..
Band: Blue Öyster Cult
Album: Fire Of Unknown Origin
Year: 1981
Song: Veteran Of The Psychic Wars
Tabbed By Tom Christie.
I originally tabbed this for myself since I couldn't find a good tab of the song, and
not a single one with the solo. Since I'm happy with the result I decided to upload it here.
There's some parts of the rhythm guitar that are impossible to hear underneath the
keyboard but they appear to be playing the same thing as they keyboard anyway, so that is
what I tabbed. The end of the solo was difficult to make out as well, but I think it's
pretty close. I've included lyrics at the bottom.
Key:
/ = Slide
~ = Vibrato
^ = Bend half step
^^ = Bend full step
r = Release bend
h = Hammer on
p = Pull off
** = Artificial harmonic
Intro is only drums (and keyboard on the studio version)
Guitar intro:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--15---------12/15~-------------15----------12/15~-------------|
G|------15--12------------------------15--12---------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--15---------12/15~---------13-15-13---------------------------|
G|------15--12--------------------------12--12/15~---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--15---------12/15~---------13-15-13---------------------------|
G|------15--12--------------------------12--12/15~---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------3-5-5^^------------------------------------------|
D|--5---------5--------------------------------------------------|
A|--5------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------------------------------------|
First part of chorus is keyboard only
And I'm young enough.. Etc.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--5---------5---------8------------------------------------5---|
D|--5----5----5----5----8----8----------5-8------------------5---|
A|--3----5----3----5----6----8--------------5---3-5----------3---|
E|-------3---------3---------6----------------------3---1-3------|
I'm not sure if there's anything left of me
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--5-----7--7--7--7---------------------------------------------|
D|--5-----7--7--7--7---------------------------------------------|
A|--3-----5--5--5--5---------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus - Don't let these shakes go on.. Etc.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------8----------------------------------------------|
G|-5---------5----5--5-------------------------------------------|
D|-5----5----5-------5---------------8---------3-5---------------|
A|-3----5----3-------3-------3-5-3---8---3-5-6------3~-----------|
E|------3--------------------------3-6---------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-5--------------3--5-5-5-3-5--------3--5-5-5-3-5-----3--5------|
D|-5----5------5--3--5-5-5-3-5-----5--3--5-5-5-3-5-----3--5------|
A|-3----5------5--1--3-3-3-1-3-----5--1--3-3-3-1-3-----1--3------|
E|------3------3-------------------3-----------------------------|
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/b/blue-oyster-cult/288627.html ]
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-3--5--3-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-3--5--3--5--3--5----------------------------------------------|
A|-1--3--1--5--3--5----------------------------------------------|
E|----------3--1--3----------------------------------------------|
Same thing as verse 1 for verse 2, and then the chorus again
The solo seems to use a delayer to create the effect of each part repeating, but you can
just repeat the sections of the solo to achieve that if you like. The first 4 riffs of
the solo are echoed 3 times, then the 15h17 17~ later on is also echoed twice.
Solo:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------15-13---------------|
G|--5^^r-3-------------------2h3p2-----------------15^^r-12~-----|
D|---------5~-----------3h5-------3h5----------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------17^--17-------15-15~----------|
B|--18-18-18h20~--------------15--------------------------15-----|
G|-------------------------15--------------------------------15~-|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------17**~----|
D|-15h17--17~----------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------15^^--15~--------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
The solo overlaps onto this refrain here, but basically this part begins right before
the second last note of the solo (15^^)
e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----3--5-5-5-3-5-------3--5-5-5-3-5----3--5---3--3--3----------|
D|--5--3--5-5-5-3-5----5--3--5-3-5-3-5----3--5---3--3--3--5--3--5-|
A|--5--1--3-3-3-1-3----5--1--3-3-3-1-3----1--3---1--5--1--5--3--5-|
E|--3------------------3----------------------------------3--1--3-|
Verse 3 is the same as the first two, as is the third chorus.
Outro
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-3--5--3-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-3--5--3--5--3--5----------------------------------------------|
A|-1--3--1--5--3--5----------------------------------------------|
E|----------3--1--3----------------------------------------------|
You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
I've been living on the edge so long
Where the winds of limbo roar
And I'm young enough to look at
And far too old to see
All the scars are on the inside
I'm not sure if there's anything left of me
Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating up our brains
Oh, please don't let theses shakes go on
You ask me why I'm weary, why I can't speak to you
You blame me for my silence
Say it's time I changed and grew
But the war's still going on dear
And there's no end that I know
And I can't say if we're ever...
I can't say if we're ever gonna to be free
Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating out our brains
Oh, please don't let theses shakes go on
You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
My energy's spent at last
And my armor is destroyed
I have used up all my weapons and I'm helpless and bereaved
Wounds are all I'm made of
Did I hear you say that this is victory?
Don't let these shakes go on
It's time we had a break from it
Send me to the rear
Where the tides of madness swell
And been sliding into hell
Oh, please don't let shakes go on
Don't let these shakes go on
Don't let these shakes go on
