Closer To The Heart tab by Rush

Rush - Closer to the Heart

    From the CD 'A Farewell to Kings'
        Written by Lee/Lifeson/Peart/Talbot
        Mercury/Polygram Records 822546-2

    This song has been tabbed by so many people, that it would be a
waste to name them all. It has also appeared (in whole and in part) in
several guitar magazines. The key is A, but it switches to D for the
solo. Standard tuning [EADGBe] (low to high). The guitars during the
verses are doubled, electric and acoustic.

Jimmy Pena - jimmy@walrus.com

| = not a standard bar line; just used to separate music
~ = vibrato or held note
h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
b = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret
r = release bend to indicated string/fret
/ = slide up from infinity
\ = slide down into infinity
o \_
o /  repeat sign (always look for these!)

Chord 🏷Legend:

A : [xx7765]
G : [xx5543]
D : [xx0232]
A5 : [x022xx]


[Intro] - played on an acoustic 12-string

 A(add9)
e:-5------7-------4-------5--5-----4------------------------------|
B:---0------0-------0----------------7--5-------------------------|
G:-----6------6-------6--------6----------6-----------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

Repeat 3 times:

e:---5------7------4------5------4-----------------------------------|
B:-----0------0------0------0------7--5------------------------------|
G:o-------------6------6------6---------6---------------------------o|
D:o------7----------------------------------------------------------o|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

[Riff 1]
  G      D(add9)   Fmaj7
e:-------0------------0------------0------------------------------|
B:-----3---3--------3---3--------1---1----------------------------|
G:---4------------2------------2---------2------------------------|
D:-5--------5s4-4--------4s3-3-----------3------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|
 Asus2 Asus4 A
e:---------------------0------------------------------------------|
B:--0--3--2---2----0h2-------0--3--2------------------------------|
G:--2--2--2------------------2--2--2------------------------------|
D:--2--2--2-----2------------2--2--2------------------------------|
A:--0--0--0------------------0--0--0------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

[Riff 2] - bells arr. for guitar (don't play if your drummer has these
                  bells!)

e:--10~------------------------10~--------------------------------|
B:-------10---8~--7---8---10--------10---8~-----------------------|
G:--11~------------------------11~--------------------------------|
D:-------11---9~--7---9---11--------11---9~-----------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

Song progression:

[Intro] x1 (repeat second measure 3 times)

[Riff 1] x1

(This part is played on a 6-string acoustic)

     A         G     D    G    A
And the men who hold high places ....
                      e:--------3-----------|
  A      G    D  A5    G  B:------3---3---------|
to mold a new reality .......       G:----0---------------|
                      D:--0-----------------|
 D   A5   G  [arpeggate as shown:] A:--------------------|
Closer to the .....            E:--------------------|

    A        G    D    G     A
The blacksmith and the artist ...

 A    G         D   A5    G [arpeggate as shown above]
They forge their creativity ....

 D   A5   G
Closer to ....

[Riff 2] x1

(Now the 6-string acoustic is joined by a 6-string electric)

  A        G    D     G    A
Philosophers and plowme....

  A   A   G  G  D   A   G  G
to sow a new menta.....

 D   A5   G     G   D  A5 G
Closer to the heart.  ....

(Rhythm during solo is: strum D G C A at 4/4 time, changing chords each
    measure)

[Guitar Solo]

e:--10b12~~-----10~~----8~----------------7---9-10--9-10-12-------|
B:--10b12~~-----10~~----8~------7--8--10------7-8-----------------|
G:----------------------9~------7--7--7---------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-10-12-14--12-14-15--12-14-15--14-15-17--17b19~---17b19---------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------------|
G:----------------------------------------------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-17b19---17b19r17--12-14-15---15b17---15b16---15b17~------------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------------|
G:----------------------------------------------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------15-14-15-14-15-14-15-14-|
B:-15b17r15--15~-15~---17b19r17--17~-17~-----15-14-15-14-15-14-15-14-|
G:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-15b17~-17-17~-----------10-------------------------------------|
B:-15b17~-17-17~---10b12---10---10b12r10---7s8s7------------------|
G:------------------9b11---------9b11r9----6s7s6----9--7--9b10----|
D:--------------------------------------------------9--7--9b10----|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------|
B:------------------------------------------------3-3--3-3-2---|
G:--7~-----4p0---2--2--4b5--4b5~--4~---4b5r4------2-2--2-2-2---|
D:--7~-----4p0---2--2--4b5--4b5~--4~---4b5r4-------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-4s5----------------------------------------------------------|
B:-4s5----------------------------------------------------------|
G:-5s6----------------------------------------------------------|
D:--------------------------------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------------|

[Intro] x1 (repeat second measure 3 times)

   A5   A5   G  G  D    G    A5 A5 A5
Woah you can be the ....

 A5  A5  G  G  D   A5   G  G G
sailing into destiny ....

 D   A5   G G G
Closer to ...

    D   A5   G
Well closer ....

  G G
Oh yeah

(Rhythm guitar plays D/A5/G pattern as above)

[bend 3/5 and strike repeatedly as below]
Closer to the ....

[bend 3/5 etc]
Closer to ....

     [bend 7/9 and strike repeatedly as below]
I said closer ....

    [bend 15/17 and strike repeatedly as below]  (begin fadeout)
Well closer ....

    [bend 15/17 etc]
Yeah closer ....

[bend 17/20 and strike repeatedly as below]
Closer to ....

Whoa ...

e:--------------------------------------17b19~------------|
B:--3b5~----------7b9~-------15b17~-----20b22~------------|
G:--5b7~----------9b11~------17b19~-----------------------|
D:--------------------------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------|