This is tablature — fret positions rather than chord names. Wide lines scroll sideways on their own, so the page never does.
Song
Cygnus X-1 As recorded by
=========== ==============
(In lotsa keys...) Rush
From the Album _A Farewell to Kings_
Music by Lee & Lifeson
Lyrics by Peart
Transcribed by Mr. White (mrwhite@lanminds.com)
***Note: I'm not sure if all this is 100% accurate. It will sound like the song because the chords
are right and stuff--some of it is just my improvisation though. However, most of it is basically what
Geddy plays. This is a damn tough song! I think a lot of bits of it are free-time, but I've tried to
quantize everything into bars to make it a *little* bit easier to play. (Strangely enough, the beginning
figure, where only Geddy is playing *is* in several set meters. He uses a rest of 6/4 between the first
two bass bits and then 5/4, then 4/4, etc. Pretty cool!) In addition, some of the notes may not be
absolutely solid--I don't know if it's the weirdness of the recording or just my ear that's messing me
about. Enjoy:
Tab notes:
===========================================================================================
R = Rest / = slide up . = dotted note
/^3^\ = Triplet (or other) grouping \ = slide down * = repeats
x = Muted note + = tie *
==#== = Extended Rest (#=no. of bars) ____________
1. | = different endings
===========================================================================================
Sound effects and spoken vocal for a little while.
Bass enters at about 1:25 (fade in over the first 23 bars)
*Bass only*
q q s s e w. q q s s e w+q q q s s e w q q s s e
+-------------+-------+-------------+--------+-------------+-------+-------------+
|3:---2-0-5-R-|6:--R--|3:---2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|3:---2-0-5-R-|4:--R--|3:---2-0-5-R-| |4:-----------|4:-----|4:-----------|4:------|4:-----------|4:-----|4:-----------| +---0---------+-------+---0---------+--------+---0---------+-------+---0---------+
h. q q s s e h q q s e e. q q s s e h. q q s s e.e. q q s e e.
+-----+-----------+-------+-------------+-------------+-----+---------------+-------------+
|--R--|---2-0-5-R-|2:--R--|7:---2-0-5-5-|3:---2-0-5-R-|--R--|4:---2-0-5-R-5-|7:---2-0-5-5-| |-----|-----------|4:-----|8:-----------|4:-----------|-----|4:-------------|8:-----------| +-----+-0---------+-------+---0---------+---0---------+-----+---0-----------+---0---------+
q q s s e h. q q s e e e. q q s e e. q q s s e h+e q q s s e.e.
+-------------+-----+---------------+-------------+-------------+--------+---------------+
|3:---2-0-5-R-|--R--|4:---2-0-5-5-5-|7:---2-0-5-5-|3:---2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|4:---2-0-5-R-5-| |4:-----------|-----|4:-------------|8:-----------|4:-----------|8:------|4:-------------| +---0---------+-----+---0-----------+---0---------+---0---------+--------+---0-----------+
*Enter Drums*
q q s e e e. q e.s s s e h+e q e.s s e e. h+e q e.s s s e h+e
+-------------++---------------+--------+---------------+--------+---------------+--------+
|---2-0-5-5-5-||3:---2-2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|7:---2-2-0-5-5-|5:--R-R-|3:---2-2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-| |-------------||4:-------------|8:------|8:-------------|8:------|4:-------------|8:------| +-0-----------++---0-----------+--------+---0-----------+--------+---0-----------+--------+
Play
*Enter Guitar* 4 times
q e.s s e e e. q e.s s s e q e.s s e e. q e.s s s e q e.s s e e e.
+-----------------++----------------+---------------+---------------+------------------+
|4:---2-2-0-5-5-5-||*3:---2-2-0-5-R-|7:---2-2-0-5-5-|3:---2-2-0-5-R-|4:---2-2-0-5-5-5-*| |4:---------------||*4:-------------|8:-------------|4:-------------|4:---------------*| +---0-------------++----0-----------+---0-----------+---0-----------+---0--------------+
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
+---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-+---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
/^3^\ /^3^\
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s q q q+h q q q+h
+---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-+---------------------------------+---------+---------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------|---------| |-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|-5-4-2-2-|-3-2-----| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+---------+-----2-2-+
/^^4^^\ /^3^\ /^3^\ /^^4^^\
q q q q w q q q+h q q q+h q q q q s e e s s e e s
+-----------+--------+---------+---------+-----------+-------------------+
|3:---------|4:------|---------|---------|3:---------|6:-----------------| |4:-5-4-2-3-|4:-0---/|-5-4-2-2-|-3-2-----|4:-5-4-2-3-|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-| +-----------+--------+---------+-----2-2-+-----------+-------------------+
s e e s e e s e e s s e e s h+e s e e s s e e s
+---------------+-------------------+--------+-------------------+---------------+
|5:-------------|6:-----------------|5:--R-R-|6:-----------------|5:-------------| |8:-------------|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|8:------|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|8:-------------| +---4-4-4-x-4-3-+-------------------+--------+-------------------+---4-4-4-x-4-3-+
s e e s s e e s q. q. q. q. q. q. q. q.
+-------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|6:-----------------|--------|--------|--------|--4--5--| |8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|--------|--2--3--|--5--6--|--------| +-------------------+--3--4--+--------+--------+--------+
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+--------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|11:-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------| |8:--3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------------|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-| +--------------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+--------------------------+
play
2 times
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+------------------------+----------------------------+---------------------------+
|*-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------*| |*-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-*| +------------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+---------------------------+
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e s s e e s s e e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-----------------------------|11:---------------8-------| |-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------4-3-3-4-4-3-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6-6-5-| +-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-----------------+--------------------------+
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:---------------8-------| |-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6-6-5-| +-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+
Play
*Enter Keyboards* 2 times
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------| |-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-| +-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:---------------8---8---| |-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6---5-| +-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e q+w+e
+-----------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+---------+
|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|---R-R-R-| |-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|-------------------------|-------------------------|---------| +-----------------------+-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+-2-------+
In-
*Bass alone*
(with chorus effect) (end effect)
w+q w+q w+q w+q w
+--------------+-------------+-2-2---------------+--------------+-------+ |5:------------|-------------|-------------------|--------------|4:--R--| |4:-0-0--------|-3-3---------|-------------------|-3-3----------|4:-----|
+--------------+-------------+-------------------+--------------+-------+
visible to telescopic eye Infinite the star that would not die
*Enter guitar*
w s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s w
+------------------------+---------------------------------+-------------------------+
|------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------| |--0---------------------|-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|--0----------------------|
+------------------------+---------------------------------+-------------------------+
All who dare to cross her course are swallowed by her fearsome
/^^^^^3^^^^^\ /^^^^3^^^^\
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s q q q+h q q q+h
+---------------------------------+------------------+----------------+
|---------------------------------|------------------|----------------| |-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|-5-------4---2-2--|-3----2---------| +---------------------------------+------------------+----------2-2---+
force Through the void to be destroyed or
/^^^^^^4^^^^^^\ /^3^\ /^^^3^^^\ /^^^^^4^^^^^\
q q q q w q q q+h q q q+h q q q q h... s
+--------------------+-------+---------+--------------+------------------+----------+
|3:------------------|4:-----|---------|--------------|3:----------------|4:--------| |4:-5---4-----2---3--|4:-0---|-5-4-2-2-|-3---2--------|4:--5----4---2--3-|4:-0------| +--------------------+-------+---------+---------2-2--+------------------+--------3-+
is there something more? Atomized-- at the core or through the astral door--to
double tempo
*Guitar alone*
w +w w w w h.. e +e e q e e e e +e e e e e e+e e
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------+---------------+-----------------+
|-----|-----|--R--|--R--|--R--|-R-----|-------------3-|-3-2-3-2-3-2-2---| |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----3-|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|---------------5-| +--3--+--3--+-----+-----+-----+-------+---------------+-----------------+
soar....(echo)
+e e q e e e e +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---| |-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-| +-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
I
+e e q e e e e +e e q e e+e e +e e q e e e e +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---| |-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-| +-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
set a course just east of Lyra Northwest of Pegasus
+e e q e e e e +e e q e e+e e +e e e e e e e e +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+-----7-5-4-------+-----------------+ |---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|-----------7-5-3-|-3-3-2---2-3-5---| |-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-------------|-------3-------3-| +-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-----------------+-----------------+
Flew into the light of Daneb Sailed across the Milky Way
+e e q 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 e
+---------------+---------2-0-----+---------------+-----------------+ |---------------|-----3-2-----3---|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---| |-3-2-3-3-2-3---|---------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-| +-------------1-+-1-1-------------+-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
On my ship the Rocinante Wheeling through the galaxies
+e e q e e e e +e e q e e+e e +e e q e e e e +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|---------------|-----------------| |-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------2-2-5-5-| +-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-------------3-+-3-3-5-5---------+
Headed for the heart of Cygnus Headlong into mystery
slow down to approximately half tempo
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e w
+-----------------+-----------------+-------------------------+
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-3-----------------------| +-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-+-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-+-------------------------+
X-ray is her siren song my
w w q q q q
+--------------------------+---------------------------+------------------+
|--------------------------|---------------------------|------------------| |--------------------------|---------------------------|----------2----3--| +-4------------------------+-1-------------------------+-3---4------------+
ship cannot resist her long Nearer to my deadly goal until the black hole
(with guitar solo)
q q q q w w w h h e. s s e e e e e. e e s s e e
+-------------+----+----+----+-----+----------------+----------------+
|-------4---5-|----|----|----|-5---|----------------|----6-5---------| |-5-6---------|-3--|----|----|---6-|-3--3-5-6-5-3---|--------8-6-5---| +-------------+----+-4--+-1--+-----+--------------6-+-4------------8-+
gains control....
(end solo)
e s s e s s e s s q w w w w w q q q q q q q q h h w
+---------------------+----+----+----+----+----+---------+---------+-----+----+
|---------------------|----|----|----|----|----|---------|-----4-5-|-----|----| |-8---8-6---6-5-6-5-3-|----|-6--|-3--|----|-6--|-----2-3-|-5-6-----|---6-|-3--| +---8-----8-----------+-3--+----+----+-4--+----+-3-4-----+---------+-3---+----+
faster tempo
h s e e s s e e e q. q. q. q. s e e s s
+------------+-------+--------------+---------+---+---+---+---+--------------+
|4:--==27==--|2:--R--|7:------------|3:-2-2-R-|-R-|-R-|-R-|-R-|7:------------| |4:----------|4:-----|16:-4-4-4-2-2-|8:-------|---|---|---|---|16:-4-4-4-2-2-|
+------------+-------+--------------+---------+---+---+---+---+--------------+
Play Play Play
8 times 8 times 4 times
e e s s e e e q. s e e s q. q q e. e. e e e e q q e. e. e e e e
+-----------+-------+---+---------+-------++------------------------+---------------------+
|3:-2-2-----|-----R-|-R-|---------|*--R--*||*11:-------------------*|*---4----4------4---*| |8:---------|-------|---|-4-4-4-R-|*-----*||*8:----7----7------7---*|*-------------------*| +-------4-4-+-4-4---+---+---------+-------++-----0---0-----0-0---0--+--2---2-----2-2---2--+
Play
4 times
_________ _____________
1. | 2. |
s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s e q e q s e e. s e e.
+--------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------++--------------+
|*6:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------*||--------------| |*8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-----------------|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-3-3-3-3-*||-3-3-3--R-3-3-| +--------------------+-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-+-----------------+----------++--------------+
___________ _________
3. | 4. |
q. e e e q e q e s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s s e e s e q e q
+----------++---------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------+
|----------||---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------| |-3--3-3-3-||-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-----------------|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-3-3-3-3-| +----------++---------+-----------------+-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-+-----------------+---------+
spinning whirling still descending like a spiral sea unending
Play
4 times
/^^3^^\ /^^3^^\
q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q. q. q. q. q. q.
+------------------------+---------------------+---------------------+------------------+
|12:---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------| |8:--4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|---------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--3--3-| +------------------------+-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-+---------------------+------------------+
q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
+------------------------+---------------------+---------------------+-------------------------+
|12:---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------------| |8:--4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|---------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-| +------------------------+-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-+---------------------+-------------------------+
Sound and fury drown my heart Every nerve is torn apart....
(guitar plays chords
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e q w until fade-out)
+---------------------------+-----------------------+-----+
|*-------------------------*|-----------------------|-----| |*-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-*|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|--3--|
+---------------------------+-----------------------+-----+
Comments
Spotted a wrong chord, or know a capo position that sounds closer to the record?
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