Other arrangements of Bird On The Wire
Pick a learning view.
Like a (D)bird
on a (A)wire,
like a (D)drunk in from some mid night (G)choir,
I have (D)tried
in my (A)way
to be (D)free.
Like a (D)worm
on a (A)hook,
like a (D)knight in from some old ioned (G)book,
I have (D)saved
all my (A)rib
bons for (D)thee.
Like a
If I, if I have been un (D)kind,
I hope that you can just let it go (D)by.
If I,
if I have been un (D)true,
I hope you know it was nev er to (A)you.
More like a (D)ba by still (A)born,
like a (D)beast
with his (G)horn,
I have (D)torn
ev ’ry (A)one who reached out for (D)me.
But I (D)swear
by this (A)song,
and by (D)all that I have done (G)wrong,
I will make it (A)all
up to (D)thee.
I saw a beg gar lean ing on his wood en (D)crutch.
He said to me, “You must not ask for (D)so much.”
And a pret ty wom an lean ing in her dark ened (D)door,
she cried to me, “Hey, why not ask for (A)more?”
More like a (D)bird
on the (A)wi re, like a (D)drunk in a mid night (G)choir,
I have (D)tried
in my (A)way
to be (G)free.
Bird On The Wire — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
8 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Bird On The Wire" 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 D, 95 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Bird On The Wire”
- What key is "Bird On The Wire" by Leonard Cohen played in?
- Bird On The Wire is arranged in the key of D on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Bird On The Wire"?
- The arrangement plays at 95 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Bird On The Wire" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Bird On The Wire"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Bird On The Wire"?
- "Bird On The Wire" was originally performed by Leonard Cohen. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Bird On The Wire"?
- This arrangement uses 4 chords: A, D, Em, G. Only a handful of chords — beginner-friendly.
- What other songs by Leonard Cohen can I play here?
- Try "A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP", "HALLELUJAH", "HALLELUJAH". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Bird On The Wire" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Bird On The Wire" 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 "Bird On The Wire" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in D, 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 "Bird On The Wire" 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.