The Rail Song

 ADRIAN BELEW - THE RAIL SONG 
 As played on the amazing record "acoustic". 
  
  
 Intro: *Play riff* 
  
  
      A 
 I recall as a boy we would hop the freights 
         D2 
 wasn't nothin' but a kick back then 
           E 
 there was no better thrill for my anxious heart 
        F#- 
 than a long flatcar 
         E 
 headin' out of the yard 
       A 
 and I knew even then she was in my blood 
          D2 
 like the time when I first hired on 
         E 
 and the fireman laughed at my bony nose 
        F#- 
 but he tossed me a cap 
      E 
 said GM&O 
    *riff........ 
 and I was a man... 
 ........................ 
 I gave her my best years 
 ............................. 
 well, what can you do but laugh 
 .........................................* 
 I don't expect she'll ever be coming back 
          A 
 When we climbed up the great Appalachians 
     D2 
 her engines would be raging like hell 
           E 
 then we'd come back down to the rising towns 
           F#- 
 where the cattle stare 
         E 
 in the frozen air 
    A 
 For me there nothing more sacred 
          D2 
 than the beautiful sound she'd make 
     E 
 her long blue signal blowin' deep in the night, 
          F#- 
 it would get to me there, 
          E 
 it would get to me there 
    *bridge riff......... 
 Now I'm afraid... 
 ............................ 
 Afraid of these silent hours 
 .......................... 
 awake underneath my old cap 
 .........................................* 
 I don't expect she'll ever be coming back 
  
  
 *(instrumental with chords A  D2  E  F#-  E)* 
  
          A 
 Well, I watched the beginning of the end for her 
        D2 
 when I saw my first jet airplane 
        E 
 flying high overhead like a bird of prey 
          F#- 
 while the mighty fell 
        E 
 in the land of the brave 
    *final riff* 
 Now I'm alone. 
  
 Riff: 
 E|--12-------|--12------|--11-------|--11-------|--11------|--9------|--9------| 
 B|--10-------|---9------|---9-------|---8-------|---7------|--7------|--7------| 
 G|-------x16-|-------x8-|-------x16-|-------x16-|------x8--|------x8-|--7--x16-| 
 D|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|----------|---------|--7------| 
 A|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|----------|---------|---------| 
 E|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|----------|---------|---------| 
  
  
 Bridge riff: 
 E|-12------|-12-----|-11------|-11-------|-11------|-9------|-/------|-9------| 
 B|-10------|--9-----|--9------|--8-------|--7------|-7------|-6------|-7------| 
 G|-----x16-|-----x8-|-----x16-|------x16-|-----x8--|----x24-|----x32-|-7--x16-| 
 D|---------|--------|---------|----------|---------|--------|--------|-7------| 
 A|---------|--------|---------|----------|---------|--------|--------|--------| 
 E|---------|--------|---------|----------|---------|--------|--------|--------| 
  
  
 Final riff: 
 E|--12-------| 
 B|--10-------| 
 G|-------x25-| 
 D|-----------| 
 A|-----------| 
 E|-----------| 
  
  
 Of course, fell free to make this tab better. 
 I did my best, but Adrian is a monster guitarist and he does some strange chord; he's a  
 he's the story, and I'm only a nut. 
 But this is my tribute to him. 
 Thank you Ade. 
  
 _Ozzy 
 geomscortichini@interfree.it