Rush: Limelight
From the album Moving Pictures (Mercury Records)
Copyright 1981 Core Music Publishing
Music by Lee and Lifeson
Lyrics by Peart
comments/ formatted by mitzel the bear
even though though Eli hates rush thanks for getting me into the git box
rock on you git box fans
B A B A
e e e e e q q e q e e e e e Q q e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------4-----|---4-------2-----|-----------4-----|---4-------2-----|
|-----------4-----|---4-------2-----|-----------4-----|---4-------2-----|
|---------2-4-----|---4-------2-----|---------2-4-----|---4-------2-----|
|-----0-4---2-----|---2-------0-----|-----0-4---2-----|---2-------0-----|
|-0-4-------------|---------4-------|-0-4-------------|---------4-------|
Repeat 4 times
B A B AaddB Eno3rd
e e e e e q q e q e e e e e e e e e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------|-----------------|
|-----------4-----|---4-----2-------|-----------|-----------------|
|-----------4-----|---4-----2-------5-----------4o4-4---4---4---4-|
|---------2-4-----|---4-----2-------8---------2-4o4-4---2---2---2-|
|-----0-4---2-----|---2-----0-------|-----0-4---|-2-2---0---0---2-|
|-0-4-------------|-------4---------|-0-4-------|---------------0-|
Living on a...
BaddE G# F# e F# Eno3rd
e e e e e e e e Q Q q e q e e q e e e
|-------------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---------|
|-------------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---0-0---|
3------------o3-------------|-------------4-----------------2---4-4---|
4------------o4-----9-------|-6-----6---6-4-----4---2/4---2-4---2-2---|
|-------0-4-0-|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-----4---2/4---2-|---------|
|---2-4-------|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-----2---0/2---0-|-------0-|
F# e F# e BaddE G# G#7s4 F# B
e q e e q e e e e e Q Q q e e e q
|-----------------|---------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|
4-----------------2---9-9\--3-------------|-------6---6-4-----------------|
4-4---4---2-4---2-4---9-9\--4-----9-----\-|-6-----4---4-4-4---4---------4-|
|-4---4---2-4---2-|---7-7\--|-9-9-------\-|-6-----6---6-|-4---4---------2-|
|-2---2---0-2---0-|---------|-7---------\-|-4-----4---4-|-2---2-----------|
AaddB Eno3rd B AaddB Eno3rd
e q q e q q e e e e e e e q e e q q e e e e e
|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-------------|
|-----0-------0---|-------------|-----0-----0-----|-------------|
|-----4-------4-4-3-------------4-----4-4---4---4-3-------------|
|---4---2---2---2-4-------------4-4-4---2-2-----2-4-------------|
|-------0-------2-|-------0-4-0-|-2-----0-------2-|-------0-4-0-|
|---------------0-|---2-4-------|---------------0-|---2-4-------|
Cast in this...
BaddE G# F# e F# Eno3rd F# e F# Eno3rd
e e e Q Q q e q e e q e e e e q e e q
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---------|-----------------|
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---0-0---|-----------------|
|-------------|-------------4-----------------2---4-4---4-----------------|
|-----9-------|-6-----6---6-4-----4---2-4---2-4---------4-4---4---2-4---2-|
|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-----4---2-4---2-|---------|-4---4---2-4---2-|
|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-----2---0-2---0-|-------0-|-2---2---0-2---0-|
BaddE G# G#7s4 F# BaddE AaddB Eno3rd
e e e e e e Q Q e e e e e q e q q e q q
|---------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---0-0---|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
2---4-4---3-------------|-------6-6-6-4-----------------|-----4-------4-4-|
4---------4-----9-------|-6-----4-4-4\4-4---4---------4-|---4---2---2---2-|
|---------|-9-9---------|-6-----6-6-6\|-4---4---------2-|-------0-------2-|
|-------0-|-7-----------|-4-----4-4-4\|-2---2-----------|---------------0-|
Living in the...
G#m7addC# Eno3rdaddA# F#addB G#m7addC#
e e e e e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0---0-|-------0-----|
3-------------|-----------6-|-----------3-|-------------|-----------6-|
4-------------|-----4-------|-----2-------|-----4-------|-----6-------|
|-------0-4-0-|---6---------|---2---------|---4---------|---6---------|
|---2-4-------|-4-----------|-0-----------|-2-----------|-4-----------|
Eno3rdaddA# F#addB G#m7addC# Eno3rd F#
e e e q e e e e Q e e e q e e e e e e e e e
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|---------------
|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-----------------|---------------
|-----------3-|-------------|-----------6-4-----------------|---------------
|-----2-------|-----4-------|-----4-------4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
|---2---------|---4---------|---6---------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
|-0-----------|-2-----------|-4-----------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-
G#7s4 Eno3rd F#addB G#7s4
e e e e e e e e e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----------------|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-----4-------4---|-----3-------3---|-----6-------6---|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-4-4-4---4-4-4---|-----4-------4---|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|-6-6-6-------6---|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-0-0-----0-0-----|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|
Eno3rd F# G#m7addC# Eno3rdaddA# F#addB
e e q e e q e e q e e q e e e q e e e e q e e e e Q
|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-------------|-------------|-----------
|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0---
| ----4-------4---|-----3-------3---3-----------6-|-----------3-|-----------
|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-4-4-4---4-4-4---4-----4-------|-----2-------|-----4-----
|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|---6---------|---2---------|---4-------
|-0-0-----0-0-----|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-----------|-0-----------|-2---------
B AaddB Eno3rd B AaddB Eno3rd
e e e e qe e e e e e e e e e qe e e e e e
|-----------------|------------|-----------------|------------|
|-----------------|------------|-----------------|------------|
4-4-4---4---4---4-3------------4-4-4---4---4---4-3------------|
4-4-4---2---2---2-4------------4-4-4---2---2---2-4------------|
|-2-2---0---0---2-|------0-4-0-|-2-2---0---0---2-|------0-4-0-|
|---------------0-|--2-4-------|---------------0-|--2-4-------|
Living in a fisheye...
BaddE G# F# e F# e
e e e Q Q q e q e e q e e e
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---------|
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---0-0---|
|-------------|-------------4-----------------2---4-4---|
|-----9-------|-6-----6---6-4-----4---2/4---2-4---2-2---|
|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-----4---2/4---2-|---------|
|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-----2---0/2---0-|-------0-|
F# e F# e BaddE G# G#7s4 F# B
e q e e q e e e e e e Q Q e q e e q
|-----------------|---------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---0-0---|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|
4-----------------2---4-4---3-------------|-------6---6-4-----------------|
4-4---4---2-4---2-4---2-2---4-----9-------|-6-----4---4-4-4---4---------4-|
|-4---4---2-4---2-|---------|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-4---4---------2-|
|-2---2---0-2---0-|-------0-|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-2---2-----------|
AaddB Eno3rd B AaddB Eno3rd
e q q e q q e e e e e e e q e e q q e e e e e
|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-------------|
|-----0-------0---|-------------|-----0-----0-----|-------------|
|-----4-------4-4-3-------------|-----4-4---4---4-|-------------|
|---4---2---2---2-4-------------|-4-4---2-2-----2-|-------------|
|-------0-------2-|-------0-4-0-|-2-----0-------2-|-------0-4-0-|
|---------------0-|---2-4-------|---------------0-|---2-4-------|
All the world's...
BaddE G# F# e F# Eno3rd F# e F# Eno3rd
e e e Q Q q e q q e e q e e e e q e e q
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---------|-----------------|
|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|---0-0---|-----------------|
|-------------|-------------4-----------------2---4-4---4-----------------|
|-----9-------|-6-----6---6-4-4---4---2-4---2-4---------4-4---4---2-4---2-|
|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-4---4---2-4---2-|---------|-4---4---2-4---2-|
|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-2---2---0-2---0-|-------0-|-2---2---0-2---0-|
BaddE G# G#7s4 F# B AaddB Eno3rd
e e e e e e Q Q q e e e q e q q e q q
|---------|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---0-0---|-------0-----|-------------|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
2---4-4---3-------------|-------6---6-4-----------------|-----4-------4-4-|
4---------4-----9-------|-6-----4---4-4-4---4---------4-|---4---2---2---2-|
|---------|-9-9---------|-6-----6---6-|-4---4---------2-|-------0-------2-|
|-------0-|-7-----------|-4-----4---4-|-2---2-----------|---------------0-|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/r/rush/limelight_tab_ver_4.html ]
G#m7addC# Eno3rdaddA# F#addB G#m7addC#
e e e e e e e e q e e e e q e e e e Q e e e q e
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
3-------------|-----------6-|-----------3-|-------------|-----------6-|
4-------------|-----4-------|-----2-------|-----4-------|-----6-------|
|-------0-4-0-|---6---------|---2---------|---4---------|---6---------|
|---2-4-------|-4-----------|-0-----------|-2-----------|-4-----------|
Eno3rdaddA# F#addB G#m7addC# Eno3rd F#
e e e q e e e e Q e e e q e e e e e e e e e
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|--------------|
|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-----------------|---------------
|-----------3-|-------------|-----------6-4-----------------|---------------
|-----2-------|-----4-------|-----4-------4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
|---2---------|---4---------|---6---------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
|-0-----------|-2-----------|-4-----------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-
G#7s4 Eno3rd F#addB G#7s4
e e e e e e e e e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----------------|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-----4-------4---|-----3-------3---|-----6-------6\--|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-4-4-4---4-4-4---|-----4-------4\--|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|-6-6-6---6-6-6\--|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-0-0-----0-0-----|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|
Eno3rd F# G#7s4
e e q e e q e e q e e q e e e e e e e e
|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----------------|
|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|
|-----4-------4---|-----3-------3---|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|
|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-4-4-4---4-4-4---|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-----4-4-----|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|
|-0-0-----0-0-----|-2-2-----2-2-----|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
Solo "compressed" overdriven sound with flanging
sHS HH s Hhe Q e e
|-----------------|---*---------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|--0--------------|[12^]-slowly-|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-6---------------|------depress|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-4---------------|------vibrato|------------2|/4--------/6-|-------------|
|-6---------------|------arm to-|-------------|-------------|-----2/4-\---|
|-4---------------|------5 frets|-------------|-------------|-------------|
e h e W e s h q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------12|/14----------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------12--|-------------|
|-------------|------/x-11--|-------------|-------------|---------11--|
|-------------|------/x-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|------/x-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|---2/4-------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
q q q e h e
|-----14------|-----------11|
|-12------11--|-14----------|
|-------------|---13--------|
|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|
Tab expanded for for clarity
s S S s S S s S S s S S q e e Q s s q
|------14------11------14-|------11-----------------|-----------------------
|-1211----1211----1211----|-1211----14----------11--|---------------h-p-----
|-------------------------|-----------------13------|-11----------111311----
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
h q Hq e e q
2 r h
|-------------------------|-17^---------------------|--------(17^)-14-16----
|--(dive w/vib)--p--------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-13^-------------0-------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
H q e S S S S S S S S S S S S
2 2 r
|-16^---------------------|-16^----(16^)--14-16-18-14-16-18-16-18-19-16-1819
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
e e Q Q e e e eH
2 2 2 2 2 2
|-19----21----21^---------|-21^-----21^-21^-21^-21^-|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------
Tab returned to "normal" width
Repeat 3 times
G#m7addC# Eno3rdaddA# F#addB G#m7addC#
e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e e e e q e
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|R|
|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0---0-|-------0-----|H|
|-----------6-|o----------3-|-------------|-----------6o|Y|
|-----4-------|o----2-------|-----4-------|-----4------o|T|
|---6---------|---2---------|---4---------|---6---------|H|
|-4-----------|-0-----------|-2-----------|-4-----------|M|
h Q+ |
2 2 |
|-21^--<21^>--|-Liberal use of vibrato-arm thoughout----|L|
|-------------|-until the start of the 4/4 section below|E|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|A|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|D|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------| |
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------| |
e F# G#7s4 Eno3rd
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e q e e e e e e q e e e q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----0-------0---|
4-----------------|-----------------|-----6-------6\--|-----4-------4---|
4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-----4-------4\--|-----2-------2---|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6\--|-2-2---2-2-2-----|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4\--|-0-0---0-0-0-----|
F#addB G#7s4 Eno3rd F#addBaddE
e e q e e e q e e q e e e q e e q e e e q e e q e e e q
|-----------------|-----4-------4\--|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-----0-------0---|-----4-------4\--|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-----3-------3---|-----6-------6\--|-----4-------4---|-----3-------3---|
|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4\--|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|
|-4-4---4-4-4-4---|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6\--|-2-2---2-2-2-----|-4-4---4-4-4-----|
|-2-2---2-2-2-----|-4-4---4-4-4-----|-0-0---0-0-0-----|-2-2---2-2-2-----|
G#7s4 Eno3rd F#addBaddE G#7s4
e e q e e e q e e q e e e q e e q e e e q e e q e e e q
|-----4-------4\--|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|
|-----4-------4\--|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|
|o----6-------6\--|-----4-------4---|-----3-------3--o|-----6-------6---|
|o----4-------4\--|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4--o|-----4-------4---|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6\--|-2-2---2-2-2-----|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4---|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6---|
|-4-4---4-4-4-----|-0-0---0-0-0-----|-2-2---2-2-2-----|-4-4---4-4-4-----|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
e F# G#s4 e e
e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q e e q e Q ssssss
|-----------------|-----------------|-----4-------4---|-----------------|
|-----9-------9---|-----11------11--|-----4-------4---|---------999999\-|
|-----9-------9---|-111111--111111--|-----6-------6---|---------999999\-|
|-----9---9-9-9---|-111111--111111--|-----4-------4---|-2-2-----999999\-|
|-7-7-7---7-7-7---|-9-9-----9-9-----|-6-6-6---6-6-6---|-2-2-----777777\-|
|-0-0-----0-0-----|-----------------|-4-4-----4-4-----|-0-0-------------|
Rit.
F# F# G#7s4
e Q ssssss q q q q q q q rapid strumming......
|-----------------|-4---4---4---4---|-4---4---4-------|---------------4\|
|---------1111111\|-4---4---4---4---|-4---4---4-------|---------------4\|
|---------1111111\|-6---6---6---6---|-6---6---6-------|---------------6\|
|-4-4-----1111111\|-4---4---4---4---|-4---4---4-------|---------------4\|
|-4-4-----9999999\|-6---6---6---6---|-6---6---6-------|---------------6\|
|-2-2-------------|-4---4---4---4---|-4---4---4-------|---------------4\|
Lyrics:
Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage.
Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act,
With insufficient tact,
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact.
Living in the Limelight,
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem.
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation,
Get on with the fascination,
The real relation,
The underlying theme.
Living in a fisheye lens,
Caught in the camera eye.
I have no heart to lie,
I can't pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend.
All the world's indeed a stage,
And we are merely players,
Performers and portrayers,
Each another's audience
Outside the gilded cage.
Tablature Explanation:
NT = Nashville Tuning is when the low E, A and D strings are replaced with
lighter gauge strings and tuned one octave higher than normal.
| = bar separating measures
~ = vibrato
x = percussive note with no pitch; muted note
. = staccato; mute the note immediately after striking it
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide (used when \ or / don't fit)
^ = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret shown in parenthesis ()
r = release bend (string/fret may be indicated)
t = fret board tap (not many of these with Rush)
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
x/ = pick slide up
x\ = pick slide down
<5> = natural harmonic (lightly touch the string at fret indicated)
[5] = artificial harmonic (use thumb to follow through the pick attack)
(5) = note sustained from previous measure
o =\ repeat sign
o =/
DC = "Da capo" - means "from the head", when you see these initials
you go back to the beginning of the piece of music.
DS = "Dal segno" - means "from the sign", go back in the tabulature
only as far as the (%) sign.
Coda = A passage at the end of a movement or composition that brings
it to a formal close.
Al
Coda = means "to the tail", tells you that you must go to the end
section which starts with the Coda sign (+).
RF = repeat and fade
rit = "ritardando" - Gradually slowing in tempo; retarding.
