocal melody is muted by default so you can sing freely. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the melody back in at a lower volume.
Is this a karaoke version of "You Want It Darker"?
Effectively yes — it's the piano-only backing for "You Want It Darker", with no vocals. You can also slow it down to practice tricky verses, then bring it back to full tempo.
Can I use "You Want It Darker" as a backing track for my instrument?
Absolutely. Singers, guitarists, violinists, wind players, and instrumental practice in general all work — the piano holds the harmony so you can carry the melody on whatever instrument you play.
Can I download the accompaniment for "You Want It Darker"?
Yes — registered users can download MIDI + MusicXML (open in any notation software). PDF sheet music is also available for the full arrangement.
Who wrote "You Want It Darker"?
"You Want It Darker" was originally performed by Leonard Cohen. This piano accompaniment is an arrangement of that song, designed for sing-along and play-along use.
What other backing tracks by Leonard Cohen are available?
Other accompaniments by Leonard Cohen: "Almost Like The Blues", "Anthem", "Bird On A Wire". Same toggle-the-melody, change-the-key setup.
Is there a karaoke version of "You Want It Darker" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
Can I change the key of "You Want It Darker" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in E, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
Can I slow "You Want It Darker" down to learn the words and chords?
Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.

More songs you might like

DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE, Leonard Cohen
E

DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE

Leonard Cohen

Medium70 BPM
Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen
C

Hallelujah

Leonard Cohen

Beginner108 BPM
Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen
C

Hallelujah

Leonard Cohen

Medium84 BPM
Samson In New Orleans, Leonard Cohen
Gb

Samson In New Orleans

Leonard Cohen

Medium56 BPM
Almost Like The Blues, Leonard Cohen
G

Almost Like The Blues

Leonard Cohen

Medium84 BPM
Bird On A Wire, Leonard Cohen
D

Bird On A Wire

Leonard Cohen

Medium66 BPM
A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP, Leonard Cohen
F

A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP

Leonard Cohen

Medium78 BPM
Closing Time, Leonard Cohen
G

Closing Time

Leonard Cohen

Medium96 BPM
Everybody Knows, Leonard Cohen
G

Everybody Knows

Leonard Cohen

Medium120 BPM
HALLELUJAH, Leonard Cohen
C

HALLELUJAH

Leonard Cohen

Medium108 BPM
Dance Me To The End Of Love, Leonard Cohen
Bb

Dance Me To The End Of Love

Leonard Cohen

Medium128 BPM
I'm Your Man, Leonard Cohen
B

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

Medium120 BPM