"The Storm" by Big Country
From the Album "The Crossing"
Tab by Colin Dawson - colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com - January 2006
Minor update March 2007.
Comments and corrections welcome!
For more info about Big Country visit www.bigcountry.co.uk
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)
* = feedback shifts sound up by one octave
t = touch the harmonic at the 12th fret
d = deaden string and lift the e-Bow
~ = sustain with e-Bow
This tab is put together from the Crossing version and various live versions of the song.
If you listen to the "King Biscuit Flower Hour" live version, you can clearly hear the
use of pitch shifting with the e-Bow during the introduction. Sometimes, the second and
third pitch shifts would be swapped
Intro; Played on e-Bow with distortion and delay
(Pitch shift #1 - original note mixed with a pitch shift of one octave down)
(Pitch shift #1 - original note mixed with a pitch shift of one octave down)
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|12~~h14~h15~~p14~p12~14s17~~s15~p14h15p14s10~~ 10~~h12~s14~~p12~s10~s7~~ 5~s10~p7~~s|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
(Pitch shift #2 - original note mixed with a pitch shift of one octave up) (add bass)
(Pitch shift #3 - original note mixed with a pitch shift of 7 semi-tones up with the
pitch shifted note a shade higher in the mix than the original note)
(Pitch shift #4 - original note mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down - add chorus)
A second e-Bow is added half way through this part playing a D (G string 7th fret). This
note is held through the rest of the intro.
(this part is played by guitar 2) (add drums)
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
(guitar 1) (clean sound with chorus and delay)
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|777777-7-5-2-2-000000-2-5-0-0-000000-0-0-0-0-222222-2-5-2-|
D|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-2-2-555555-5-2-0-0-000000-0-0-0-|play 3 times
A|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-3-3-333333-3-3-5-5-000000-0-0-0-|
E|-----------------------------------------3-3--------------|
Lead guitar through each of the verses;
To make this part easier to tab and to read, I've used the following shorthand;
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
8 = 18th fret
9 = 19th fret
(mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down)
Dm C G Dm
E|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|5-55-7-7b8-7-5----------------------------5-5h7-5------|
G|---------------7-3s4-7----------------------------7-7s9|
D|-----------------------4rrr------4-7-------------------|Play twice
A|-----------------------------4h5-----------------------|
E|-------------------------------------5rr---------------|
Verse 1;
Dm C
I came from the hills with a tear in my eye
C G Dm C Dm
The winter closed in and the crows filled the sky
Dm F C
The houses were burning in flames gold and red
C G Dm C Dm
The people were running with eyes full of dread
Guitar break (mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down);
To make this part easier to tab and to read, I've used the following shorthand;
F C Dm C F C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------4-7-------------------------------|
D|5rr-7-5-4rr-----5rr-----7rr-5rr-7-5-4rr-----------4---|
A|------------7-5-------------------------7-5-77-77---7-|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus;
(mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down)
(same shorthand as above)
F F F C Dm C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------5555-5-3-5-|
G|7rr-4--7rr--7rr----------------------------------------4444-4-2-4-|
D|----------------5--4-----------5-5-5-5-5---5--5--4----------------|
A|-------------------------------7-7-7-7-7---7--7--5----------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
Ah my James. They didn’t have to do this
Bridge;
(no shorthand)
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|777777-7-5-2-2-000000-2-5-0-0-000000-0-0-0-0-222222-2-5-2-|
D|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-2-2-555555-5-2-0-0-000000-0-0-0-|
A|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-3-3-333333-3-3-5-5-000000-0-0-0-|
E|-----------------------------------------3-3--------------|
Verse 2;
Dm C
We chased them for miles I had tears in my eyes
C G Dm C Dm
Through forest and moor as the clouds filled the sky
Dm F C
The storm broke upon us with fury and flame
C G Dm C Dm
Both hunters and hunted washed out in the rain
Guitar break (mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down);
To make this part easier to tab and to read, I've used the following shorthand;
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
8 = 18th fret
9 = 19th fret
F C Dm C F C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------4-7-------------------------------|
D|5rr-7-5-4rr-----5rr-----7rr-5rr-7-5-4rr-----------4---|
A|------------7-5-------------------------7-5-77-77---7-|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus;
(mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down)
(same shorthand as above)
F F F C Dm C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------5555-5-3-5-|
G|7rr-4--7rr--7rr----------------------------------------4444-4-2-4-|
D|----------------5--4-----------5-5-5-5-5---5--5--4----------------|
A|-------------------------------7-7-7-7-7---7--7--5----------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
Ah my James. They didn’t have to do this
Middle bit;
(no shorthand)
Dm Dm Dm Am Am Am Dm Dm
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--10-8-10-------------10-8-10---10-8---------------------10-8-10---------|
G|------------10-9-10------------------9---9-7-9---9-7-9-------------7-5---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------7-|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Note: having watched a DVD of Big Country playing this live it appears that
Stuart is playing the Fmaj7maj5 chord and I think Bruce is playing a Dm9. These
chords are very similar and the combination seems to work fine together. Maybe
the FMaj5Maj7 should more correctly be described as a Dm9m6 though neither are
"normal" chords that you will find in any chord encyclopaedia.
CHORD | E A D G B E
Am | 0 0 2 2 1 0
Cmaj7 | 0 3 2 0 0 0
G6 | 3 5 5 0 0 0
Fmaj7maj5 | 0 3 3 2 0 0
F | 1 3 3 5 1 1
G | 3 5 5 4 3 3
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
I know I can never return
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
To the time of hope when I was born
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5 F G
Let the strength of peace run through my hands
F G
E|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777-|
D|5h777-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
When we walk away from the storm’s roar
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
Then I will be afraid no more
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
And now I’m sure of where I stand
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5 G
Let the strength of peace run through this land
Bridge;
(no shorthand)
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|777777-7-5-2-2-000000-2-5-0-0-000000-0-0-0-0-222222-2-5-2-|
D|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-2-2-555555-5-2-0-0-000000-0-0-0-|play 3 times
A|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-3-3-333333-3-3-5-5-000000-0-0-0-|
E|-----------------------------------------3-3--------------|
Dm C
And nobody smiled as we took back our own
C G Dm C Dm
While rain beat upon us the thunder would moan
Dm F C
And nobody smiled when we knew what was lost
C G Dm C Dm
We knew well enough only time proves the cost
Guitar break (mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down);
To make this part easier to tab and to read, I've used the following shorthand;
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
8 = 18th fret
9 = 19th fret
F C Dm C F C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------4-7-------------------------------|
D|5rr-7-5-4rr-----5rr-----7rr-5rr-7-5-4rr-----------4---|
A|------------7-5-------------------------7-5-77-77---7-|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus;
(mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down)
(same shorthand as above)
F F F C Dm C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------5555-5-3-5-|
G|7rr-4--7rr--7rr----------------------------------------4444-4-2-4-|
D|----------------5--4-----------5-5-5-5-5---5--5--4----------------|
A|-------------------------------7-7-7-7-7---7--7--5----------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
Ah my James. They didn’t have to do this
F F F C Dm C Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------5555-5-3-5-|
G|7rr-4--7rr--7rr----------------------------------------4444-4-2-4-|
D|----------------5--4-----------5-5-5-5-5---5--5--4----------------|
A|-------------------------------7-7-7-7-7---7--7--5----------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
Ah my James. They didn’t have to do this
Middle bit;
(no shorthand)
Dm Dm Dm Am Am Am Dm Dm
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--10-8-10-------------10-8-10---10-8---------------------10-8-10---------|
G|------------10-9-10------------------9---9-7-9---9-7-9-------------7-5---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------7-|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
I know I can never return
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
To the time of hope when I was born
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5 F G
Let the strength of peace run through my hands
F G
E|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777-|
D|5h777-----5h777-----5h777-----5h777------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
When we walk away from the storm’s roar
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
Then I will be afraid no more
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5
And now I’m sure of where I stand
Am Cmaj7 G6 Fmaj7maj5 G
Let the strength of peace run through this land
Bridge;
(no shorthand)
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|777777-7-5-2-2-000000-2-5-0-0-000000-0-0-0-0-222222-2-5-2-|
D|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-2-2-555555-5-2-0-0-000000-0-0-0-|play 4 times
A|000000-0-0-0-0-000000-0-0-3-3-333333-3-3-5-5-000000-0-0-0-|
E|-----------------------------------------3-3--------------|
Guitar solo - comes in during the third and fourth repeat of the above part;
To make this part easier to tab and to read, I've used the following shorthand;
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
8 = 18th fret
9 = 19th fret
(mixed with a pitch shift of five semitones down)
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|5-55-7-7b8-7-5------------------------------5-5h7-5------|
G|---------------7-3h4-3h4----------------------------7-7s9|Crossing version repeats twice
D|-------------------------4rrr------4-7-------------------|Live versions repeat 4, 6 or 8 times.
A|-------------------------------4h5-----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------5rr---------------|
Crossing version only;
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|5-55-7-7b8-7-5---5-55-7-7b8-7-5---5-55-7-7b8-7-5---5-55-7-5-|
G|------------------------------------------------------------|Repeat four times
D|------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
This e-Bow part is added on top of the above part the third and fourth times through
on the crossing version. A variety of variations of this were played live and repeated
two or four times;
Dm C G Dm C Dm
E|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|-----------d--------d------------d----------d|
D|12~~~10~7~~ 7~10~7~ 12~~~10~5~~ 7~~10~~7~ |
A|---------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|
Chords:
CHORD | E A D G B E
Am | 0 0 2 2 1 0
C | 3 3 2 0 1 0
Cmaj7 | 0 3 2 0 0 0
C | 3 3 5 5 5 3
Dm | 5 5 7 7 6 5
F | 1 3 3 2 1 1
Fmaj7maj5 | 0 3 3 2 0 0
G | 3 5 5 4 3 3
G | 3 5 5 4 3 3
G6 | 3 5 5 0 0 0
