Queen – Show Must Go On tab

"The Show Must Go On"
By: Queen
Album: Innuendo
Tabbed by: Peter Simmonds

Notes:
While this tune is definitely a piece for electric guitars, I usually prefer to play it
an acoustic guitar. There's plenty of opportunity to add frills and I've tried to give
names to the chords I use (which can be found at the bottom of the page. Some of the 
are trickier to hit than I usually try for but they do give a fuller sound. Feel free
skip or add bits if you think it'll help.

Intro (7 bars):
|Bm Bsus2 |Bsus4 Bm |G G11# |Em/G
|Em7 Em6 |F#sus4 F# |Em
|

Verse 1 (14 bars):
(A#dim/E) Bm     Bsus2        Bsus4        Bm
    Empty spaces, what are we living for?
          G      G11#        Em/G             G
Abandoned places. I guess we know the score.
Em7       Em6   F#sus4  F#               Em
          A#dim/E
On and on. Does anybody know what we are looking for?
        Bm   Bsus2    Bsus4            Bm
Another hero. Another mindless crime.
           G       G11#    Em/G        G
Behind the curtain. In the pantomime.
Em7      Em6        F#sus4  F#
    G
Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?

Chorus (8 bars):
(G)              Bm   Bsus2   Bsus4   Bm
The show must go on...
                 G   G11#   Em/G   G
The show must go on...
  Em7               Em6
Inside, my heart is breaking.
   F#sus4        F#             Em
Bm         (N.C.)
My makeup may be flaking but my smile  still stays on.

Verse 2 (16 bars):
         C#m     C#sus2         C#sus4       C#m
Whatever happens, I leave it all to chance.
        A         A11#     F#m/A            A
Another heartache. Another failed romance.
F#m7   F#m6     G#sus4  G#
         Cdim/F#
On and on. Does anybody know what we are living for?
            C#m      C#sus2     C#sus4       C#m
I guess I'm learning. I must be warmer now.
             A      A11#       F#m/A        A
I'll soon be turning round the corner now.
   F#m7             F#m6
Outside the dawn is breaking,
    G#sus4        G#              F#m
  Em
but inside in the dark I'm aching to be free.

Chorus (8 bars)

Guitar break (6 bars):
(Bm) (Bsus2) |Bsus4 Bm |G G11#
G |Em7 Em6 |F#sus4 F# |Em 
|
Ad lib "Yeah", "Ooh", etc.

Verse 3 (6 bars):
F           G/F              Em             Am      Cmaj7/G
 My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies.
F              G/F           Em7                  Am
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die.
 C#m7b5  A7/C# Dsus4        D
I can fly,     my friends.

Final Chorus (7 bars):
(D) Bm              Bsus2     Bsus4   Bm
The show must go on. Yeah...
                 G    G11#   Em/G   G
The show must go on.
     Em7                 Em6  F#sus4            F#
I'll face it with a grin. I'm never giving in.
  Em               A#dim/E
On with the show.

Outro (16 bars):
|Bm Bsus2 |Bsus4 Bm |G G11# |Em/G
|
(G)       Em7                Em6
Ooh, I'll top the bill. I'll overkill.
  F#sus4             F#            Em    Em7
 A#dim/E
I have the find the will to carry on... (with the, on with the)
Em7    Bm   Bsus2...
show.

(fade out)

N.B.: The original track fades out on a Bsus4 but when playing live, I usually resolve
Bsus2 into a Bm.

Suggested chord shapes:

         EADGBE
Bm       224432
Bsus2    224422
Bsus4    224400
G        320003
G11#     320023
Em/G     322000
Em7      022030
Em6      022020
F#sus4   244422
F#       244322
Em       022000
A#dim/E  012020
C#m      446654
C#sus2   446644
C#sus4   446674
A        X02220
A11#     X01220
F#m/A    X04222
F#m7     244252
F#m6     244242
G#sus4   466644
G#       466544
F#m      244222
Cdim/F#  234242
C#dim/F# 212020
Edim     XX2323
F        133211
G/F      120003
Am       X02210
Cmaj7/G  432000
C#m7b5   X42000
A7/C#    X42020
Dsus4    XX0233