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/ U2 / The Unforgettable Fire (1984) / Wire guitar tab

Wire

Music by U2
Lyrics by Bono
Transcribed by Brandon Leniart 

"Wire" is written in E major and has 2 main guitar parts: 
the intro/outro, and the chorus.  The intro and outro are 
played by rapidly going back and forth on the 12th and 15th 
frets on the 1st and 2nd strings.  The chorus is simply E 
and D chords being arpegiated.  I wish I had my CD here to 
transcribe this completely, but this is basically how it 
goes:

Intro (with delay set on fast with few repeats, played with 
a heavy 4/4 beat)               
                                                (faster)

1)---12---12---12---12---12---12---12---12------15-15-15-15-15-15-
2)------12---12---12---12---12---12---12---12---15-15-15-15-15-15-
3)----------------------------------------------------------------
4)----------------------------------------------------------------
5)----------------------------------------------------------------
6)----------------------------------------------------------------

When the band comes in, the intro is repeated with several 
overdubbed fills, 3 of which are below:

1)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--       
2)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--
3)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--    (strum muted strings)
4)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--
5)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--
6)---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--

1)---<12>--<12>--<12>-
2)---<12>--<12>--<12>-
3)---<12>--<12>--<12>-     (strum natural harmonics 
4)---<12>--<12>--<12>-      at 12th fret)
5)---<12>--<12>--<12>-
6)---<12>--<12>--<12>-

1)---12--(12)--(12)---
2)---12--(12)--(12)---
3)--------------------     (Hit E & B at 12th frets and 
4)--------------------      let echo repeat)
5)--------------------
6)--------------------

Another overdubbed fill is Edge sliding up and down the 
neck of the guitar, so try to do as many overdubs that you 
can. 

The Verse is done with Edge strumming muted strings then 
hitting E & B of the 12th fret on the 1st and 2nd strings, 
letting them echo.

The Chorus can be done by arpegiating E and D chords:
    (E)              (D)           

1)----------------------------------------
2)---------9-----------------7------------
3)-------9----9------------7----7---------
4)-----9--------9--------7--------7-------
5)---7------------7---5--------------5----
6)----------------------------------------

The part before the outro (Bono sings "do, do, do") is the 
same as the above overdubs.  The outro (with Bono singing 
fast)  is the same as the intro.  Here's a tip:

For those with a delay pedal, listen to the last 2 seconds 
of the song, when Edge slides down the strings, which is 
echoed.  This will give you an idea as to the speed and the 
repetition of the delay used.

--Brandon Leniart



U2 albums
2004 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
2000 All That You Can't Leave Behind
1997 Pop
1993 Zooropa
1991 Achtung Baby
1988 Rattle And Hum
1987 The Joshua Tree
1984 The Unforgettable Fire
1983 Under A Blood Red Sky
1983 War
1981 October
1980 Boy
The Unforgettable Fire tabs
01A Sort Of Homecoming tabbass tab
02Pride tabbass tab
03Wire tabbass tab
04The Unforgettable Fire tabbass tab
05Promenade tabbass tab
064th Of July tabbass tab
07Bad tabbass tab
08Indian Summer Sky tabbass tab
09Elvis Presley And America tabbass tab
10Mlk tabbass tab

 

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