Story Of Isaac Tab by Leonard Cohen

Story Of Isaac tab by Leonard Cohen

Guitar Tab

Tuning: standard tuning. 4/4. Emphasis on 1st and 4th beat in each bar.
   Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--1---------------|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-----------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2-----|
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|---------2---------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|

   Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--1---------------|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-----------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2-----|
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|---------2---------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
                                   The door     it opened  slowly        My

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

 Am                                    G        F        E
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--1---------------|-1---------------|-3-------1-------|-0-----------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----0-------2---|-----1-------1-----|
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|-----------------|---------2---------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-------------------|
E|------------------|-----------------|---3---3---1---1-|---0---0---0---0---|
    father    he came in         I was  nine    years    old

    E                  Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--0---------------|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-----------------|
G|------1-------1---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2-----|
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|---------2---------|
A|------------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
E|----0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
                and he stood so tall a-bove me      His blue eyes  they were

 Am                  G        F         E                E
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--1---------------|-3-------1-------|-0---------------|-0-----------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----0-------2---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1-----|
D|----------2-------|-----------------|---------2-------|---------2---------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
E|------------------|---3---3---1---1-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
   shining    and his voice was very    cold

    C                 C/G               C                 C/G
e|--0---------------|-3---------------|-0---------------|-3------------------|
B|------1-------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1------|
G|----------0-------|---------0-------|---------0-------|---------0----------|
D|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
A|----3---3---3---3-|---3---3---3---3-|---3---3---3---3-|---3---3---3---3----|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
   He said "I've had a vision   And you know  I'm strong and holy      I must

    D        C         B                                  F
e|--2-------0-------|-----2-----------|-2---------------|--------------------|
B|------3-------1---|-4-----------4---|-----4-----------|-1------------------|
G|------------------|---------4-------|---------4---4---|-----2-------2------|
D|----0---0---------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3----------|
A|------------3---3-|---2---2---2---2-|---2---2---2---2-|--------------------|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|---1---1---1---1----|
   do what  I've been  told."                       So we started   up  the

   Bb                 F                 Bb                F
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--3---------------|-1---------------|-3---------------|-1------------------|
G|------3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2------|
D|----------3-------|---------3-------|---------3-------|---------3----------|
A|----1---1---1---1-|-----------------|---1---1---1---1-|--------------------|
E|------------------|---1---1---1---1-|-----------------|---1---1---1---1----|
  mountain     I was running    He was walking    And his axe

   G                 A                                   Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--0---------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|-1------------------|
G|------0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2------|
D|----------0-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|---------2----------|
A|------------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0----|
E|----3---3---3---3-|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
        was made of gold.

 Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B|--1---------------|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-----------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2-----|
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|---------2---------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
                                                Well the trees  they got much

 Am
e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|--1---------------|-1---------------|-1---------------|
G|------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|        etc
D|----------2-------|---------2-------|---------2-------|
A|----0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
  smaller        The  lake    a  lady's  mirror       We

Verse 2:
Am
Well, the trees they got much smaller
Am
The lake a lady's mirror
    G        F          E
We stopped to drink some wine
        Am
Then he threw the bottle over
  Am
It broke a minute later
       G       F        E
and he put his hand on mine
  C               C/G
I thought I saw an eagle
      C                C/G
Or it might have been a vulture
 D      C     B
I never could decide
        F             Bb
Then my father built an altar
           F             Bb
He looked once behind his shoulder
  F       G         A
he knew I would not hide.



You who build these altars now
To sacrifice these children,
you must not do it any more.
A scheme is not a vision
and you never have been tempted
By a demon or a god.
You who stand above them now
Your hatchets blunt and bloody,
You were not there before
When I lay upon a mountain
And my father's hand was trembling
With the beauty of the word.


And if you call me brother now
Forgive me if I inquire
Just according to whose plan.
When it all comes down to dust
I will kill you if I must
I will help you if I can.
When it all comes down to dust
I will help you if I must
I will kill you if i can.
And mercy on our uniform,
Man of peace or man of war
the peacock spreads his fan.


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Last updated: September 10, 2025

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