Closing Time

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CLOSING TIME (L. Cohen)
from Columbia Records' album THE FUTURE by LEONARD COHEN (CK 53226)
Transcribed by Clay Boutilier
[Intro]
G D G D
[Verse]
G
Ah, we're drinking and we're dancing
and the band is really happening
Em
and the Johnny Walker wisdom running high,
Bm
And my very sweet companion,
she's the Angel of Compassion
Em
she's rubbing half the world against her thigh.
C
And every drinker, every dancer
lifts a happy face to thank her
G B7 Em
the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
D
all the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka dots
C
and it's partner found and it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
G
it's closing time (closing time, closing time, closing time)
C
Yeah, the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka dots
G B7
and it's partner found and it's partner lost
Em C
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
G D
it's clo-sing time
[Verse]
G
And we're lonely, we're romantic
and the cider laced with acid
Em
and the Holy Spirit's crying, "Where's the beef?"
Bm
And the moon is swimming naked
and the summer night is fragrant
Em
with a mighty expectation of relief
C
So we struggle and we stagger
down the snakes and up the ladder
G B7 Em
to the tower where the blessed hours chime
D
and I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
C
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
G
but closing time (closing time, closing time, closing time)
C
I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
G B7
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
Em C
I can't say much has happened since
(can't say much has happened since, can't say much has happened since)
G D
but clo-sing time, clo-sing time
[Bridge]
Em
And I loved you for your beauty
but that doesn't make a fool of me
Bm
you were in it for your beauty too
Em
and I loved you for your body
there's a voice that sounds like God to me
A A7
declaring (declaring) declaring (declaring)
D
declaring that you're body's really you (really really really really you)
C
And I loved you when our love was blessed
And I love you now there's nothing left
G B7 Em
but sorrow and a sense of overtime
D
and I missed you since the place got wrecked
and I just don't care what happens next
C
looks like freedom but it feels like death
it's something in between, I guess
G
it's closing time (closing time, closing time, closing time)
C
Yeah. I missed you since our place got wrecked
by the winds of change and the weeds of sex
G B7
and it looks like freedom but it feels like death
Em C
it's something in between, I guess
G D
it's clo-sing time
[Verse]
G
Yeah, we're drinking and we're dancing
but there's nothing really happening
Em
And the place is dead as Heaven on a Saturday night
Bm
And my very close companion
gets me fumbling gets me laughing
Em
she's a hundred but she's wearing something tight
C
And I lift my glass to the Awful Truth
which you can't reveal to the Ears of Youth
G B7 Em
except to say it isn't worth a dime
D
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the Devil and it's once for Christ
C
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights
G
of closing time (closing time, closing time, closing time)
C
The whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the Devil and it's once for Christ
G B7
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
Em C
we're busted in the blinding lights (busted in the blinding lights)
busted in the blinding lights
G D
of clo-sing time, clo-sing time
[Outro]
G
Oh, the women tear their blouses off
D
and the men they dance on the polka dots, it's clo---sing time
G
And it's partner found, and it's partner lost
D
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops, it's clo---sing time
G
And I swear it happened just like this:
D
A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss, it's clo---sing time (closing time, closing time)
G
The gates of love they budged an inch
D
I can't say much has happened since but clo---sing time (closing time, closing time)
G
I loved you when our love was blessed
D
I love you now, there's nothing left but clo---sing time (closing time, closing time)
G
And I missed you since our place got wrecked
D
by the winds of change and the weeds of sex, it's clo---sing time ....

Closing Time chords and lyrics

Free chords for Closing Time by Leonard Cohen. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

CLOSING TIME (L. Cohen)
from Columbia Records' album THE FUTURE by LEONARD COHEN (CK 53226)
Transcribed by Clay Boutilier
[Intro]
G    D    G   D
[Verse]
and the band is really happening
she's the Angel of Compassion
lifts a happy face to thank her
and the men they dance on the polka dots
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
and the men they dance on the polka dots
[Verse]
and the cider laced with acid
and the summer night is fragrant
down the snakes and up the ladder
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
I can't say much has happened since
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
  (can't say much has happened since, can't say much has happened since)
[Bridge]
but that doesn't make a fool of me
there's a voice that sounds like God to me
And I love you now there's nothing left
and I just don't care what happens next
it's something in between, I guess
by the winds of change and the weeds of sex
[Verse]
but there's nothing really happening
gets me fumbling gets me laughing
which you can't reveal to the Ears of Youth
and it's once for the Devil and it's once for Christ
we're busted in the blinding lights
and it's once for the Devil and it's once for Christ
busted in the blinding lights
[Outro]

Closing Time Chords by Leonard Cohen

Learn how to play Closing Time by Leonard Cohen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Closing Time chords”, “Closing Time guitar chords”, or “Leonard Cohen Closing Time 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 Closing Time chords and for experienced players who want accurate Closing Time lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, D, Em, Bm, C, B7.

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The chords for "Closing Time" show the original chord names (including G, D, Em, Bm, C, B7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.