Rush - Second Nature guitar tab

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Rush - Second Nature guitar tab

Rush: Second Nature
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 
Revision 0, Date submitted:  7/17/98.

Guitar rests for 36 measures.

  As2           G                     As2           G
  e e e e Q     ew                    e e e e Q     ew
|---------0-----3-|-----------------|---------0-----3-|-----------------|
|-----0---------3-|-----------------|-----0---------3-|-----------------|
|-------2-------4-|-----------------|-------2-------4-|-----------------|
|---2-----------5-|-----------------|---2-----------5-|-----------------|
|-0-------------5-|-----------------|-0-------------5-|-----------------|
|---------------3-|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|

  Some palm muting occurs in this section each time...
  D             E                     F#            E
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e q e   e e e e e e e e   e e Q     e q
|-----------------|-----------0-0---|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
|-----------------|-----------0-0---|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
|-----7-----7-----|-----9-----9-9---|-----11----11----|-----9-------9\--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9---|-111111111111119-|-9-9-9-----9-9\--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-7-|-7-7-7-----7-7\--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  As2           G                     As2           G
  e e e e Q     ew                    e e e e Q     ew
|---------0-----3-|-----------------|---------0-----3-|-----------------|
|-----0---------3-|-----------------|-----0---------3-|-----------------|
|-------2-------4-|-----------------|-------2-------4-|-----------------|
|---2-----------5-|-----------------|---2-----------5-|-----------------|
|-0-------------5-|-----------------|-0-------------5-|-----------------|
|---------------3-|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|

  D             E                     F#            E
  e e e e e e e e   e e Q     e q     hQ            ew
|-----------------|-----0-----0-0---|---------------0-|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----0-----0-0---|---------------0-|-----------------|
|-----7-----7-----|-----9-----9-9---|-11------------9-|-----------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-|-9-9-9-----9-9---|-11------------9-|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|-7-7-7-----7-7---|-9-------------7-|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

Guitar rest for 13 measures.

               "It ought to be 2nd..."         "At least that's what I feel..."
  E/B   B                             E/B   B
  Q     e hw    e   w                 Q     e hw    e   w
|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|
|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|
|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|
|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|

  E/B   B                             E/B   B
  Q     e hw    e   w                 Q     e hw    e   w
|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|
|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|
|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|
|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|

  B/F#  F#                            B/F#  F#    C#
  Q     e hw    e   w                 Q     Q     qww
|-2-----2-2-------|-----------------|-2-----2-2-------|-----------------|
|-4-----2-2-------|-----------------|-4-----2-2---6---|-----------------|
|-4-----3-3-------|-----------------|-4-----3-3---6---|-----------------|
|-4-----4-4-------|-----------------|-4-----4-4---6---|-----------------|
|-2-----4-4-----4-|-4---------------|-2-----4-4---4---|-----------------|
|-2-----2-2-----2-|-2---------------|-2-----2-2-------|-----------------|

  As2           G                     As2           G
  e e e e Q     ew                    e e e e Q     ew
|---------0-----3-|-----------------|---------0-----3-|-----------------|
|-----0---------3-|-----------------|-----0---------3-|-----------------|
|-------2-------4-|-----------------|-------2-------4-|-----------------|
|---2-----------5-|-----------------|---2-----------5-|-----------------|
|-0-------------5-|-----------------|-0-------------5-|-----------------|
|---------------3-|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|

  D             E                     F#            E
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e q e   e e e e e e e e   e e Q     e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----7-----7-----|-----9-----9-9---|-----11----11----|-----9-------9\--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9---|-111111111111119-|-9-9-9-----9-9\--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-7-|-7-7-7-----7-7\--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  As2           G                     As2           G
  e e e e Q     ew                    e e e e Q     ew
|---------0-----3-|-----------------|---------0-----3-|-----------------|
|-----0---------3-|-----------------|-----0---------3-|-----------------|
|-------2-------4-|-----------------|-------2-------4-|-----------------|
|---2-----------5-|-----------------|---2-----------5-|-----------------|
|-0-------------5-|-----------------|-0-------------5-|-----------------|
|---------------3-|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|

  D             E                     F#            E
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e q     hQ            ew
|-----------------|-------------0---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------0---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----7-----7---9-|-----9-------9---|-11------------9-|-----------------|
|-----7-----7---9-|-----9-------9---|-11------------9-|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|-9-------------7-|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                    F#
                    Q     hew                           Q     hew
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-2-----2---------|-----------------|-2-----2---------|

                    F#
                    Q     hew                           Q     hew
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-2-----2---------|-----------------|-2-----2---------|

                    B
                    Q     hew                           Q     hew
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4---------|
|-----------------|-2-----2---------|-----------------|-2-----2---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                    F#                                  F#          C#
                    Q     hew                           Q     Q     qw
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2-----2---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2-----2-----6---|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-----3-----6---|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4-----6---|
|-----------------|-4-----4---------|-----------------|-4-----4-----4---|
|-----------------|-2-----2---------|-----------------|-2-----2---------|

                                      E/B   B
                                      Q     e hw    e   w
|-----------------|-----------------|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|
|-----------------|------pick slide-|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------x\--|-7-----9-9-------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------x\--|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|

  E/B   B                             E/B   B
  Q     e hw    e   w                 Q     e hw    e   w
|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|
|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|
|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|
|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|
|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|

  E/B   B
  Q     e hw+   e   w+
|-7-----7-7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-----7-7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-----8-8-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-----9-9-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-7-----9-9-----9-|-9---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-7-----7-7-----7-|-7---------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                                  F#
                                  ss  w
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------44|-4---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------44|-4---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------22|-2---------------|-----------------|

                                  F#          vibrato arm "dips"
                                  e   e e H   -   -     -   -   -   - ss
|-----------------|---------------2-|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-2---2-----------|---------------xx|
|-----------------|-----------------|---3-------------|---------------xx|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------xx|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------xx|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  F#  E                            F#
  q   hw                           sw
|-----------------|----------------2|-----------------|-----------------|
|-11--9---~~------|----------------2|-----------------|-----------------|
|-11--9---~~------|----------------3|-----------------|-----------------|
|-11--9---~~------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9---7---~~------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  B/F#  F#
  Q     h+
|-------2---------|
|-4-----2---------|
|-4-----3---------|
|-4-----4---------|
|-2-----4---------|
|-2-----2---------|

Lyrics

A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers that be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers
Can't everybody see?

It ought to be second nature
I mean, the places where we live!
Let's talk about this sensibly
We're not insensitive
I know progress has no patience
But something's got to give

I know you're different and you know I'm the same
We're both too busy to be taking the blame
I'd like some changes but you don't have the time
We can't go on thinking it's a victimless crime
No one is blameless
But we're all without shame
We fight the fire...while we're feeding the flames

Folks have got to make choices
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about the exceptions
In the papers every day

It ought to be second nature
At least, that's what I feel
"Now I lay me down in Dreamland"
I know perfect's not for real
I thought we might get closer
But I'm ready to make a deal

Today is different, and tomorrow the same
It's hard to take the world the way that it came
Too many rapids keep us sweeping along
Too many captains keep on steering us wrong
It's hard to take the heat
It's hard to lay blame
To fight the fire...while we're feeding the flames


Tablature Contributors:
This transcription was created by C. D. Bruce (cbruce@peco-energy.com)
in the format described below.


Disclaimer:
This tablature represents how the song is played as closely as reasonably
achievable to the studio recording.   Alex Lifeson may have played it
slightly differently.


Revision History:
Revision 0:  7/17/98, 1st submittal of this song by C. D. Bruce.


Tablature Explanation:
NT= Nashville Tuning is when the low E, A and D strings are replaced with
    lighter gauge strings and tuned one octave higher than normal.
| = bar separating measures
~ = vibrato
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 ()
    a "u" used in lieu of a specific number indicates a "unison bend"
    where the lower of two notes is bent to match the pitch of the
    higher note.
r = release bend (string/fret may be indicated)
t = fret board tap (not many of these with Rush)
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
x/= pick slide up
x\= pick slide down
<5> = natural harmonic (lightly touch the string at fret indicated)
[5] = artificial harmonic (use thumb to follow through the pick attack)
(5) = note sustained from previous measure
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:  Some Overdrive, Chorus/Dimension, Reverb.


Tablature Format:

This Tablature is based on the format indicated below.

  1   2   3   4     1   2   3   4     <--Quarter note beat locations
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8   <--Eighth note beat locations
                                      <--Effects/Misc Line
  D                 C     G/B         <--Chord Line
  e e e q   q   e   e e e q   e e e   <--Note Duration Line (table below)
|-----2-----------|-----------------| <--High E string
|-------3---------|-----------------| <--B string
|---2-------2---0-|-----0-------0---| <--G string
|-0---------------|---2-------0---0-| <--D string
|-----------------|-3-----2---------| <--A string
|-----------------|-----------------| <--E string

Effects/Misc Line:  Provides effects information, number of repeats, etc.

Chord Line:  Provides the chord name for the chords used in the
             tab below.

Note Duration Line:  Provides the "value" of each note, e.g., whole,
                     half, quarter, etc.

Note Duration Designator Table:
  w = Whole note                   h = Half note
  q = Quarter note                 H = Dotted half note
  Q = Dotted Quarter note          s = Sixteenth note
  e = Eighth note                  S = Dotted sixteenth note
  E = Dotted eighth note           + = Duration exceeds 2 measures
  t = Thirty-second note
  T = Dotted thirty-second note

  Notes with two designations immediately adjacent to each other
  have durations added (e.g., he = half note + eigth note, etc.)

String lines:  Represent the strings of a guitar.  The tab is laid
               out as if you placed a right handed guitar on your
               lap, string side up.  A vertical line character "|"
               represents a bar between measures.  A dash "-" represents
               each string.  The numbers indicate which fret should
               be fingered to sound the note.  The first space after
               every bar is a blank space that is almost never used.
               Quarter notes are separated by 3 dashes, eighth notes
               are separated by 1 dash.  In an effort to make the
               ASCII tab look as much like tab in a music book, the
               notes are spaced out as accurately as possible.  In the
               event the notes will not fit into the format shown above,
               the tab will be expanded (usually only required for
               solos).