For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica Transcription by Tim Scott ==== ==== Rhythm A ==== ==== 4x |-|--|-----|--|----||--------------|--|---|--|-----|--|------||------------ |-|--|-----|--|----||--------------|--|---|--|-----|--|------||------------ |-|--|--Z--|--|--Z-||.----.,;:'"':;,.-|---|--|--Z--|--|--Z--.||------------ |-4--4-----4--4----||.-(2)---------|-(2)--4--4-----4--4-----.||------------ |-4--4-----4--4----||--(2)---------|-(2)--4--4-----4--4------||------------ |-2--2-----2--2----||--(0)---------|-(0)--2--2-----2--2------||------------ (Lead over Rhythm transcribed for guitar...4x w/Rhythm A and 4x w/Rhythm B) ----- ---- ----- |-----|---|---|)-|-|-|--|---|---|--|-|------------------------------------- |-----|---|---|--|-|-|--|---|---|--|-|------------------------------------- |-Z---|---|---|--|-|-|--|---|---|--|-|------------------------------------- |----12--11--10--9-|-|--|--12---|--|-|------------------------------------- |------------------|10--9-------|--|-|------------------------------------- |------------------|-----------10-(9)|-------------------------------------
Rhythm B . . 8x --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ||-------------|-|---|)----|)----||-|--||--|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|- ||-------------|-|---|-----|-----||-|--||--|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|- ||.---.,;:'"':;,.|---|-----|----.||-|--||.-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-3- ||.(2)---------|(2)--4-----4----.||-|--||.-2-5-4-3-2-5-4-3-|-2-5-4-3-2-4-5-3- ||-(2)---------|(2)--4-----4-----||-|--||--2-5-4-3-2-5-4-3-|-2-5-4-3-2-4-5-1- ||-(0)---------|(0)--2--x--2--x--||-|--||--0-3-2-1-0-3-2-1-|-0-3-2-1-0-2-3--- 4x Rhythm C -||------------|-----------|-||------------|----------|------------|-|.---- -||------------|-----------|-||------------|----------|------------|-|----- .||---.,;:'"':;,.----------|-||.---.,;:'":;,.---------|------------|-|--Z-- .||(2)---------|(2)--------|-||.(2)--------|(2)-------|(5)---------|-5----- -||(2)---------|(2)--------|-||-(2)--------|(2)-------|(5)---------|-5----- -||(0)---------|(0)--------|-||-(0)--------|(0)-------|(3)---------|-3----- 2x ----------|------------|---------|----------|--|----|-----||--------------- ----------|------------|---------|----------|--|----|-----||--------------- ---Z---Z--|---.,;:'"':;,.--------|----------|--|----|----.||--------------- ----------|(2)---------|(2)------|(5)-------|(10)--(7)---.||--------------- ----------|(2)---------|(2)------|(5)-------|(10)--(7)----||--------------- ----------|(0)---------|(0)------|(3)-------|(-8)--(5)----||--------------- Rhythm D ----- ----- ----- ||--|-|-|--|.-|-|-|--|.--|--|-|-|--|--|--|--|-|-|-|--|--|-|-|--|-|--------- ||--|-|-|--|--|-|-|--|---|--|-|-|--|--|--|--|-|-|-|--|--|-|-|--|-|--------- ||.-|-|-|--|--|-|-|--|---|--|-|-|--|--|--|--|-|-|-|--|--|-|-|--|-|--------- ||.-2-|-|--5--2-|-|--7---|--2-|-|--5--8--4--|-2-|-|--5--2-|-|--7-|--------- ||--2-|-|--5--2-|-|--7---|--2-|-|--5--8--4--|-2-|-|--5--2-|-|--7-|--------- ||--0-0-0--3--0-0-0--5---|--0-0-0--3--6--2--|-0-0-0--3--0-0-0--5-|--------- ----- 2x Rhythm C 2x Rhythm D 2x -|-|-|--|-|-|--||------------------|-------------||---------|--------|----- -|-|-|--|-|-|--||------------------|-------------||---------|--------|----- -|-|-|--3-|-|-.||------------------|-------------||.--------|--------|----- -2-|-|--3-4-3-.||------------------|-------------||.(2)-----|(2)-----|----- -2-|-|--1-4-3--||------------------|-------------||-(2)-----|(2)-----|----- -0-0-0----2-1--||------------------|-------------||-(0)-----|(0)-----|----- ----- ----- ----------------|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|--|-----------|----------||--------------- ----------------|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|--|-----------|----------||--------------- ----------------|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|--|-----------|---------.||--------------- (2)-------------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|(2)--------|(9)------.||--------------- (2)-------------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|(2)--------|(9)-------||--------------- (0)-------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|(0)--------|(7)-------||--------------- Rhythm C 2x Rhythm D 2x --- --- --- (slower..till fade) ----------------|------------||--|.-|-|--|.-|-|-|-|--||-------------------- ----------------|------------||--|--|-|--|--|-|-|-|--||-------------------- ----------------|------------||.-|--|-|--|--|-|-|-|-.||-------------------- ----------------|------------||.-2--4-4--2--4-4-5-5-.||-------------------- ----------------|------------||--2--4-4--2--4-4-5-5--||-------------------- ----------------|------------||--0--2-2--0--2-2-3-3--||-------------------- I'm not sure if the notation is absolutely correct -- I wrote this down a while ago. Z = rests. Parentheses around chords signify half/whole note notation... --tim -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ uunet!plains!tscott OR tscott@plains OR tscott@plains.nodak.edu "Call collect!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chords used: E F F# G A Bb B C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 5 2 3 4 5 7 8 4 5 2 3 4 5 7 8 2 3 0 1 2 3 5 6 - - Intro: F# F# E (while bass plays doomy riff) x12, (4 as intro, 4 when drums come in, and 4 with bass playing E G F# F) Then: E G F# F (x3) E F# G A E G F# F (x3) E F# G B E G F# F (x3) E F# G A E G F# F (x3) E F# G B Then verse chords (E, G, E, C, A) with the following lead repeated over and over: ---------------- ---------------- 12-9-11----9-11- (triplets) --------12------ ---------------- ---------------- E Make us fight on the ........ G Constant chill...... E Shouting gun......... C A (can't remember this line) E For a hill, men ........ G (you get the idea) E C A Chorus: E E E G E E E A E E E G E E Bb F# For whom E E E G E E E A E E E G E E Bb G F# the bell tolls Time marches E E E G E E E A E E E G E E Bb F# on For whom E E E G E E E A E E E G E E Bb G F# the bell tolls Bridge: E E (with lead, but I can't remember it) G GGGG GGGG E B Verse 2 (same as verse 1) Chorus (same again) Ending E F# F# E F# F# G G repeated, with wailing lead, harmonics etc, then, when we do it at least, we go into free time on the final G chord (you know, big heavy metal ending), big drum fill, then: G.... EEEEE E EEEE E EEEEE (ie a massive E chord at the end) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neil Gall Internet : neilg@hpsqf.sqf.hp.com Hewlett-Packard Ltd. /_ __ Phone : +44 (0)31 331 7895 Queensferry Telecoms Operation / / /_/ Fax : +44 (0)31 331 7488 South Queensferry / HP Telnet : 313-2895 Scotland EH30 9TG Home : 031 447 1078 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS From the Album: Ride The Lightning Words and music by: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Cliff Burton Transcribed by Travis fitch (Fitch@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moderate Rock ÷ 120 (Rhy 1) (End of Rhy 1) Intro (Play 8 times) w/Bells F#5 F#5 E5 F#5 F#5 e:-------------------|-------------------|--10--9--8--7--|--------10-------------------| B:-------------------|-------------------|---------------|--8--7-----------------------| G:-------------------|-------------------|---7--6--5--4--|---------7--7--6-------------| D:-------------------|-------------------|---------------|--5--4-----------------------| A:-------------------|--------4-4---4-4--|---------------|------------5--4-------(4)\--| E:-------------------|--------2-2---2-2--|---------------|-----------------------------| w/Rhy 1 (Play 4 times) e:-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------| B:-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------| G:-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------| D:-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------2--| A:-------------------|-------------------|--2--5--4--3--2--5--4--3--|--2--5--4--3--2--5--6--0--| E:-------------------|-------------------|--0--3--2--1--0--3--2--1--|--0--3--2--1--0--2--3-----| e:--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------|-------------------| B:--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------|-------------------| G:--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------|-------------------| D:--------------------------|-----------------------4--|--2----------------|--(2)--------------| A:--2--5--4--3--2--5--4--3--|--2--5--4--3--2--4--5--2--|--2----------------|--(2)--------------| E:--0--3--2--1--0--3--2--1--|--0--3--2--1--0--2--3-----|--0----------------|--(0)--------------| Rhy Fig 2 E5 e:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| B:--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--|--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--| G:-----9-----7--9--------9-----7--9-----|------9-----7--9--------9-----7--9----| D:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| A:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| E:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| G5 G5 (abrupt halt on G5) e:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| B:--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--|--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--| G:-----9-----7--9--------9-----7--9-----|------9-----7--9--------9-----7--9----| D:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| A:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| E:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| E5 e:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| B:--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--|--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--| G:-----9-----7--9--------9-----7--9-----|------9-----7--9--------9-----7--9----| D:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| A:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| E:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| (x2) (End of Rhy Fig 2) G5 C5 A5 e:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| B:--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--|--8-----7--------7--8-----7--------7--| G:-----9-----7--9--------9-----7--9-----|------9-----7--9--------9-----7--9----| D:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| A:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| E:--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| (Rhy Fig 3) (end of Rhy Fig 3) e:---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|---------------------------| B:---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|---------------------------| G:---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|---------------------------| D:------------------2--|-------------3------|------------------2--|----------------3----------| A:--------5---------0--|---------5---1---4--|--------5---------0--|--------5-------1---4---3--| E:--0-0-0-3---0-0-0----|---0-0-0-3-------2--|--0-0-0-3---0-0-0----|--0-0-0-3-0-0-------2---1--| 1st Verses w/Rhy 2 (2 times) Make his fight ............ Constant chill ..... Shouting gun....... On they fight for ....... For a hill men would ..... Suffered wounds test their pride...... Gone insane from the ......... For whom the..... Time march....... For whom ....... Interlude E5 E5 e:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| G:--12--9--11----9---------------------------|-------------------------------------------| D:------------12----11--12--9--11-----9--10--|--2----------------------------------------| A:---------------------------------12--------|--2----------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------|--0----------------------------------------| E5 G5 e:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| G:--12--9--11----9---------------------------|-------------------------------------------| D:------------12----11--12--9--11-----9--10--|-------------------------------------------| A:---------------------------------12--------|--5------5-5-5--5-----5-5-5----------------| E:-------------------------------------------|--3------3-3-3--3-----3-3-3----------------| E5 B5 e:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| G:--12--9--11----9---------------------------|-------------------------------------------| D:------------12----11--12--9--11-----9--10--|--4----------------------------------------| A:---------------------------------12--------|--2----------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| E5 E5 e:-------------------7-------------------7---|--(7)------------------------------------| B:--8------7-----------8------10--7---8------|-----------------------------------------| G:-----9-------7--9--------9-----------------|-----------------------------------------| D:--9------11-----9----12--9--11------9------|-----------------------------------------| A:-----12------12---10------------12-----10--|-----------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| E5 G5 e:-------------------7-------------------7---|-----------------------------------------| B:--8------7-----------8------10--7---8------|-----------------------------------------| G:-----9-------7--9--------9-----------------|-----------------------------------------| D:--9------11-----9----12--9--11------9------|-----------------------------------------| A:-----12------12---10------------12-----10--|--5------5-5-5--5-----5-5-5--------------| E:-------------------------------------------|--3------3-3-3--3-----3-3-3--------------| E5 B5 e:------------------7-------------------7---|-----------------------------------------| B:--8------7----------8------10--7---8------|-----------------------------------------| G:-----9------7--9--------9-----------------|-----------------------------------------| D:--9------11----9----12--9--11------9------|--4--------------------------------------| A:-----12-----12---10------------12-----10--|--2--------------------------------------| E:------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| 1st Verses w/Rhy 2 (2 times) Take a look to the ...... It's the last ..... Blackened roar massive ..... Shattered goal fills ...... Stranger now are his ......mystery. Hears the silence ..... Crack of dawn........ Now they see, what will .......... (Chorus) w/Rhy Fig 3 (2 times) For whom the bell.... Time marches .. For whom the bell ..... Outro Not in strict time 2nd time w/tremolo bar effects (till fade) w/Bells (Repeat and fade) E5(VII) F#5(IX) E5(VII) F#5(IX) G5(X) e:-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------| B:-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------| G:-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------| D:--9----------11--11--11--|--9----------11--11--11--|--12--12--12------------| A:--7----------9---9---9---|--7----------9---9---9---|--10--10--10------------| E:-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
Metallica read a lot of books at the time when they did the Ride the lightning album. Many of the songs are inspired by these stories and For whom the bell tolls tabs was made after they read the book with the same title by Ernest Hemingway. Both the novel and the song is about the Spanish Civil War.
Keep in mind when playing these For whom the bell tolls tabs that the into does sound like a guitar, but it is in fact Cliff Burton playing his bass using distortion and a wah-wah pedal. The song was released as a promotional radio single with two different versions of the song but never for public sale. The song is often played live and is a favorite for many fans.
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica