• From: Barcelona, Spain
  • Registered: 2008-09-08
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Teddy Thompson's version of Leonard Cohen's "Tonight Will Be Fine"

Hey all-

I need some help y'all (I'm a real beginner) with a chord in Teddy Thompson's version of Leonard Cohen's "Tonight Will Be Fine" from the I'm Your Man documentary. (I really dig it!)

http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.p … TONITE.TXT

I've found some forums where I've got it all worked out ... but they've all seemed to have missed something that makes it sound a bit boring ... in the end of the third line in each verse there's a chord that differs from the other lines ... (I think the other three lines all end in an "E" .... )

I have the Capo on the second fret and play an "E" then "B7" then back to "E"
The same pattern is repeated for all four lines in the verse ... EXCEPT for the final "E" in the third line ...

It sounds a little "flatter" or "sharper" ... but I'm so new at this that I can't work it out.

Here's where I can pick it up by ear, but can't work it out on my guitar ... when he sings the words:
"...surely last" (on last) then on "...one chair" (on chair) ... and finally on "...so free" (on free)

Here's a link to the video on YouTube.  I appreciate any help, advice or recommendations.
Thanks so much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W89j6GjPDI

I also see that where I'm playing the "B7" he's playing something else ... I play it like this:

E-0-2-
B-0-0-
G-0-2-
D-1-0-
A-0-2-
E-0-0-

But quite frankly, it's not the most comfortable chord to try to "squeeze in" under the capo.
Any suggestions that might make this easier to play (or perhaps even sound better)?

P.S. Looking closely to the video, I think I saw Teddy's trick and figured out that when he plays the "A" in the chorus, it's not really a true "A" but just this ... anyone know what it is or what it's called (or if I'm way off base)?

E-0-0-
B-0-0-
G-0-2-
D-0-2-
A-0-0-
E-x-x-

Thanks.

  • From: Cardiff, Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2008-08-25
  • Posts: 182

Re: Teddy Thompson's version of Leonard Cohen's "Tonight Will Be Fine"

Barcelona_chordie wrote:

I've found some forums where I've got it all worked out ... but they've all seemed to have missed something that makes it sound a bit boring ... in the end of the third line in each verse there's a chord that differs from the other lines ... (I think the other three lines all end in an "E" .... )
I have the Capo on the second fret and play an "E" then "B7" then back to "E"
The same pattern is repeated for all four lines in the verse ... EXCEPT for the final "E" in the third line ...

It sounds a little "flatter" or "sharper" ... but I'm so new at this that I can't work it out.

Here's where I can pick it up by ear, but can't work it out on my guitar ... when he sings the words:
"...surely last" (on last) then on "...one chair" (on chair) ... and finally on "...so free" (on free)

Here's a link to the video on YouTube.  I appreciate any help, advice or recommendations.
Thanks so much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W89j6GjPDI

The "Chordie" chords are those that Cohen plays and are correct as far as I can see and agree with those in a book of Cohen songs I bought back in 1970. Teddy is not sticking to those exactly in his version. The chord he plays at the end of those lines is A. Cohen doesn't at that point.

I also see that where I'm playing the "B7" he's playing something else ... I play it like this:

E-0-2-
B-0-0-
G-0-2-
D-1-0-
A-0-2-
E-0-0-

But quite frankly, it's not the most comfortable chord to try to "squeeze in" under the capo.
Any suggestions that might make this easier to play (or perhaps even sound better)?

The very first time, and in the breaks he plays a straight barre B7 chord, but after that in the verses he plays a B7 chord with E in the bass. ( Often written B7/E ) I can hear the bass guitar holding the E while the B7 chord sounds. The tab above is just a B7 chord with the E bass string sounding.
It can sound a bit discordant to some. You can play a straight B7 if you want.

P.S. Looking closely to the video, I think I saw Teddy's trick and figured out that when he plays the "A" in the chorus, it's not really a true "A" but just this ... anyone know what it is or what it's called (or if I'm way off base)?

E-0-0-
B-0-0-
G-0-2-
D-0-2-
A-0-0-
E-x-x-

Thanks.

It sounds like he plays a straight A to me. However, the tab above could be called A9 (or Asus9) chord. In the key of E, it's an A chord but holding the B over from the E chord.
The point is, he is doing his own version of the Cohen song and it sounds very different in tone to the original, and uses a different chord at that one point. Cohen's version uses a rather fast picking style, Teddy strums.
Make your version how you want it - but close to Teddy's. Teddy hasn't kept so very close to the original - you needn't keep so close to Teddy's.
Nice song. One of my favourite Cohen's