Leonard Cohen - Hey Thats No Way To Say Goodbye

first tab , please be gentle . = ]

capo on 3rd fret

* this is not how leonard cohen or anyone i’ve seen plays it , this is just my own
interpretation . same chords , just played slightly differently . it matches the vocals
spot on
and you can still play along with the original recording *

G/D
i loved you in the morning , our kisses deep and warm ,

Em/B
your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm ,

C/E
yes , many loved before us , i know that we are not new ,

G/D
in city and in forest they smiled like me and you ,

Em/B
but now it’s come to distances and both of us must try ,

C/D
your eyes are soft with sorrow ,

D/A G/D D
hey , that’s no way to say goodbye .

[ G ] i’m not looking for another as i wander in my time ,
[ Em ] walk me to the corner , our steps will always rhyme
[ C ] you know my love goes with you as your love stays with me ,
[ G ] it’s just the way it changes , like the shoreline and the sea ,
[ Em ] but let’s not talk of love or chains and things we can’t untie ,
[ C ] your eyes are soft with sorrow ,
[ D ] hey , that’s no way to say good [ G ] bye . [ D ]

this is how i fingerpick the different sections .

G/D

“i loved you in the morning , our kisses deep and warm”

E | – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

Em/B

“your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm”

E | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – |

C/E

“yes , many loved before us , i know that we are not new”

E | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

G/D

“in city and in forest they smiled like me and you”

E | – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

Em/B

“but now it’s come to distances and both of us must try”

E | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – |

C/D

“your eyes are soft with sorrow”

E | – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – |
B | – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – 1 – – – – – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x2
D | – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 2 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

normally , for the “hey , that’s now way to say goodbye” part , i simply keep the same
rhythm i’ve been playing for the rest of the song , strumming with my thumb on the down
beats , the top two strings of the off beats , alternating between the root [ in this case ,
the a in the D chord ] and another note in the chord [ i usually play the D string ] . if you’d
like , when he sings the B on “hey that’s now way to say” you can move your pointer
finger off of the G string and change the bass to A B where i capitalized the words previously .