Rush - High Water guitar tab
Rush: High Water
From the album Hold Your Fire (Mercury Records)
Copyright 1987 Core Music Publishing
Music by Lee and Lifeson
Lyrics by Peart
Comments/corrections to Rich Soto
Transcription by C.D. Bruce
You asked for it! Here is a draft of High Water.
(Once again..."single handedly"!)
Mind you, this is a "work in progress". I'll tab the lead work in the
next couple of days. This is a good start. I think this is one of the
best songs on Hold Your Fire (my personal favorite is "Mission"), the
only "problem" is that it is heavily laden with synth. It has the
typical Lifeson chords in it (sus2 chords) which makes it sound
different. There is two primary guitar sounds used, a crisp clean
tone and an overdriven tone. I split the tab in various places to
indicate when both guitars are playing simultaneously (Alex!...you and
your damn overdubbing!). In some places I've tabbed the synth chords.
Have fun...
Drum intro (guitar tacet for 2 bars)
Clean tone w/either "chorus" or "dimension" effect
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R
D|<12>-----------------------------|<12>-----------------------------|1
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|------------<12>-----------------|-------------<12>----------------|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T
G|<12>-----------------------------|<12>-----------------------------|R
D|------------<7>------------------|------------<7>------------------|1
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R
D|<12>-----------------------------|<12>-----------------------------|1
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|------------<12>-----------------|-------------<12>----------------|
Csus2
e|-----------------3---------------|-----------------3---------------|G
B|---------3-----------3-----------|---------3-----------3-----------|T
G|o----5-------5-----------5---5---|-----5-------5-----------5---5--o|R
D|o5-------------------------------|-5------------------------------o|1
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
A |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|-7~------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|-7~------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|-5~------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|<7>~~~---------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Csus2
e|-----------------3---------------|-----------------3---------------|G |
B|---------3-----------3-----------|---------3-----------3-----------|T |
G|-----5-------5-----------5---5---|-----5-------5-----------5---5---|R |
D|-5-------------------------------|-5-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
e|-----------------3---------------|-----------------3---------------|G |
B|---------3-----------3-----------|---------3-----------3-----------|T |
G|-----5-------5-----------5---5---|-----5-------5-----------5---5---|R |
D|-5-------------------------------|-5-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Gsus2
e|-----------------10--------------|-----------------10--------------|G |
B|---------10----------10----------|---------10----------10----------|T |
G|-----12------12----------12--12--|-----12------12----------12--12--|R |
D|-12------------------------------|-12------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Fsus2
e|-----------------8---------------|-----------------8---------------|G |
B|---------8-----------8-----------|---------8-----------8-----------|T |
G|-----10-------10---------10--10--|-----10------10----------10------|R |
D|-10------------------------------|-10------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
(1st verse synth can be reproduced by using a clean tone
with a tremolo effect otherwise use an overdriven tone
These chords below should be used for the first verse only.)
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-7-----------9-------------------|-7-----------9-------------------|
D|-7-----------9-------------------|-7-----------9-------------------|
A|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
A|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
E|-3-----------5-------------------|-3-----------5-------------------|
(%)
Repeat 4 times
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|-3-------------------------------|-3-------------------------------|T
G|o2-----------1-------------------|-2-----------1-------------------|R
D|o0-----------2-------------------|-0-----------2-------------------|2
A|-------------2-------------------|-------------2-------------------|
E|-------------0-------------------|-------------0-------------------|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T
G|-4-----------6-------------------|-4-----------5------------------o|R
D|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7------------------o|2
A|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
E|-3-----------5-------------------|-3-----------5-------------------|
F#m (synth)
e|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
GaddA Coda (+)
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|-7-----------9-------------------|-8-----------10~-----------------|T
G|-7-----------9-------------------|-7-----------9-~-------------2-2-|R
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------2-2-|2
A|---------------------------------|-----------------------------0-0-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|----2-------2-----------2---2----|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
A |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|R |
D|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|2 |
A|-0~------------------------------|(0)------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2-|R |
D|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2-|2 |
A|(0)------------------------------|(0)--------------------------0-0-| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|----2-------2-----------2---2----|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
A |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|R |
D|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|2 |
A|-0~------------------------------|(0)------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2-|R |
D|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2-|2 |
A|(0)------------------------------|(0)--------------------------0-0-| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2----|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
A |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|R |
D|-2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|2 |
A|-0~------------------------------|(0)------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Asus2
e|-----------------0---------------|-----------------0---------------|G |
B|---------0-----------0-----------|---------0-----------0-----------|T |
G|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|-----2-------2-----------2---2---|R |
D|-2-------------------------------|-2-------------------------------|1 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|(2)------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|R |
D|(2)------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|2 |
A|(0)------------------------------|(0)------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
F#m
e|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Repeat 5 times
D E D E
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|-3-------------------------------|
G|o2-----------1-------------------|-2-----------1-------------------|
D|o0-----------2-------------------|-0-----------2-------------------|
A|-------------2-------------------|-------------2-------------------|
E|-------------0-------------------|-------------0-------------------|
G A G A
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-----------6-------------------|-4-----------5------------------o|
D|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7------------------o|
A|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
E|-3-----------5-------------------|-3-----------5-------------------|
F#m (synth)
e|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
GaddA (synth)
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|-7-----------9-------------------|-8-----------10~-----------------|T
G|-7-----------9-------------------|-7-----------9-~-------------2-2-|R
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------2-2-|2
A|---------------------------------|-----------------------------0-0-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|o2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|R |
D|o2~------------------------------|(2)------------------------------|2 |
A|-0~------------------------------|(0)------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2o|R |
D|(2)------------------------------|(2)--------------------------2-2o|2 |
A|(0)------------------------------|(0)--------------------------0-0-| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
F#m
e|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Solo (Later) don't worry I'll do it, its an easy one!
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Repeat 5 times
D E D E
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|-3-------------------------------|
G|o2-----------1-------------------|-2-----------1-------------------|
D|o0-----------2-------------------|-0-----------2-------------------|
A|-------------2-------------------|-------------2-------------------|
E|-------------0-------------------|-------------0-------------------|
G A G A
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-----------6-------------------|-4-----------5------------------o|
D|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7------------------o|
A|-5-----------7-------------------|-5-----------7-------------------|
E|-3-----------5-------------------|-3-----------5-------------------|
F#m (synth)
e|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
GaddA (synth)
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Repeat 6 times
Csus2
e|-----------------3---------------|-----------------3---------------|G
B|---------3-----------3-----------|---------3-----------3-----------|T
G|o----5-------5-----------5---5---|-----5-------5-----------5---5--o|R
D|o5-------------------------------|-5------------------------------o|1
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Bb (synth)
e|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
D|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
A|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
Am (synth)
e|-0-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
B|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
D|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
A|-0-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G (synth)
e|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
B|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
G|-4-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
D|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
A|-5-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|G |
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|T |
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|R |
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|2 |
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |
F
e|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------|G
B|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------|T
G|-2-------------------------------|---------------------------------|R
D|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|1
A|-3-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-1-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Lyrics
When the waters rose in the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory -- it flowed into our blood
When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome --
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home --
The water takes you home --
Springing from the weight of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst
Something swam through the jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam --
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home --
Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins
When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam --
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home...
Tabulature Explanation:
| = bar line
~ = vibrato or held note
x = percussive note with no pitch; muted note
. = staccato; mute the note immediately after striking it
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide (used when \ or / don't fit)
^ = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret shown in parenthesis ()
r = release bend to indicated string/fret
t = fret board tap (not many of these with Rush)
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
<5> = natural harmonic (lightly touch the string at fret indicated)
[5] = artificial harmonic (use thumb to follow through the pick attack)
o =\ repeat sign
o =/
D.C. = "Da capo" - means "from the head", when you see these initials you
'
go back to the beginning of the piece of music.
D.S. = "Dal segno" - means "from the sign", go back in the tabulature
only as far as the (%) sign.
Coda = A passage at the end of a movement or composition that brings
it to a formal close.
Al Coda = means "to the tail", tells you that you must go to the end
section which starts with the Coda sign (+).
R.F. = repeat and fade
rit. = "ritardando" - Gradually slowing in tempo; retarding.
Other pertinent information:
Tempo: 1/4 note = ???
Tuning: Standard [EADGBe].
Key signature: ?
Effects: Overdrive, Reverb, Chorus or Dimension