Empire

 #----------------------------------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. # 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------## 
 From: Paul D  
  
   
 Subject: TAB: "Empire" by Queensryche (FINALLY!) 
  
 "Empire" by Queensryche--> 
  
 First off, there's the intro riff which is also the chorus part: 
 repeat 4x 
 E-|-----------------------------------------------------|| 
 B-|-----------------------------------------------------|| 
 G-|-2-2--2-4-2-----2---5-4-----5---7-5-----7---5--4h5-7-|| 
 D-|-2-2--3-3-3-----3---3-3-----3---5-5-----5---5------5-|| 
 A-|-0-0--------0-0---0-----0-0---0-----0-0---0----------|| 
 E-|-----------------------------------------------------|| 
  
  
 After you go through that twice, however, there is this little bit of lead 
 that kinda copies the vocal line of the chorus: 
 E-|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------| 
 B-|-9b10r9---------------------------|-10--10----10-12--12-10-12-13--13-12-13-| 
 G-|--------9-10---10-b12r10--9h10----|--------12------------------------------| 
 D-|-------------------------------12-|----------------------------------------| 
 A-|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------| 
 E-|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------| 
  
  
 E-|------------------------| 
 B-|-12b15r12-12h13-10~~~~~~| 
 G-|------------------------| 
 D-|------------------------| 
 A-|------------------------|(rhythm guitar ends on A5) 
 E-|------------------------| 
  
 The A5 is sustained throughout the verses with a few changes like so: 
  
 A5 
 Last night the word came down 
 (A5)                 G5 C5 A5 
 Ten dead in Chinatown 
 (A5) 
 Innocent, their only crime 
         B5                   slide to C5      A5 
 Was bein' in the wrong place at the wrong time 
 (A5) 
 "Too bad", people say, 
 (A5)                            G5 C5 A5 
 "What's wrong with the kids today?" 
 (A5) 
 I'll tell you right now they got nothin' to lose 
 G5               F5      A5 
 They're building EMPIRE. 
  
  
 Then this little lead bit:  B-|--8b10-(10)-(10)--| (sustained indefinitely) 
  
 While the rhythm (once again) stays on A5.  Do the whole verse bit 
 over again for the second verse. 
  
 Here's the pre-chorus with some lyrics below to help you keep up (repeat 
 the first section twice, then do the last bit right before the chorus): 
 E-|--------------------------------------------------------------||-------| 
 B-|-6---6-6-3--3-3--8--8-8-6--6-6--6--6-6-3--3-3-----------------||-------| 
 G-|-5---5-5-2--2-2--7--7-7-5--5-5--5--5-5-2--2-2---5--5-5-5--5-5-||-------| 
 D-|-0---0-0-0--0-0--0--0-0-0--0-0--0--0-0-0--0-0---5--5-5-5--5-5-||-3/5-5-| 
 A-|------------------------------------------------3--3-3-3--3-3-||-3/5-5-| 
 E-|--------------------------------------------------------------||-1/3-3-| 
    East side_________      Meets   West side___    downtown_____. 
    No   time_________        the   walls_fall____  down_____. 
  
  
 After the second chorus, play this right before the bridge (the 
 "bridge" is what I call the part where that guy does the commentary on 
 law enforcement): 
 E-|-----------------------|| 
 B-|-----------------------|| 
 G-|-5-----5-----5-/7~~~~~-|| 
 D-|-5--5--5--5--5-/7~~~~~-|| 
 A-|-3--5--3--5--3-/5~~~~~-|| 
 E-|----3-----3------------|| 
  
 Then play this part clean (actually with chorus and slight delay... 
 but what the hell) during the commentary: 
 E-|-0---------------------------3-------------------|| 
 B-|-3----3--3h5--3----5-6-5-3---3---5----5-6--5h6p5-|| 
 G-|-2----3-------2----5-5-5-2---0---5----5-5--5-----|| 
 D-|-0-----------------------------------------------||(repeat 4x) 
 A-|-------------------------------------------------|| 
 E-|-------------------------------------------------|| 
 (When the commentary gets to "By way of comparison..." a second guitar 
 should start chunging out an open D string with distortion and palm 
 muting.) 
  
 Then there's the solo and the chorus a few times until the end.  There's 
 also a bit of lead stuff (guitar harmonization between Chris and Michael) 
 over the last couple of choruses; really nifty lead work...but I'm not 
 going to tab it! 
  
 The lyrics to the second verse are: 
 "Black man trapped again, 
 Holds his chains in his hand. 
 Brother killing brother for the profit of another. 
 Game point...nobody wins. 
 Decline right on time. 
 What happened to the dream sublime? 
 Tear it down we'll put it up again. 
 Another EMPIRE!" 
  
 The following are the "lyrics" to the commentary: 
 "In fiscal year 1986 to 87, local, state, and federal governments 
 spent a combined total of 60.6 billion dollars on law enforcement. 
 Federal law enforcement expenditures ranked last in absolute dollars 
 and accounted for only a sixth percent of all federal spending. 
 By way of comparison, the federal government spent 24 million more on 
 space exploration and 43 TIMES more on national defense and 
 international relations than on law enforcement." 
  
 Once again, you'll have to do this "sans solo" 'cause leads are a pain in 
 my ass to tab out.  But put all the pieces together and you'll have 
 something that vaguely resembles Queensryche's "Empire".  'Tis a great song 
 and a great album.  Email me and be REAL nice and I might be pursuaded to 
 tab out the solo after all... 
 Corrections/comments/augmentations are most welcome and will be promptly 
 responded to (but only if you email them to me). 
 GOOD LUCK! 
 Paul D. (s3bz@music.transy.edu)