This tab is the version by Big Country that is on the
B side of the single "Alone"
It contains two stunning guitar solos, only one of
which I've got round to tabbing so far.
Tab by Colin Dawson; colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com
Original tab - November 2004
Updated October 2005 which covers the following;
1. A few minor correction.
2. I've added the last part of the first solo.
3. I've made the tab easier to read by using shorthand.
All corrections and updates welcome!
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)
v = vibrato
Intro;
Em D C Asus2
E|0--0-0-0-0--2-3-2-0-0-| |0--0-0-0-0-0-0|
B|0--0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-1-| |0--0-0-0-0-0-0|
G|0--2-0-2-0--2-2-2-2-0-| x4 then |2--2-0-2-0-2-0| x4
D|2--2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-2-| |2--2-0-2-0-2-0|
A|2--2-2-2-2----------3-| |0--0-0-0-0-0-0|
E|0--0-0-0-0----------3-| |--------------|
Verse 1: (Em / D / C)
There’s colors on the street,
red, white and blue
People shuffling their feet,
People sleeping in their shoes
There’s a warning sign on the road ahead
A lot of people saying we’d be better off dead
Look like Satan, I am to them
I try to forget it any way I can
CHORUS:
-------
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world Keep on
Em D C
E|0--0-0-0-0--2-3-2-0-0-|
B|0--0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-1-|
G|0--2-0-2-0--2-2-2-2-0-| x4
D|2--2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-2-|
A|2--2-2-2-2----------3-|
E|0--0-0-0-0----------3-|
Verse 2:
I see a woman in the night with a baby in her hand.
Under electric lights, beside a garbage can.
And now she puts the kid away, she’s gonna get a hit
She hates her life and what she’s done to it
That’s one more kid that’ll never go to school
Never get to fall in love and never get to be cool
CHORUS:
-------
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
(the bend up to 0 should be slightly flat to create a slight dischord)
E|-----5rrr-5rrr-5rrr-5rrr-5rrr-5-5sd-|
B|8b0--8b0--8b0--8b0--8b0--8b0----0sd-|
G|------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
(use tremelo and allow the pitch to detune by variable amounts)
E|5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5sd--|
B|5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5vv-5sd--|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|
(no shorthand)
E|----------------|
B|0rr-0rr-0rr-0rr-|
G|3b4-3b4-3b4-3b4-|
D|----------------|
A|----------------|
E|----------------|
(use tremelo and allow the pitch to detune by variable amounts)
E|2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vvvv-|
B|2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vv-2vvvv-|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|
(no shorthand, extremely fast)
E|7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h|7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h|7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h|7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0|
B|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
G|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
D|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
A|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
(no shorthand, extremely fast)
E|10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h|10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h|10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h10p7p0h|7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h7p5p0h|
B|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
G|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
D|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
A|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
E|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
(the bend 4b5 creates a great dischord - don't be too precise about this
bend - bend it a bit more than the half tone and vary the amount of bend
and the release each time. Experiment until you get the correct effect.)
This next part is all done using natural harmonics at the 12th fret,
along with feedback to help sustain the notes. Use the tremelo to bend the
notes up and down. I've used the following shorthand for this part.
It looks and sounds a lot more complicated than it really is;
8 = bend down two full tones using the tremelo
0 = bend down a full tone using the tremelo
2 = natural harmonic at the 12th fret
3 = bend up a semitone using the tremelo
r = let ring - i.e. sustain
P = pick the natural harmonic at the 12th fret
V = bend down momentarily and release using tremelo
U = bend up a semitone with tremelo
W = bend down a semitone with the tremelo
X = bend down two full tones with the tremelo
Y = When you pick the 12th fret harmonic on the E and B strings the tremelo
is still bending down two full tones giving the equivalent of a 8th fret note.
Z = release the tremelo slightly to allow the pitch to rise by a full tone.
Note that in the whole of this part you only pick the strings three times.
P P
E|-----------------------------|---V--V--V--V--V--V--V--V---|
B|----V--V--V--V--V--V--V--V---|2rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-|
G|-2rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr|2rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-|
D|-2rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr|----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
U
E|---V--V--VVV--V--V--VVV--|V--V--VVV------------|
B|rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr|rrrrrrrrrrrb3rrrrrrrr|
G|rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr|rrrrrrrrrrrb3rrrrrrrr|
D|-------------------------|---------------------|
A|-------------------------|---------------------|
E|-------------------------|---------------------|
P
W X Y Z Z
E|-------------------|0rrrrrrb0rrrrrb2rrr|
B|rrrb2rrrrrrrrrrb8rr|0rrrrrrb0rrrrrb2rrr|
G|rrrb2rrrrrrrrrrb8rr|-------------------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------|-------------------|
Verse 3;
We got a thousand points of light for the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand
We got department stores and toilet paper
Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
A man of the people says keep hope alive
We got fuel to burn and we got roads to drive
CHORUS:
-------
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world
G D C G6 Em
Keep on rockin' in the free world keep on keep on
