Sailing Ships by Whitesnake Album: Slip Of The Tongue Let most if it ring. If in doubt, listen to the album. You’ll probably want to fingerpick the intro/verse and bridge bits. Steve Vai is what’s known as a ’musician’, and as such he adds some strange notes to chords here and there. My music theory knowledge is not what it could be and hence the chord names might be complete bollocks and should not be taken as gospel. (And that goes for the actual tab as well. This is just how I play it, if you find mistakes pat yourself on the back and play it your way ;)) Notation: s / = slide (up) s \ = slide (down)
h = hammer on Timing: |-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4-| Intro/verse bit Am G C G Am7 G Fsus2 |-------------0---|---------3---1---|-0---------------|--------------s--| |-1-------3-------|-3---------------|-----3---1---0---|-1-----------3/5-| |-----2-----------|-----0-----------|---0---0---0---0-|-----0---0-------| |-------2---------|-------0---------|-----------------|-------3---------| |-0---------------|-2---------------|-3---2---0-------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-------------3---|-1---------------| G F E Am Dadd4 (I think :)) |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-5---------------| |-3-------3-------|-1-------0-------|-1-------------3-|---3-------------| |-----4-----4--s--|---2-------1-----|----------s--0---|-----0-----------| |-------5-----5\3-|-----3-------2---|---------2/4-----|-------4---------| |-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------| |-3---------------|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------| Am Dadd4 Am7 Repeat, but for the last 2 bars: |-----------------|-----------------| |-1-------------3-|-----1-----------| |----------s--0---|--s--------------| |---------2/4-----|-4\2-------------| |-0---------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| Bridge bit (I Think :)) Dm Dsus2 DmAdd6 C/D F |-1-------1-0-----|-1-------1-0-----|-1/3-----3---5---|-5---------5-----| |-------3-----3---|-------3-----3---|-------5---------|---------6---6---| |-----2---------2-|-----3---------3-|-----5-----------|-------5---------| |-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|-----7-----------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-8---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| Bb Csus4 C G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-6-------3---6---|-6-------5-------|-3---------------|-----------------| |---3---3---------|---5---5---5-----|-4---------------|-----------------| |-----3-----------|-----5-------5---|-----------------|-----------------| |-5---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------| Play the intro/verse bit four times through the verse. There are some minor variations here and there (mostly those last two bars). If you’re picky... Well, sorry, but I’m not, so you’re on your own with those. Play the bridge bit through the ’Take me with you’ part, but for the last bar grab a pick and play: |-----------------| |-----------------| |-----------------| |-----------------| |-----------------| |---------3-2-----| Chorus bit (Well, you don’t _have_ to use a pick here, but I do) (I think :)) EmAdd9 G Aadd2add4 |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|---------------0-| |---------0-------|-----------------| |-------4---4-----|-----0-------0---| |-----2-------2---|-h-2----s--4-----| |-0-------------0-|-3-----3/5-------| 4 times, followed by: (I think :)) (I think :)) Am7sus2 C Dadd4add6 |-----------------|-----------------| |---------0-------|---------------0-| |-------0---0-----|-----0-------0---| |-----2-------2---|-h-2----s--4-----| |-0-------------0-|-3-----3/5-------| |-----------------|-----------------| 2 times, followed by: C D Asus2 |--------------|--------------|-0^--------------| |--------------|--------------|-0|--------------| |-----------|-----------|-2|--------------| |--------------s--------------|-2|--------------| |-3-------------3-/-5---------------|-0|--------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| (strum chord) The notes inside are supposed to be natural harmonics. I find it easiest to hold my pinky stretched over the fifth and seventh fret and touch all the strings lightly for each note I play, but everyone’s hands do not look like mine so see what’s comfortable for you. Just be sure not to mute any strings with the finger fretting the A string. Next, play the verse/intro once for the little solo, and twice for verse 2 (with minor variations), play the bridge, and the chorus and you’re at the place where little Stevie Vai stops playing acoustic and where I stop playing altogether since I haven’t learnt the rest of the song. Hope this bit is of some help to someone, even if it’s not the whole song.