“Famous Blue Raincoat” is a dark song, that was included in “Songs of Love and Hate”, the third studio album by Leonard Cohen. Produced by Bob Johnston, the album was released on March 19, 1971, through Columbia Records. The song is written in the form of a letter, and the lyric tells the story of a love triangle between the speaker (Leonard Cohen) , a woman named Jane, and the male addressee.

FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT
Leonard Cohen

(Intro)

AmFDm7E7
 
AmFDm7E7
 

(Verse 1)

 AmF
It’sfour in the morning, theend of December
 Dm7E7
I’mwriting you now just tosee if you’re better
AmF
New York is cold, but Ilike where I’m living
 Dm7E7
There’smusic on Clinton Streetall through the evening
AmBmAmBm
I hear that you’rebuilding your littlehouse deep in thedesert
AmG
You’re living fornothing now
 AmG
I hope you’rekeeping some kind ofrecord
 CG
Yes, andJane came by with a lock of yourhair
 Am
She said that you gave it toher
 BmG
That night that you planned to goclear 
FE7
Did you ever goclear?

(Verse 2)

 AmF
Ah, thelast time we saw you, youlooked so much older
 Dm7E7
Yourfamous blue raincoat wastorn at the shoulder
 AmF
You’dbeen to the station tomeet every train
 Dm7E7
Andyou came home withoutLili Marlene
 AmBmAmBm
And youtreated mywoman to aflake of yourlife
AmGAmG
And when she cameback,she was nobody’swife
 CG
Well, Isee you there with the rose in yourteeth
 Am
One more thin gypsythief
 BmG
Well, I see Jane’sawake 
FE7
She sends her re-gards

(Verse 3)

 AmF
Andwhat can I tell you mybrother, my killer?
Dm7E7
What can I possiblysay?
 AmF
Iguess that I miss you, Iguess I forgive you
 Dm7E7
I’mglad you stood in myway
AmBmAmBm
If you ever comeby here,for Jane or forme
AmGAmG
Well, your enemy issleeping,and his woman isfree
 CG
Yes, andthanks for the trouble youtook from her eyes
 AmG
I thought it wasthere for good so I nevertried
 CG
AndJane came by with a lock of yourhair
 Am
She said that you gave it toher
 BmG
That night that you planned to goclear 
FE
Sincerely, L.Cohen

(Outro)

AmFDm7E7
 

Leonard Cohen (1934-2016), was a legendary poet, musician and artist with a unique style, “dark” sound, and a baritone raw voice singing his beautiful lyrics. A lot of articles have been written around the world, saying good bye to this great artist this year. They were summarised nicely in this article by Montreal Gazette (the featured image comes from this article as well).

Leonard Cohen mandolin
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