Leonard Cohen

Chelsea Hotel No 2

Leonard Cohen


Tom: F

     F         C           Bb     F
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
         C                       Dm
You were talking so brave and so sweet.
F         C           Bb
Giving me head on the unmade bed
F         Bb                     C
While the limousines wait in the street
Dm                         Bb
Those were the reasons and that was New York,
        F               Am/E          Dm
We were running for the money and the flesh
    Bb                           F
And that was called love for the workers in song,
         Bb                         C
Probably still is for those of them left.

[Chorus]
         Bb            F
And then you got away, didn't you, baby?
                     Am/E        Dm
You just turned your back on the crowd.
Bb                         F
You got away, I never once heard you say,
   Bb                F           Bb                F
"I need you, I don't need you, I need you, I don't need you,"
    Bb                  Dm       C (To lead into next verse).
And all of that jiving around.

[Verse 2]
     F         C            Bb     F
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
          C                        Dm
You were famous, your heart was a legend.
     F             C             Bb
You told me again you preferred handsome men,
         F           Bb         C
But for me you would make an exception.
      Dm                         Bb
And clenching your fist for the ones like us
           F             Am/E       Dm
Who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
    Bb                           F
You fixed yourself, you said, "Well, never mind,
         Bb                    C
We are ugly but we have the music."
         Bb             F
And then you got away, didn't you, baby?
                     Am/E        Dm
You just turned your back on the crowd.

[Chorus]
Bb                         F
You got away, I never once heard you say,
   Bb                F           Bb                F
"I need you, I don't need you, I need you, I don't need you,"
    Bb           Dm            C (To lead into next verse).
And all of that jiving around.

[Verse 3]
C       F          C           Bb            F
I don't mean to suggest that I loved you the best
        F             C           Dm
I can't keep track of each fallen robin.
    F          C           Bb        F
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
     Bb                             C
That all, I don't think of you that often.