I couldnt find a 100% correct tab for the chords or the riffs in this great song, so heres my
attempt!!
Notes:
- You really need two guitars, one for the chords and one for the various riffs, but if
youre singing then you can leave the riffs out and concentrate on the chords.
- All the riffs have been tabbed out for a non-capoed guitar - this makes it clearer and
easier to understand - ive put a note above each riff just to remind readers.
- For those of you without a capo and/or limited upper-fret access (if youre using a
traditional acoustic, for example), there is a separate tab catering for this at the bottom
(the capoed version sounds so much better though).
- Ive tabbed out the riffs the way i play them - obviously you can change them by playing
the same notes on different strings etc, but theyre probably easiest to play in the form
ive put them in.
********************************************************************************************
Capo on 2nd fret
Am D G C C/B D/F# Em Bm F Cadd9
0 2 3 0 0 2 0 2 1 3
1 3 3 1 1 3 0 3 1 3
2 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 2 0
2 0 0 2 2 0 2 4 3 2
0 x 2 3 2 x 2 2 3 3
x x 3 x x 2 0 x 1 x
Intro chords (played over the riff below):
Am D G C C/B x2
Am D Am D
Intro riff (synth, tabbed out for guitar):
*NOT RELATIVE TO THE CAPO*
e|-14-14-------------------16-16-17-19-17-17-17-------14-14-14-------14----|
B|-------15-------17-17-17----------------------17-15----------17-17----17-|
G|----------16-16----------------------------------------------------------| x2
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-14-14-------------------16-16-17-19-17-17-17----------------------------|
B|-------15-------17-17-17----------------------15----17-17-17-15-15-15----|
G|----------16-16----------------------------------16----------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse:
Am D
We're talking away
G C C/B
Well i dont know what im to say
Am D
Ill say it anyway
G C C/B
Today's another day to find you
Am D
Shying away
Em C
Ill be coming for your love, ok?
Chorus:
G D/F# Em C
Take on me (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
Take me on (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
Ill be gone
G D/F# Em C
In a day or two...
Verse:
Am D
So needless to say
G C C/B
Im odds and ends, but ill be
Am D
Stumbling away
G C C/B
Slowly learning that life is ok
Am D
Say after me
Em C
Its no better to be safe than sorry
Chorus:
G D/F# Em C
Take on me (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
Take me on (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
Ill be gone
G D/F# Em C
In a day or two...
Bridge:
Bm F Bm F Am D
Theres an arpeggio played on the synth over the second Bm. Its quite tricky so if you cant
play it, just play the chords. Here it is in tab:
*NOT RELATIVE TO THE CAPO*
e|-16----------------------16----------------------16----------------------|
B|----17----------------17----17----------------17----17----------------17-|
G|-------18----------18----------18----------18----------18----------18----|
D|----------18----18----------------18----18----------------18----18-------|
A|-------------16----------------------16----------------------16----------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Repeat, and fade out over the second F. Then fade back in over the D, and stop just before
the pre-verse.
Pre-verse chords:
Am D Am D
Am D G C C/B x2
Am D Am D
Pre-verse riff:
*NOT RELATIVE TO THE CAPO*
e|-14-14-------------------16-16-17-19-------------------------16-16-17-19-|
B|-------15-------17-17-17-------------19-19----------17-17-17-------------|
G|----------16-16----------------------------19-16-16----------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-14-14-------------------16-16-17-19-17-17-17-------14-14-14-------14----|
B|-------15-------17-17-17----------------------17-15----------17-17----17-|
G|----------16-16----------------------------------------------------------| x2
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-14-14-------------------16-16-17-19-17-17-17----------------------------|
B|-------15-------17-17-17----------------------15----17-17-17-15-15-15----|
G|----------16-16----------------------------------16----------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse:
Am D
Oh, the things that you say
G C C/B
Yeah, is it life or just to play
Am D
My worries away?
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/a/a-ha/take_on_me_crd.html ]
G C C/B
You're all the things ive got to remember
Am D
You're shying away
Em C
Ill be coming for you anyway
Chorus:
G D/F# Em C
Take on me (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
Take me on (take on me)
G D/F# Em C
I'll be gone
G D/F# Em C
In a day...
Outro:
G D/F# Em C
(Take on me) Take on me
G D/F# Em C
(Take me on) Take on me
G D/F# Em C
Ill be gone
G D/F# Em C
In a day...
G D/F# Em Cadd9
*Strum the Cadd9 slowly...*
********************************************************************************************
NO CAPO VERSION
Bm E A D D/C# F#m C#m G D5
2 0 0 2 2 2 4 3 5
3 0 2 3 3 2 5 3 3
4 1 2 2 2 2 6 4 2
4 2 2 0 4 4 6 5 0
2 2 0 x 4 4 4 5 0
x 0 x x x 2 x 3 x
Intro chords:
Bm E A D D/C# x2
Bm E Bm E
Intro riff:
e|-2-2-------------4-4-5-7-5-5-5-----2-2-2-0-0-2-0-|
B|-----3-----5-5-5---------------5-3---------------|
G|-------4-4---------------------------------------| x2
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-2-2-------------4-4-5-7-5-5-5-------------------|
B|-----3-----5-5-5---------------3---5-5-5-3-3-3---|
G|-------4-4-----------------------4---------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
Verse:
Bm E
We're talking away
A D D/C#
Well i dont know what im to say
Bm E
Ill say it anyway
A D D/C#
Today's another day to find you
Bm E
Shying away
F#m D
Ill be coming for your love, ok?
Chorus:
A E F#m D
Take on me (take on me)
A E F#m D
Take me on (take on me)
A E F#m D
Ill be gone
A E F#m D
In a day or two...
Verse:
Bm E
So needless to say
A D D/C#
Im odds and ends, but ill be
Bm E
Stumbling away
A D D/C#
Slowly learning that life is ok
Bm E
Say after me
F#m D
Its no better to be safe than sorry
Chorus:
A E F#m D
Take on me (take on me)
A E F#m D
Take me on (take on me)
A E F#m D
Ill be gone
A E F#m D
In a day or two...
Bridge:
C#m G C#m G Bm E
Heres a simplified version of that arpeggio (see above for full explanation):
e|-4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------|
B|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|
G|-----1-------1-------1-------1-------1-------1---|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
Pre-verse chords:
Bm E Bm E
Bm E A D D/C# x2
Bm E Bm E
Pre-verse riff:
e|-2-2-------------4-4-5-7-----------------4-4-5-7-|
B|-----3-----5-5-5---------7-7-------5-5-5---------|
G|-------4-4-------------------7-4-4---------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-2-2-------------4-4-5-7-5-5-5-----2-2-2-0-0-2-0-|
B|-----3-----5-5-5---------------5-3---------------|
G|-------4-4---------------------------------------| x2
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-2-2-------------4-4-5-7-5-5-5-------------------|
B|-----3-----5-5-5---------------3---5-5-5-3-3-3---|
G|-------4-4-----------------------4---------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
Verse:
Bm E
Oh, the things that you say
A D D/C#
Yeah, is it life or just to play
Bm E
My worries away?
A D D/C#
You're all the things ive got to remember
Bm E
You're shying away
F#m D
Ill be coming for you anyway
Chorus:
A E F#m D
Take on me (take on me)
A E F#m D
Take me on (take on me)
A E F#m D
I'll be gone
A E F#m D
In a day...
Outro:
A E F#m D
(Take on me) Take on me
A E F#m D
(Take me on) Take on me
A E F#m D
Ill be gone
A E F#m D
In a day...
A E F#m D5
*Strum the D5 slowly...*
********************************************************************************************
And there you have it, enjoy!!
