Other arrangements of Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)
Pick a learning view.
Like a (D)bird on a (A)wire,
like a (D)drunk in a old 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)drunk in a old mid night (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 for (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 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 (A7)way to be (G)free.
Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire) — Classic Piano Sheet Music
6 people have learned this song
Read "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)" by Leonard Cohen in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of D. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 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 (Bird On A Wire)”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature D. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)" by Leonard Cohen played in?
- Bird On The Wire (Bird On A 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 (Bird On A Wire)"?
- The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A 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 (Bird On A 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 A Wire)"?
- "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)" was originally performed by Leonard Cohen. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Leonard Cohen can I play here?
- Try "A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP", "BIRD ON THE WIRE", "HALLELUJAH". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Bird On The Wire (Bird On A Wire)" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature D, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 120 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.