Saved

The Partisan

Chords
4.7477 votes
Get the app
App StoreGoogle Play
15
Original
Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
No playable tab notation detected in this song.
Suggested pattern:
D|-Am---------0---------------|--C---------0---|---E--------0--|
A|-------1-----1------------|--------1------|--------0-----|
F|----2-----------2-----2---|-----0---------|-----1--------|
C|-------------------2------|---------------|--------------|
G|-0------------------------|--3------------|--------------|
D|--------------------------|---------------|--0-----------|
p i m a m i p i p i m a p i m a
The pattern is played two times per bar (indicated by / in first verse).
In the first and second line of every verse there are three chords per bar
and I play the pattern C and E.
Cohen plays - don't really know :
D|--Am-----------------------0----------|-C-------------------|--E-----------------|
A|-------1--------1-----1-----------1-|--------1--------1--|--------0--------0-|
F|----2--------2-----2-----------2----|-----0--------0-----|-----1--------1----|
C|----------2-----------------2-------|-----------2--------|-----------2-------|
G|-0----------------------------------|--3-----------------|--2----------------|
D|------------------------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
p i m p i m p i m p i m etc.
There are twenty four notes (triplets) per bar, too much for my fingers.
Am   Am/ Am  Am  
/ C   E  Am  
When they poured a-cross the border
/ C   E  Am  
I was cautioned to sur-render,
/ C   G/ G(2/4)
this I could not do;
F   F/ C   E/ Am   Am/ Am  Am  
I took my gun and van-ished.
I have Cchanged my Ename so Amoften,
I've Clost my Ewife and Amchildren
but I have Cmany fri-Gends,G  
F   F   C   E/ Am   Am/ Am  Am  
and some of them are with me.
An old Cwoman Egave us Amshelter,
kept us Chidden Ein the Amgarret,
then the Csoldiers Gcame;G  
F   F   C   E   Am   Am/ Am  Am  
she died without a whis-per.
There were Cthree of Eus this Ammorning Hier encore nous étions trois
I'm the Conly Eone this Amevening Il ne reste plus que moi
but I Cmust go Gon; GEt je tourne en rond
F   F   C   E   Am   Am/ Am  Am  
the fron-tiers are my pri-son. Dans la prison des frontières
Oh, the Cwind, the Ewind is Amblowing, La vent souffle sur les tombes
through the Cgraves the Ewind is Amblowing, La liberté reviendra
freedom Csoon will Gcome; GOn nous oubliera !
F   F   C   E/ Am   Am/ Am  Am  
then we'll come from the shad-ows. Nous rentrerons dans l'ombre.
Les Alle-Cmands é-Etaient chez Ammoi, The Germans were at my home
ils me Cdirent: "Ré-Esigne Amtoi," They said, "do resign,"
mais je Cn'ai pas Gpeur; GBut I am not afraid
F   F   C   E/ Am   Am/ Am  Am  
j'ai repris mon ar-me. I have retaken my weapon.
J'ai chan-Cgé cent Efois de Amnom, I have changed names a hundred times
j'ai per-Cdu femme Eet en-Amfants I have lost wife and children
mais j'ai Ctant d'a-Gmis; GBut I have so many friends
F   C   E   Am   Am/ Am  Am  
j'ai la France en-tière. I have all of France
Un vieil Chomme dans Eun gre-Amnier An old man, in an attic
pour la Cnuit nous Ea ca-Amchés, Hid us for the night
les Alle-Cmands l'ont Gpris; GThe Germans captured him
F   F   C   E   Am   Am/ Am  Am  
il est mort sans surpri-se. He died without surprise.
Oh, the Cwind, the Ewind is Amblowing,
through the Cgraves the Ewind is Amblowing,
freedom Csoon will Gcome;G  
F   F   C   E   Am   Am/ Am   Am(arpeggio)
then we'll come from the shad-ows.
All chords in this song (5)

The story behind the song

"The Partisan" is an anti-fascist anthem that originated during World War II, written to inspire the French Resistance. It tells the story of a fighter, driven by a deep commitment to freedom, who faces hardship and isolation. Leonard Cohen's version, released on his 1969 album Songs from a Room, uses an English adaptation that significantly shifts the song's musical feel and lyrical meaning from its original French form. Cohen's recording helped re-popularize the song, making it widely known. Playing this song channels a spirit of quiet defiance and enduring hope in the face of oppression.

AI-written from these sources:The Partisan — Wikipedia ↗Leonard Cohen — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

About The Partisan Chords by Leonard Cohen

Learn how to play The Partisan by Leonard Cohen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Partisan chords”, “The Partisan guitar chords”, or “Leonard Cohen The Partisan chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy The Partisan chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Partisan lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, C, E, D, A, F.

FAQ — The Partisan by Leonard Cohen

How do I play "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen free?

Yes. The chords for "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Partisan" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Partisan" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Partisan"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Partisan" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Partisan" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Partisan" by Leonard Cohen with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Leonard Cohen below.

What key is "The Partisan" in?

The chords for "The Partisan" show the original chord names (including Am, C, E, D, A, F). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.