Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Hello! Below you'll find my "Hallelujah" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by Leonard Cohen is a total classic, in my opinion, one of the best songs ever written. There have been many wonderful and famous covers over the years, but in the video I base my piano part most closely on the Rufus Wainwright version.
Enjoy!
Hallelujah Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Hallelujah:
Hallelujah Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| C | Am | C | Am |
| C | Am | C | Am |
[Verse 1]
C Am
I heard there was a secret chord
C Am
That David played and it pleased the Lord
F G C G
But you don't really care for music, do you?
C F G
It goes like this the fourth, the fifth
Am F
The minor fall the major lift
G Em Am
The baffled king composing hallelujah
[Chorus]
F Am F C G C G
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah
[Verse 2]
C Am
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
C Am
You saw her bathing on the roof
F G C G
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
C F G
She tied you to her kitchen chair
Am F
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
G Em Am
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah
[Chorus]
F Am F C G C G
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah
[Verse 3]
C Am
Maybe I've been here before
C Am
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
F G C G
I used to live alone before I knew you
C F G
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Am F
But love is not a victory march
G
Em
Am
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
[Chorus]
F Am F C G C G
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah
[Verse 4]
C Am
There was a time you let me know
C Am
What's really going on below
F G C G
But now you never show it to me do you
C F G
And remember when I moved in you
Am F
The holy dark was moving too
G Em Am
And every breath we drew was hallelujah
[Chorus]
F Am F C G C G
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah
[Verse 5]
C Am
Maybe there's a God above
C Am
But all I've ever learned from love
F G C G
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
C F G
It's not a cry that you hear at night
Am F
It's not somebody who's seen the light
G Em Am
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
[Chorus]
F Am F C G
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u
F Am F C G C
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Hallelujah Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Hallelujah" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Hallelujah" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
