The Riddle chords by Nik Kershaw (Ver. 2)

• Capo on 2nd

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Difficulty: Intermediate



Written by: Nik Kershaw
From: “The Riddle” (1984)

Tuning: Standard


Play: Em
Key: F#m (later: key change to Abm)

CHORDS
     E-A-D-G-B-e       E-A-D-G-B-e
D/F#   2-x-0-2-3-2    Ab/C x-3-1-1-1-x
G/B   x-2-0-0-0-3    Eb/G 3-6-5-3-4-3

Gm    3-x-0-3-x-x
F/A   x-0-3-2-1-x
C/Bb   x-1-2-0-1-0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro:
| Em D/F# | G A | Em D/F# | C G |
| Em D/F# | G A | Em D/F# | C G |
| Am G/B C D |


Verse 1:
| Em D/F# |  G     A
    I got two strong arms
Bm      Cmaj7
Blessings of Babylon
Am   F      Em :
Time to carry on and try
Em  D/F#   G   A
 For sins and false alarms
Bm   Cmaj7   | C#m G#m |
So to America the Brave
Am  G/B C  D
Wise men save


Chorus:
 D :  Em    D/F#
 Near a tree by a river
     G      A
There's a hole in the ground
     Em    D/F#
Where an old man of Aran
   C     G
Goes around and around
    Em    D/F#
And his mind is a beacon
    G      A
In the veil of the night
   Em       D/F#
For a strange kind of fashion
     C      G
There's a wrong and a right
     Am   G/B  C   D  Em :
But he'll never, never fight over you


Verse 2:
| Em D/F# |  G     A
    I got plans for us
Bm      Cmaj7
Nights in the scullery
  Am   F
And days instead of me
 Em  D/F#   G   A
I only know what to discuss
Bm   Cmaj7    | C#m G#m |
Oh, for anything but light
Am  G/B C    D  Em :
Wise men fighting over you


Verse 3:
| Em D/F# |   G   A
    It's not me you see
Bm    Cmaj7
Pieces of valentine
  Am   F
And just a song of mine
  Em    D/F#  G  A
To keep from burning history
Bm     Cmaj7    | C#m G#m |
Seasons of gasoline and gold
Am  G/B C   D :
Wise men fold


Chorus:
 D :  Em    D/F#
 Near a tree by a river
     G      A
There's a hole in the ground
     Em    D/F#
Where an old man of Aran
   C     G
Goes around and around
    Em    D/F#
And his mind is a beacon
    G      A
In the veil of the night
   Em       D/F#
For a strange kind of fashion
     C      G
There's a wrong and a right
     Am   G/B  C   D  F :
But he'll never, never fight over you


Bridge:
| F Bb |  Eb   Ab
   I got time to kill
Gm      C/E
Sly looks in corridors
  F   Eb
Without a plan of yours
 Dsus4   D    Gm F/A Bb
A blackbird sings on Bluebird Hill
C       C/Bb     | Ab Db |
Thanks to the calling of the wild
Bbm Ab/C Db   Eb :
Wise men's child


Instrumental:
| Fm Eb/G | Ab Bb |
| Fm Eb/G | Db Ab |
| Fm Eb/G | Ab Bb |
| Fm Eb/G | Db Ab |
| Bbm Ab/C Db Eb |


Chorus:
 Eb :  Fm    Eb/G
 Near a tree by a river
     Ab     Bb
There's a hole in the ground
     Fm     Eb/G
Where an old man of Aran
   Db     Ab
Goes around and around
    Fm    Eb/G
And his mind is a beacon
    Ab     Bb
In the veil of the night
   Fm       Eb/G
For a strange kind of fashion
     Db     Ab
There's a wrong and a right
     Bbm  Ab/C Db   Eb
But he'll never, never fight


Chorus:
 Eb :  Fm    Eb/G
 Near a tree by a river
     Ab     Bb
There's a hole in the ground
     Fm     Eb/G
Where an old man of Aran
   Db     Ab
Goes around and around
    Fm    Eb/G
And his mind is a beacon
    Ab     Bb
In the veil of the night
   Fm       Eb/G
For a strange kind of fashion
     Db     Ab
There's a wrong and a right
     Bbm  Ab/C Db  Eb | Bbm Ab/C Db Eb |
But he'll never, never fight over you
 Eb :   Bbm  Ab/C Db  Eb  Fm
 No, he'll never, never fight over you