Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Leonard Cohen - Take This Waltz Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, Bm, Em, C, D, B7, Am, E7, Am7, D7, Cdim
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar B7 chord diagram Fingering: x-2-1-2-0-2Guitar B7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Am7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-1-0Guitar Am7 chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Cdim chord diagram Fingering: x-3-1-x-1-2Guitar Cdim chord diagram

[Opening]
Now in [G]Vienna there’s [Bm]ten pretty [Em]women
There’s a [G]shoulder where [Bm]death comes to [Em]cry
There’s a [C]lobby with nine hundred [D]windows
There’s a [C]tree where the doves go to [G]die [B7]

[verse 2]
There’s a [Em]piece that was torn from the morning
And it [Am]hangs in the [E7]gallery of [Am]frost
[C]Ay Ay Ay [G]Ay take this [B7]waltz take this [Em]waltz
Take this [Am7]waltz with the clamp on its [C]jaws [D] [Em] [D] [D7]

[verse 3]
Oh I [G]want you I [Bm]want you I [Em]want you
On a [G]chair with a [Bm]dead maga[Em]zine
In the [C]cave at the tip of the [D]lily in some [C]hallway
Where love’s never [G]been [B7]

[verse 4]
On a [Em]bed where the moon has been sweating
In a [Am]cry filled with [E7]footsteps and [Am]sand
[C]Ay Ay Ay [G]Ay take this [B7]waltz take this [E7]waltz
Take its [Am7]broken waist in your [C]hand [Cdim] [Am7] [Em] [B7]

[verse 5]
This [Em]waltz, this waltz, this waltz,
This waltz with its [Am]very own breath of [Em]brandy and death
[Am7]Dragging its tail in the [G]sea [D]
There’s a [G]concert [Bm]hall in Vi[Em]enna
Where your [G]mouth had a [Bm]thousand re[Em]views

[verse 6]
There’s a [C]bar where the boys have stopped [D]talking
They’ve been [C]sentenced to death by the [G]blues [B7]
Ah but [Em]who is it climbs to your picture with a [Am]garland of [E7]freshly cut [Am]tears
[C]Ay Ay Ay [G]Ay take this [B7]waltz take this [Em]waltz
Take this [Am7]waltz it’s been dying for [C]years [G] [D]

[verse 7]
There’s an [G]attic where [Bm]children are [Em]playing
Where I’ve [G]got to lie [Bm]down with you [Em]soon
In a [C]dream of Hungarian [D]lanterns in the [C]mist of some sweet after[G]noon [B7]

[verse 8]
And I’ll [Em]see what you’ve chained to your sorrow
All your [Am]sheep and your [E7]lilies of [Am]snow
[C]Ay Ay Ay [G]Ay take this [B7]waltz take this [E7]waltz with its
I’ll [Am7]never forget you you [C]know [Cdim] [Am7] [Em] [B7]

[verse 9]
This [Em]waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz with its [Am]very own breath of [Em]brandy and death
[Am7]Dragging its tail in the [G]sea [D]
And I’ll [G]dance with [Bm]you in Vi[Em]enna I’ll be [G]wearing a [Bm]river’s dis[Em]guise
The [C]hyacinth wild on my [D]shoulder my [C]mouth on the dew of your [G]thighs
And I’ll [G]bury my [Bm]soul in a [Em]scrapbook, with the [G]photographs [Bm]there and the [Em]moss
And I’ll [C]yield to the flood of your [D]beauty my [C]cheap violin and my [G]cross [B7]

[verse 10]
And you’ll [Em]carry me down on your dancing
To the [Am]pools that you [E7]lift on your [Am]wrist
Oh my [C]love oh my [G]love take this [B7]waltz take this [Em]waltz
It’s [Am]yours now it’s all that there [C]is [G] [D]

[Closing]
[G]La la la [Em]La la la [G]La la la [Bm] [Em]La la la [C]La la la [D]La la la
[C]La la la [G]La la la [B7] [Em]La la la La la la [Am]La la la [E7] [Am]La la la
[C]Ay Ay Ay [G]Ay [B7] [Em] [Am7] [C] [D] [Em] [D] [D7] [G]

Report Error
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistLeonard Cohen
AlbumI'm Your Man
GenresPop
Year1986
KeyG

How to play Take This Waltz on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Leonard Cohen - Take This Waltz on guitar requires 11 chords and 22 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Take This Waltz uses these transitions most often: C → G (15), Bm → Em (13), and G → Bm (13). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with G - Bm chord transition.

1. G → Bm chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

To move from G to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.
G to Bm

2. Bm → Em chord transition

Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Bm to Em;

  1. While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
Bm to Em

3. Em → G chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from Em to G;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on A string fret 2.
Em to G

4. Em → C chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from Em to C;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to C

5. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

6. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

7. G → B7 chord transition

To move from G to B7;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on E string fret 2.

8. B7 → Em chord transition

To move from B7 to Em;

  1. While playing B7, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.

9. Em → Am chord transition

To move from Em to Am;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

10. Am → E7 chord transition

To move from Am to E7;

  1. While playing Am, lift your ring finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 2.

11. Am → C chord transition

To move from Am to C;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

12. Em → Am7 chord transition

To move from Em to Am7;

  1. While playing Em, lift your ring finger from D string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

13. Am7 → C chord transition

To move from Am7 to C;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

14. D → Em chord transition

To move from D to Em;

  1. While playing D, lift your index finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

15. D → D7 chord transition

To move from D to D7;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.

16. D7 → G chord transition

To move from D7 to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

17. B7 → E7 chord transition

To move from B7 to E7;

  1. While playing B7, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.

18. E7 → Am7 chord transition

To move from E7 to Am7;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 2.

19. C → Cdim chord transition

To move from C to Cdim;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 1.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 3.

20. Cdim → Am7 chord transition

To move from Cdim to Am7;

  1. While playing Cdim, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 1 to D string fret 2.

21. Am7 → G chord transition

To move from Am7 to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.

22. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

Take This Waltz chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Take This Waltz.

  • Take This Waltz includes 166 chord transitions, 22 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Take This Waltz contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Take This Waltz connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → D: 24%
    • G → Em: 9%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → G: 18%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.