Queensryche – Someone Else tab

Here is a simple version of one of Queensryche's best songs.

It's surprisingly easy to play, and the basic progression can be 
transposed up and down depending on the key you're comfortable with.
This version is in the key of A minor and can be played with a single
guitar, either acoustic or electric.

Someone Else?
Lyrics: Geoff Tate
Music: Chris DeGarmo
From the album "Promised Land" (1994)

Intro:

Play arpeggios of Am and Em twice. Remember this picking pattern, we'll be 
using it throughout the verses and interludes.

e|---------------------------------------|      B|----1------------------0-0---strum Em--| G|---2-2----------------0-0--------------|D|--2---2--strum Am----2-----------------| A|-0------------------2------------------|E|---------------------------------------|

Verse 1:

Pick and strum exactly as for the intro, but use the following chords:

arp - arpeggio
str - strum
ring - let the chord ring out, with some echo if available

Am(arp) Am(str)          G(arp)    G(strum)      Am(arp)
          When I fell from grace, I never realized
              Am(strum)          Em (strum and then pick the lower 3 strings)
          How deep the flood was around me..
Am(arp)     Am (str)           G(arp)           G(strum)       Am(arp)
          A man whose life was toil, was like a kettle left to boil,
                  Am(strum)    Em (as with the Em above)
          And the water left its scars on me-

Interlude:

Repeat the intro pattern.
If there is a second guitar playing - an acoustic would be nice - it can
strum the Am and Em chords alternately.

The patterns for all the remaining verses are exactly the same:
(Am / G / Am / Em) twice.

Verse 2:
The chains I wore were mine,
Dragging me towards my fate,
Planned for me - long ago...
I played by all their rules,
Went to their right schools,
Who was I to question?

Now it gets easier:

Pre-chorus:
Dm / Dsus2 (ring)                   Am
             They used to say I was nowhere, man,
Dm / Dsus2                           Am
             And heading down was my destiny -
Dm                            F (turn on distortion here if you want!)
             But yesterday, I swear, 
                                       G  
             That was someone else, not me!

If you're playing an open G here, a fun idea is to alternate between G 
and Gsus4 (the same shape as G, but with your little finger 
pulling on and off the 5th fret on the high E string.) 
Do this a few times (or just strum up a storm with G) and then use 
barre chords for the chorus:

Am         F             G     
    Here I stand, at the crossroads' edge,
Am            F               G 
    Afraid to reach out for eternity..
Am            F              G
    One step, when I look do-o-wn,
                            (Play the intro twice here) 
    I see someone else, not me

The second chorus ends a little differently:
    G                         Am (ring) G (ring)       Am (ring)  G(ring)
    But it's somewhere out of reach             I keep looking back
    Am(ring) G(ring) Am(ring)         G(ring)   Am(ring) G(ring)
    Looking back     Looking back and I see     Someone else...

After the second chorus, go straight to the bridge and play the final chorus.
When playing the last few lines, use the same chord progression as at the
end of the second chorus.

End on Am ("me...?")

That's it. If anyone has tabs for the full band version, please let me know!!

G.