Blood Red Bird
View chords used in this chart
F#m G#m C#m
I was not woken by the rooster
(the chords stay the
F#m G#m C#m
Nor by the crows's tough song
F#m G#m
But the midnight cry
C#m F#m
Of a blood red bird
G#m C#m
Brought this sleeplessness on
F#m G#m
Threw open the window
C#m
Moonlight on a Black garden of thorns
F#m G#m C#m
And the cool wind on my sweat
F#m
What cries home
G#m C#m
Where cries from
F#m G#m C#m
A blood red bird lies in the woods
F#m G#m C#m
Weeping into dead leaves
F#m G#m C#m
With wing thorn and jutting bone
F#m G#m C#m
What hand bent it to bust
To be useless
What hand I could have done it
With two fingers
A blood red bird
A blood red bird
We can continually sink into
Each other
Just deep enough to rip out
A bit more flesh
When we move away
A scarf of skin trailing out behind
Like an arrow
I was only passing through
A blood red bird
A blood red bird
How to play Blood Red Bird
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is F#m. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.