U2: Bullet the blue sky Tabbed by Lars Barstad (lapba@grm.hia.no). correction- *Bullet The Blue Sky--It's in Em and tuned down 1/2 step. The opening chord riff is just playing E/B/G on the 1st 3 strings, respectfully at the 12th fret (Em), then B/G/D on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings at the 12th fret (G). After hitting the chord, use your trem bar to dive bomb the sound. The chorus is B/F#/D on the 1st 3 strings at the 7th fret(Bm). Most of this stuff is from the Joshua Tree version of the song, since a friend of mine has borrowed my song-book, everything is not 100%, but its a start at least! :) Will probably make a more accurate version when I get my book back! Main riff Small riff (used live) E-|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------| B-|-----7--------------------7---7----|---------------------------------------| G-|-----7--------------------7---7----|------11--11---10--9-------------------| D-|-----7--------------------7---7----|---------------------------------------| A-|---------7--7--5h7-5h7-------------|---------------------------------------| E-|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------| Solo (Joshua Tree version) (From memory, so it might not be 100%) E-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| B-|----12------------12-------------12/14-----------14------------------------| G-|--------12------------12----------------14-----------14--------------------| D-|------------12------------12----------------14-----------14----------------| A-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| E-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| (Maybe repeat one more time on the 12th fret... dunno.. check the record!) Intro (w/slide), slow slide all the way down the fretboard E-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| B-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| G-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| D-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| A-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| E-|--12\----------------------------------------------------------------------| U2 “Bullet the Blue Sky” This is the solo from the version on the Stay(Far away, so close) single. The Edge plays it with light distortion and a wah expression pedal so use them if you got them. Any comments or questions email me,Chris Petersen, at Spyguy01@netcom.com. ^ Pick then bend * Bend up full step and hold on indicated fret (pick what is shown, do not pick then bend) > Slow bend back to indicated fret’s pitch h Hammer on and release quickly / slide to indicated fret This comes in right after he finishes with repeating the intro. again, E-----15-----15-----15-----15----------------------------h---------------- B-15*----15*----15*----15*-----15*--15>---14--15--17---14-15----14-15----- G-----------------------------------------------------------16------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------- The part above is repeated again then it moves on to: E-------------------------15------------------------------------------------- B---0--12---0---15----15*------15*--15>---12------------h-------------------- G----------------------------------------------14*--14>--12------------------ D-------------------------------------------------------------14-14-12-14---- h E----------------------15---------------15------------17------14--15-14-14-15 B--------------12--15*---------15*--/17------17---17*----17*----------------- G-----12---14---------------------------------------------------------------- D--/14----------------------------------------------------------------------- E-------------------| B-------------------| G-19-0-18-0-16-0-14-| D-------------------| The above is repeated four times then he moves on to below. |---------------------------------------------------------------- |------------h---h----------------h--h--------------------------- |19-0-18-0-16-18-16---19-0-18-0-16-18-16--19-0-18-0-16-18-19-19*- |---------------------------------------------------------------- E--------12------------------------------------------------------ B-----12-------15*-15-12-----12---------------------------------- G-14^--------------------14-----12------------------------------- D-----------------------------------14--12--14------------------- He finishes off with a little progression which am clueless about, so try for yourself then let me know. Have fun! Bullet the Blue Sky (live version) by U2 Transcribed by Richard Zangoli. This is a transcription of the live version of the song that U2 have recently been doing. I transcribed it from the Zoo TV live in Sydney video but most versions are reasonably similar. If you don't have a wah pedal or something similar you may be better off trying to play something closer to the Rattle and Hum CD version (I might transcribe that one in full too one day if nobody else does). If you do have a wah-wah, this song is absolutely awesome to play. Tune down half a step(as per usual). Just before the intro riff play this (bend the strings then release them reasonably slowly)- E---------------- B-----15b------ G-----14b------ D--------------- A--------------- E---------------- Intro riff (Edge uses a slide but you don't have to) E----7--7/s-- B----7--7/s-- G----7--7/s-- etc. D------------ A------------ E-0---------- Just before the second verse, either slide you finger up the "big" E string or run your pick up it. And then with a wah-wah play this(x=mute strings)- E---x---x---x-----------------x--x--x------ B---x---x---x---8--8--7p5---x--x--x------- G---x---x---x-----------------x--x--x and so on D---x---x---x-----------------x--x--x------ A------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------ Sometimes Edge will play this instead E-------------------- B---------8--8--s/10 G-------------------- D-------------------- A--------------------- E--------------------- For the Chorus play- E----------------------------------- B--7--7-------------------------- G--7--7-------------------------- listen to the song for the timing. D--7--7-------------------------- A----------7--5-5-5--5-7-5-7--- etc.. E----------------------------------- After Bono says "Don't let it happen again" play this- E--------------3--3---3--3--3--3--3--3-------------------------------3---3---3-- B--------------3--3---3--3--3--3--3--3-------------------------------3---3---3- G--------------0--0---0--0--0--0--0--0-------------------------------0---0---0-- D------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A----------------------------------------------------------5h7----------------- E---15s/0-----------------------------------------s/7--7---------0-------------- etc... Play this a few times and on the last time the G chord is played start peddling the wah-wah. Now for the solo. Well there is a good transcription to it (the "Stay" single version) already on the U2 archive so you could to some extent use that one. However, the Sydney video version varies to some extent during its 2nd half (there are also minor variations in the first half but they are small and easy to pick up anyway) and is incomplete. So what I'll do is I'll tab the second half of the Sydney version and finish it off. The 2nd half of the solo- E-------------------------------- B--15--0--14--0--12--0--10--0 play this three times, then play- G-------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B--15--0--14--0--12--0--14--0------15---0--14--12--0--10--0---15p14--0--12h-14-0 G------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------------------------------------------15------15----- B--15--0--14--0--12--14---15-15-s/17--17--17--0--15---s/15b---15b(17)-15b-----15 G------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E----------------12-------------------------------------------- B-----------12----------15b(and release)-----15--12--15----- G----s/14-------------------------------------------------------- and now for the really fast bit (it's played so fast I can't exactly know what is played but this seems reasonably close and sounds good and is enough to get by)- E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------10 B----------------------------------------------------8---10p8--10-----10b------- G-------------------------------7--9p7--9-----s/9------------------------------- D---------5--7p5--7--7s/9------------------------------------------------------- A-----7------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P=pull off use the wah here E-------------------------------------------------------------------------- B----10bp8--10------10--8h10--8----7h8--5----5-----5p3---5p3--5p3--- etc.... G--------------------------------------------------------------------------- D--------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The what you might call the second solo is similar to the original version solo, uses a slide and goes something like- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------ B---s/12-----------12---------------12------------------------------14---------- G----------12-------------12----------------12---------12-----s/14------14------ D---------------12--------------12----------------12------------------------14-- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B-14----------------14----------------------------14-------------20--------20-- G-------14------------------14----------14----------------s/21--------21------- D-------------14------------------14-----------14------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------- B---------20--------20------19s/------ after this it's very much ad libbing G----21--------21------21-------------- chaotic sound, scrape the edge of D----------------------------------------- your pick on some or all of some A----------------------------------------- or all of the last strings E------------------------------------------ I don't think there's much more to it, apart from the first half of the solo which is on the archive anyway. See yah. Richard Zangoli (ahowden@magna.com.au) Bullet the Blue Sky (original version) by U2, transcribed by Richard Zangoli There was no complete transcription to this fantabulous (don't look that word up, I don't think it's in the dictionary) song in its original form so I decided to do it. I transcribed it from the Rattle and Hum CD version but the studio version is pretty similar. Tune down half a step. Intro (after Star Spangled Banner)- Slide this up the fretboard E----------------------------------------- B----9(hold)-------12s/------------12s/--- G------------------12s/------------12s/--- etc... and then play an open big D------------------12s/------------12s/--- E string A-------------------- -------------------- When Bono sings "driving nails into the.." hold the note on the 9th fret, second string, as in the very beginning. After Bono sings "the red orange glow" Edge plays some mute strings. This is the chorus riff- E------------------------------------------- B----7--7------------------------------------ G----7--7----------------------------------- play this a few times and play this D----7--7------------------------------------ to finish off- A--------------7----5--5--5-----5--7--5--7-- E--------------------------------------------- E-------------------------------------- B----7--7------------------------------ G----7--7------------------------------ D----7--7------------------------------ A-------------7----5--5--5----5h7----- E---------------------------------------- After Bono sings "rattle and hum", play this (the notes are to be bent together)- E------------- B-----5b---- G-----4b---- D------------ A------------ E------------- After Bono sings "the angel was overcome", scape the edge (no pun intended) of your pick all the way up the big E string. When Bono sings "you plant a demon seed" play this(slide this all the way up the fretboard)- E--------------- B------20s/---- G------21s/---- D--------------- A--------------- E---------------- After the chorus play some 12th fret harmonics on first the big E and then the A string and then play this (which is similar to the intro)- E-------------------------- B----12s/---12s/---12s/--- G----12s/---12s/---12s/--- D----12s/---12s/---12s/--- A--------------------------- E---------------------------- And then comes the solo. I prefer to play it without the slide so that's the way that I'll tab it. If you want to play it with the slide, then you'll have to play it further down the fretboard starting at the 12th fret. E---s/7-----------7-------------7-----------------7----------------------------- B--------8------------8--------------8------------------8-----------7s/10 (hold) G------------7------------7----------------7------------------7-----8s/9--(hold) D------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------ E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E--------------9---------------s/7------------------7----------------7---------- B---7s/10----------10------------------8------------------8---------------8---- G---8s/9------------------9--------------------7-----------------7-------------7 D------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E--7-----------------7s/9-----9-------9-------9---------9s/10---------10------- B-------8------------8s----------10-------10--------10-----------11---------11-- G-------------7------7s/9------------------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-------------10--10--10s/----------------15--------15--------15--------------14 B----11s/12---12--12--12s/---------s/17---------17--------17---------17---17--- G------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E----------14----------14s/----------------------------------------------------- B----17---------15-------------------------------------------------------------- G---------