"Bullet The Blue Sky" by U2
As heard on "The Joshua Tree" (1987)
Track Length: 4:32
Guitar 1 Tuning: eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb -elec. w/ slight echo -full dist. w/slide
Guitar 2 Tuning: eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb -elec. w/ dist. set 0 gain (1 pickup)
Not that the other version was wrong in any way... here's my interpretation.
Lyrics not quite lined up.
Begins with drums (0:00)
G1 (0:06) w/slide (clink noises from slide) *tap harmonic to slowly mute ite|-----------|-----------------------------12^-----------------------------|B|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------|G|-----7^----|-------------------------------------------------------------|D|-7^--------|-------------------------------------------------------------|A|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------|E|--------8^-|--9.5^*------------------------------------------------------|
G1 Intro (0:31) w/ slide *accidental harmonics (0:44)e|----------------------------------------12-------------------------------|B|----------------------------------------12-------------------------------|G|-12======\9---9^*-----12======\9==\7/12-12======\9---------12======\9----|D|------------------8^*-12======\9==\7/12-12---------\x-9/12-12======\9----|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|----------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
G1 Verse (0:57) volume down until 2:22e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|--7^---------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| "In the howling wind... comes a stingin' rain.
G1e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|--15^--------------------------------------------------------------------| See it drivin' nails into the souls on the tree of pain.
G1 *ringing from previous notee|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-*-----------------------------------------------------------------------| From the fire fly... a red orange glow.
G2e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------x-------x---|G|-------------------------------------------------------------x-------x---|D|-----------------------------------------------------------x-x----x--x-x-|A|-----------------------------------------------------------x------x----x-|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| See the face of fear runnin' scared in the valley below.
G1 Chorus (1:08)e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Wooh- hoo hoo. Wooh- hoo hoo.
G1e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Bullet the blue sky Bullet the blue sky
G1e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7======-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Bullet the blue... Bullet the blue... oh- oh...
G1 Verse (1:28)e|-----------------------7------------|-------------------------------------B|-----------------------7------------|-------------------------------------G|-----------------------7------------|-------------------------------------D|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------A|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------E|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------
G2e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-----------------------------------------------------------------x----x--|G|-----------------------------------------------------------------x----x--|D|-----------------------------------------------------------------x----x--|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| In a locust wind... comes a rattle and hum.
G1 *equivalence on the frettboarde|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|*25----------26----------26/27----------27/28----------28/29\25----------|G|*------25----------26-------------27-------------28----------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| Jacob wrestled and angel and the angel was overcome.
G1 *equivalence on the frettboarde|--------------------15==\12\3\0------------------------/12/15\-----------|B|*-------25----------15==\12\3\0------------------------/12/15\-----------|G|*-25---------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| You have a demon seed... you need the flower of fire.
G1e|-------------------------------------------------------15\12-------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------15\12-------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G2e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------x-----------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------x-----------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------x-----------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| See them burning crosses... see the flames higher and higher.
G1 Chorus (1:56)e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Wooh- hoo hoo. Wooh- hoo hoo.
G1e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Bullet the blue sky Bullet the blue sky
G1e|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|B|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|G|-----------------------7------------|-----------------------7------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Shot Shot
G2e|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|B|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|G|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|-(7)-(7)-7(7)-----------------------|D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|A|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7--5--7-|---------------(5)--(5)--5--7======-|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
Bullet the blue... oh- oh... Bullet the blue... oh- oh... G1 (2:22) volume swelle|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------B|-12----------------12---------------|-------------------------------------G|-12======\9--x-----12======\9-------|-------------------------------------D|-12----------x/12--12----------x/12-|-------------------------------------A|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------E|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------
G1 Verse *volume back downe|-12==\9------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-12==\9------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|------------------------17^----------------------------------------------| This guy comes up to me, face red like a rose on a thornbush, like all the
G1e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------------22^----------------------------| colors of a royal flush. And he's peelin' off those dollar bills, slappin'
G1 let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-----------------------------------------17^*----------------------------| em' down. "One-hundred, two-hundred." And I can see those fighter planes.
G1 let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| And I can see those fighter planes. Across the mudhuts where children sleep
G1 let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|--19^*-------------------------------------------------------------------| Through the alley of a quiet city street. And take a staircase to the
G1 let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|--------------------------------------------------------12^*-------------| first floor. And turn the key and slowly unlock the door.
G1 let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-0*----------------------------------------------------------------------| As a man breathes into a saxiphone, and through the walls
G1e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|B|-------------------------12======\9-|-------------------------12======\9-|G|-------------------------12======\9-|-------------------------12======\9-|D|-------------------------12======\9-|-------------------------12======\9-|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| you hear the city groan. Outside it's America.
G1e|-------------------------12======\9-|------------------------------------|B|-------------------------12======\9-|-------------------------12======\9-|G|-------------------------12======\9-|-------------------------12======\9-|D|------------------------------------|-------------------------12======\9-|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| Outside it's America America...
G1 Solo (3:19) *volume swelle|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|B|-9/12----------------12~~-----------|--12~~--------------12--------------|G|---------12~~--12~~--------12~~-----|--------12~~--------------12~~------|D|---------------------------------12-|--------------12~---------------12~-|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
G1e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|B|---------------12==/14--14~~~~=\9---|-9/12~~--------------12~~-----------|G|-12==/14-------12==/14=~------------|---------12~~--------------12=====~-|D|-12==/14~~~~~~----------------------|---------------12~~-----------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
G2e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|--------------------------------------12------12----12------12---12------|G|------------------------------------------12------------12-----------12--|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G1e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|B|-12~~--------------12~~-------------|---------------14-------------------|G|-------12~~--------------12~~-------|-12==/14~~~~~~-----14~~~~~----------|D|-------------12~---------------12~--|-12==/14~~~-------------------------|A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
G2e|-----------------------------------------------12------------------------|B|-12------12----12------12----12------12----12-----12----12------12----12-|G|-----12------------12------------12-------------------------12-----------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G1e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-14---------14.5-----------15-------15.25-------15.5------15.75-----(16)-|G|------14----------14.75--------15--------15.25-------15.5------15.75-----|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G2e|-----------------------------------------------------------------12------|B|-----12----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12------12--|G|-12------------12------------12------------12------------12--------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G1e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|----------21----------21----------21\20-------19\12p0-9====\7~~~~--------|G|-19/21----------21----------21------------20----------9====\7~~~~--------|D|------------------------------------------------------9====\7~~~~p0--12^-|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G2e|-----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12--|B|-12------12------------12------------12------------12------------12------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G1e|-----7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7/--------7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7-7/19\-|B|-----7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7/--7-----7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7-7/----|G|-----7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7/--------7--7--7--7\-----7--7--7--7-7/----|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-0---------------0------------------0---------------0--------------------|
G2e|-----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12--|B|-12------12------------12------------12------------12------------12------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G1 Verse (4:08) let ring* touching random harmonics w/ feedbacke|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-0*----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G2e|-----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12----12------12--|B|-12------12------------12------------12------------12------------12------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| Across the feild see the sky ripped open. See the rain through the gaping
G1 *feedback from previous notee|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|E|*0-----------------------------------------------------------------------| wound. Telling the women and children to run. Into the arms of America."
Notation Key
- = string
# = frett
~ = vibrato
/ = slide up (if not indicated, to and from "nowhere")
\ = slide down (if not indicated, to and from "nowhere")
h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
b = bend (to indicated frett or 1/4 step if not specified)
fb = full bend (1 step)
hb = hold bend
pb = pre-bend (bend before striking
r = release bend
x = string noise (tap/rake)
(#)= mute string (after striking)
^ = natrual harmonic (wanted to use <> but html problems...)
+ = artificial harmonic
t = trill/tremelo (as noted)
= = hold note
* = as noted
Lemme know if I should fix it.
e-mail: unsupersimth@gmail.com
