Written by Leonard Cohen
Verse: F#m E Esus F#m D G D A It's true that all the men you knew were dealers Asus A E Who said they were through with dealing F#m Every time you gave them shelter E I know that kind of man F#m It's hard to hold the hand of anyone E F#m Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender, E F#m E Esus F#m Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender. D G D A And sweeping up the jokers that he left behind Asus A E You find he did not leave you very much F#m Not even laughter E F#m Like any dealer he was watching for the card E That is so high and wild F#m He'll never need to deal another E F#m He was just some Joseph looking for a manger E F#m E Esus F#m He was just some Joseph looking for a manger D G D And then leaning on your window sill A Asus A He'll say one day you caused his will E F#m To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter E And taking from his wallet F#m An old schedule of trains, he'll say E F#m I told you when I came I was a stranger E F#m E Esus F#m I told you when I came I was a stranger D G D But now another stranger seems A Asus A To want you to ignore his dreams E F#m As though they were the burden of some other E O you've seen that man before F#m His golden arm dispatching cards E F#m But now it's rusted from the elbows to the finger E F#m And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter E F#m E Esus F#m Yes he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter. D G D A I hate to watch another tired man Asus A Lay down his hand E F#n Like he was giving up the holy game of poker E And while he talks his dreams to sleep F#m You notice there's a highway E F#m That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder. E F#m It is curling just like smoke above his shoulder. D G D You tell him to come in sit down A Asus A E But something makes you turn around E F#m The door is open you can't close your shelter E You try the handle of the road F#m It opens do not be afraid E F#m It's you my love, you who are the stranger E F#m E Esus F#m It's you my love, you who are the stranger. D G D Well, I've been waiting, I was sure A Asus A We'd meet between the trains we're waiting for E F#m I think it's time to board another E F#m Please understand, I never had a secret chart E To get me to the heart of this F#m Or any other matter E When he talks like this F#m You don't know what he's after E When he speaks like this, F#m E Esus F#m You don't care what he's after. D G D Let's meet tomorrow if you choose A Asus A Upon the shore, beneath the bridge E F#m that they are building on some endless river E Then he leaves the platform F#m For the sleeping car that's warm E F#m You realize, he's only advertising one more shelter E F#m And it comes to you, he never was a stranger E F#m E Esus F#m And you say ok the bridge or someplace later. D G D A And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind Asus A E You find he did not leave you very much F#m Not even laughter E F#m Like any dealer he was watching for the card E That is so high and wild F#m He'll never need to deal another E F#m He was just some Joseph looking for a manger E F#m E Esus F#m He was just some Joseph looking for a manger