Home > Rock & Pop > Rush >
Distant Early Warning Guitar Tablature
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Rush - Distant Early Warning

        From the CD 'Grace Under Pressure'
                Written by Lee/Lifeson/Peart
                Mercury/Polygram Records 818476-2

        This song is in C. The guitar, as usual, is chorused. Previously
tabbed by someone else, I couldn't find the name.

Jimmy Pena - jimmy@walrus.com

| = not a standard bar line; just used to separate music
~ = vibrato or held note
x = percussive note with no pitch; muted note
h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
b = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret
r = release bend to indicated string/fret
/ = slide up from infinity
 = slide down into infinity
[5] = artificial harmonic (use thumb to follow through the pick attack)
o  \_
o  /   repeat sign (always look for these!)

[x35553] = fret box; this is a C chord - this is the same as standard
  tablature, only turned on its side. Tilt your head clockwise to read.
PM = Palm Mute; lightly touch the strings at the bridge with the edge of
        the fret hand

Chord legend:

Dm  : [x5776x]
C   : [x3555x]
F   : [133211]
G   : [355433]
G/D : [xx0787]

[Intro]
   Am11       Csus2         Gsus2       Am11      C           Csus2
e:--3~~---------3~-----------10~---------3~---------------------3~---|
B:--3~~---------3~-----------10~---------3~---------------------3~---|
G:--5~~---------5~-----------12~---------5~---------------------5~---|
D:--5~~---------5~-----------12~---------5~---------------------5~---|
A:--0~~---------3~-----------10~---------0~-------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3~---|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
                                               PM -------------|

                        Gsus2               Am11
e:-----------------------10~------------------3~---------------------|
B:-----------------------10~------------------3~---------------------|
G:-----------------------12~------------------5~---------------------|
D:-----------------------12~------------------5~---------------------|
A:--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10~----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0~---------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
 PM --------------------|    PM -------------|

[Riff 1]                          [Riff 2]
    Dsus4   D    Am                F        G   F        G
e:-----------------------------|---1--1--1--3---1--1--1--3---3-------|
B:----8-----7-----5------------|---1--1--1--3---1--1--1--3---3-------|
G:o---7-----7-----5-----------o|o--2--2--2--4---2--2--2--4---4------o|
D:o---7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----o|o--3--3--3--5---3--3--3--5---5------o|
A:-----------------------------|---3--3--3--5---3--3--3--5---5-------|
E:-----------------------------|---1--1--1--3---1--1--1--3---3-------|

[Riff 3]                 [Riff 4]
e:---------------------|---------5-----------------------------------|
B:---6-------6--5-6----|-------6------6------------------------------|
G:-----7---------------|-----7--------7------------------------------|
D:-------7-------------|---7-----------------------------------------|
A:---------------------|---------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------|---------------------------------------------|

Progression:

[Intro] x1

[Riff 1] x4
[Riff 2] x2

   Am11                                                   Csus2
An ill wind comes arising across the cities of the plain.
                               Gsus2                                Am11
There's no swimming in the heavy water, no singing in the acid rain.
                     G/D
Red alert, red alert.


(Play these riffs with the lyrics below):


        Am11                                 Csus2
e:-----------------------3------------------------------------3------|
B:-----------------------3--------------3---------------------3--3-3-|
G:---------------5-5--5--5--5-5-------5---5------------5-5----5------|
D:-----------5-5---------5------5-5-5-------------5-5------5--5------|
A:-------0-0-------------0-------------------3-3---------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
      PM --------------|   PM -------------------------------|  PM--|
It's so hard to stay together, passing through revolving doors.

                Gsus2                                          Am11
e:------------------------------------10-----------------------------|
B:-3-3-----3--------------------------10----------10-----------------|
G:-----5-5---5--------------12-12--12-12--12-12------12----10--------|
D:--------------------12-12-----------12-------12-------12---------5-|
A:--------------10-10-----------------10-----------------------0-0---|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
PM ----------------------------------|   PM ------------------------|
   We need someone to talk to and someone to sweep the floors. Incomplete,

e:-------------3-----------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------3--3---------3----------------------------------------|
G:-----5-5--5--5----5-5-------5--------------------------------------|
D:--5----------5--------5-5------------------------------------------|
A:-------------0-----------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
PM ----------|   PM ------------|
                   incomplete.

[Riff 1] x4
[Riff 2] x2

(* = Strum each chord)

     Dm*                C*             Dm  [Riff 3] x1   F F  G
The world weighs on my shoulders, but what am I to do?
     Dm*                C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1   F F  G
You sometimes drive me crazy, but I worry about you.
   Dm*               C*          Dm       [Riff 3] x1        F F  G
I know it makes no difference to what you're going through.
 G    Dm*                  C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1    F F  G
But I see the tip of the iceberg and I worry about you.

    Am11        Csus2         Gsus2
e:---3~~----------3~-----------10~-----------------------------------|
B:---3~~----------3~-----------10~-----------------------------------|
G:---5~~----------5~-----------12~-----------------------------------|
D:---5~~----------5~-----------12~-----------------------------------|
A:---0~~----------3~-----------10~-----------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

        Am11                         Csus2
e:-----------------3---3-3-------------------------------3--3--------|
B:--------------3--3-------3-3---------------------------3----3------|
G:----------5-5----5-----------5-5-------------5-5--5----5------5-5--|
D:-----5-5---------5---------------------5--5------------5----------5|
A:-0-0-------------------------------3-3-----------------3-----------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
PM --------------|   PM -------------------------------|   PM ------|
  Cruising under your radar,         watching from satellites.

       Gsus2                                          Am11
e:---------------------------10--------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------10--10-10-10-------10-------------------|
G:----------------12-12------12-----------12-12---12-----------5-5---|
D:----------12-12--------12--12----------------------------5-5-----5-|
A:----10-10--------------------------------------------0-0-----------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
 PM -----------------------|    PM ---------------------------------|
Take a page from the red book and keep them in your sights. Red alert,

                       G
e:--3----------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--3-------3-3---3----------8-8-------------8------8----------------|
G:--5-----------5----------7-----7-7-------7------7------------------|
D:--5--5-5-------------9-9--------------9-------9------9------------|
A:--0----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
       PM ---------------------------------------------------|
       red alert.

   Am11                       Csus2                  Gsus2
e:-------------3---------3------------------------------------------|
B:---------3-----5-----------------------3----3----------------------|
G:-----------5--------5-----------5--5-----5-----5-------12----------|
D:-----5-5----------5-----------5---------------------12--------12---|
A:-0-0------------------------3-----------------------------10-------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
 PM ---------------------------------------------------------------|
   Left and rights of passage, black and whites of youth.  Who can

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------10------------10-----10----------------------|
G:------------------12---------12------------------10----------------|
D:------12--12--12----------12-----12----12-----12----12-------------|
A:---10--------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
  PM -----------------------------------------------------|
     face the knowledge that the truth is not the truth?

       Am11
e:------------------3---------3------------3-------------------------|
B:--------------------------------------3----------------------------|
G:-----------5---------5------------5----------5-----5---------------|
D:--------5-----5---------5-----------------------5------------------|
A:-----0-------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
   PM ----------------------------------------------------|
            Obsolete,                   obsolete, yeah!

[Riff 1] x4
[Riff 2] x2

(* = Strum each chord)

     Dm*                C*             Dm  [Riff 3] x1   F F  G
The world weighs on my shoulders, but what am I to do?
     Dm*                C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1   F F  G
You sometimes drive me crazy, but I worry about you.
   Dm*               C*          Dm       [Riff 3] x1        F F  G
I know it makes no difference to what you're going through.
 G    Dm*                  C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1    F F  G
But I see the tip of the iceberg and I worry about you.

    Dm                    C                Dm               F      G
e:---------5---5--5-----------------------------------------1--1---3---|
B:---6---6---6-------6----5----5---5---5---6----6---6---6---1--1---3---|
G:o--7---------------7----5--5---5---5-----7--7---7---7-----2--2---4--o|
D:o--7---------------7----5----------------7----------------3--3---5--o|
A:---5---------------5----3----------------5----------------3--3---5---|
E:----------------------------------------------------------1--1---3---|

[Guitar Solo]

e:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:-14-12-------------14-12------------14-12-------------14-12----------|
D:-------15-14-12~---------15-14-12~--------15-14-[12]~-------15-14-12~|
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-13--12-12-12----------------------13-13-13-12---------------------|
B:--------------15-15-15-13-12-------------------15-15-15-13-12------|
G:-----------------------------14-------------------------------14---|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-13-13-13-13-12-12-----------------13--13-13-12--------------------|
B:-------------------15-15-13-12------------------15-15-15-13-12-----|
G:-------------------------------14----------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

    Am11                                        Csus2
e:------3--------3--3-------3--3--3--3---5--3-------------3----------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------3--------|
G:---5-----5--5--------5-5------------------------------------5---5--|
D:-----------------------------------------------5--5--5--------5----|
A:-----------------------------------------------3--3--3-------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
                   Gsus2
e:-------3----------------------------10-----------------------------|
B:-----3---3----------------10---------------10----10-------12---13--|
G:--5--------5-----------12----12---------------------12-------------|
D:-------------5------12----------12------12----12-------12----------|
A:-----------------10------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
                  Am11?
e:---------------------------3-------3---3--3-3-3--------------------|
B:---------10-------------3----3-----3---3--3-3-3--------------------|
G:------12--------------5--------5---5---5--5-5-5--------------------|
D:---12---------------5----------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------0-------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

[Riff 1] x8
[Riff 2] x4

(* = Strum each chord)

     Dm*                C*             Dm  [Riff 3] x1   F F  G
The world weighs on my shoulders, but what am I to do?
     Dm*                C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1   F F  G
You sometimes drive me crazy, but I worry about you.
   Dm*               C*          Dm       [Riff 3] x1        F F  G
I know it makes no difference to what you're going through.
 G    Dm*                  C*          Dm [Riff 4] x1    F F  G
But I see the tip of the iceberg and I worry about you.

[Outro]

    Dm                C                 Dm                F     G
e:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--------------------5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--1-1-1-3-3-3-|
B:--6-6-6-6--6-6-6-6--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--6-6-6-6--6-6-6-6--1-1-1-3-3-3-|
G:--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--2-2-2-4-4-4-|
D:--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--3-3-3-5-5-5-|
A:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--3-3-3-5-5-5-|
E:--------------------------------------------------------1-1-1-3-3-3-|

    Dm                C                 Dm                F
e:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--------------------5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5----------------|
B:--6-6-6-6--6-6-6-6--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--6-6-6-6--6-6-6-6--10-10-10-10---|
G:o-7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--10-10-10-10---|
D:o-7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--10-10-10-10---|
A:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--8--8--8--8----|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
    G                 Dm
e:----------------|---5--5~~-----------------------------------------|
B:--12-12-12-12---|---6--6~~-----------------------------------------|
G:--12-12-12-12--o|---7--7~~-----------------------------------------|
D:--12-12-12-12--o|---7--7~~-----------------------------------------|
A:--10-10-10-10---|---5--5~~-----------------------------------------|
E:----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
Previous guitar tablature in Rush :: Next guitar tablature in Rush