#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
<9304181947.AA00262@stygian.owlnet.rice.edu>
Subject: TAB: "Mothers Of The Disappeared" (U2)
To: jamesb@animal-farm.nevada.edu
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 93 14:47:35 CDT
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
Please add this to your ftp archives (if you haven't already).
Here's "Mother's of the Disappeared" off of U2's "Joshua Tree" album. To keep myself from going
totally insane, I've given treble rhythms above the TAB and bass rhythms below the TAB. Sorry if
this causes a headache, but it's the only way that I can post this without having to recalculate
every note length. This can be either fingerpicked or flatpicked, your choice. If you don't want
the rhythm notations, then ignore them. I've decided to try to be as thorough as possible when I
post stuff on the net, so rhythms are for those who want them. You should be able to easily ignore
them if you so desire.
The main guitar is acoustic, and the 2nd guitar is a distorted electric. How to decipher my
notation: top line is guitar type (if it is necessary to point out), 2nd line is lyrics, 3rd line
is chord names, 4th is treble rhythm. Then the TAB, and under that is bass rhythm. You'll figure
it out.
Notation:
s - sixteenth note
e - eighth note
q - quarter note
h - half note
w - whole note
. - play note for one and a half times the value before it (just like a dot in standard notation)
^ - ties two note lengths together
NOTE LENGTHS IN CAPITAL LETTERS MEAN REST FOR THAT VALUE OF TIME!
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
"Mothers of the Disappeared" as performed by U2, from The Joshua Tree
Words by Bono, Music by U2
(Acoustic guitar - let ring)
A5 A A5 A (Asus9)
e e e q q. e e q. q. q. e e e q q. e e h Q e e e q q. e e
E---------|----------------|----------------|--------------------|-------------|------------------|
B---------|----------------|----------------|--------------------|-------------|------------------|
G---------|----------------|----------------|--------------------|-------------|------------------|
D---11-12-|-12/14-14-14-12-|-11--11---11-12-|-12/14---14---14-12-|-11----11/12-|-11\9-9----9-11---|
A-0-------|-0--------------|-(0)----0-------|-(0)---0----0-------|-(0)-0-------|-(0)-----0--------|
E---------|----------------|----------------|--------------------|-------------|------------------|
q. w h^e q. q q. q. h^e q. h^e q.
(Asus4) (A) A5 A
e q q e e e s e^e. s s^q s s e Q e e Q e e e q q. e e h^e q e
E--------------------|--------------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
B--------------------|--------------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
G--------------------|--------------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
D-11/12---12-12-11-9-|-9\7----7-7---7/9\7-|-----7-7---11-12-|-12/14-14---14-12-|-11---11---12-----|
A-(0)---0------------|-0------0-0---------|-(0)-----0-------|-(0)------0-------|-0--0----0--------|
E--------------------|--------------------|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
q h. q. s s^h h E q. h^e q. q. q. q
A5 A (Asus9) (Asus4) (A)
e q q. e e q. q. e e e q q. e e e q q. e e s e.e q. q e q. h
E------------------|----------------|---------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------|
B------------------|----------------|---------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------|
G------------------|----------------|---------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------|
D-12/14-14---14-12-|-11--11---11h12-|-11\9-9---9-11-|-11h12---12---11-9-|-9\7-7-7---7-|-(7)-7---7---|
A-(0)------0-------|-(0)----0-------|--------0------|-(0)---0----0------|-(0)-----0---|-(0)---0---0-|
E------------------|----------------|---------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------|
h^e q. h^e q. (h^e) q. q q. q. h^e q. q Q q q.
A5 E5
Midnight, our sons and daughters were cut down taken from us hear their heartbeat,
E q q. q e q e e e s s e e q. q. e q q. e q E q. q q
E------------|--------------------|---------------|--------------------------|--------------|
B------------|--------------------|---------------|--------------------------|--------------|
G---9-9---9--|-(9)-9-9-9-9-9/11\9-|-(9)-9---9---9-|-(9)---9---9-9------------|--------------|
D------------|--------------------|---------------|--------------------------|---9---9---9\-|
A-0-----0----|--0----0------------|--0----0---0---|-(0)-0---0---0------------|--------------|
E------------|--------------------|---------------|--------------------------|-0---0---0----|
h^e q. q. h^e q. q. q e q. q q q. q q.
(F#m) (D) A5
you hear their heartbeat. In the wind you hear their laughter,
e e e e e e e e e q. q. e q q. q e e q. q. e q q. q e
E-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G-----------7---7-|---9---9---9-|-(9)---9---9---9-|-(9)-9---9---9---|-(9)---9---9---9-|
D---4---4---------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A---------5---5---|-0---0---0---|-(0)-0---0---0---|-0-----0---0-----|-(0)-0---0---0---|
E-2---2-----------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
q. q. q e q. q q q. q. q e q. q q
E5 (F#m) (D) A5
in the rain we see their tears, hear their heartbeat, we hear their heartbeat.
e q e q. e q q. q e e q. q q e e q e e e e e q. q. e q h e e
E---------------|-----------------|--------------|---------------|-------------|-------------------|
B---------------|-----------------|--------------|---------------|-------------|-------------------|
G-(9)-9-9-9---9-|-(9)---9---9---9-|--------------|---------7---7-|---9---9---9-|-(9)---9---10-9----|
D---------------|-----------------|---9---9---9\-|---4-----------|-------------|-------------------|
A-0-----0---0---|-(0)-0---0---0---|--------------|-------5---5---|-0---0---0---|-(0)-0---0---------|
E---------------|-----------------|-0---0---0----|-2---2---------|-------------|-------------------|
q. q. q e q. q q q. q q. q. q. q e q. h
D A5 D D5
Whoo whoo whoo whoo
e q. q e e e e q. q e e q. q e e e e h e e q. q. q e q q. e e
E------------|------------------|---------------|--------------|-----------|--------------------|
B---7--7---7-|-(7)---7---10---7-|---------------|--------------|-7---7---7-|-(7)-10---10---10-7-|
G--------7---|-(7)-7------------|---9--9---9/11\|\9-9-9---10-9-|-----------|--------------------|
D-0----------|-0-------0----0---|---------------|--------------|---0-0-0---|-(0)----0----0------|
A------------|------------------|-0------0------|---0---0------|-----------|--------------------|
E------------|------------------|---------------|--------------|-----------|--------------------|
w h q q h^e q. E h q. E q q q. q q. q.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/u/u2/mothers_of_the_disappeared_tab.html ]
A5
E h q. q. e q q E q q. q e q q. s s e e q e q e e e e q e e s s e
E---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|--------------------|
B---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|--------------------|
G---9-9---|-(9)---9-9---9-|---9---9---9-|-(9)-9---9-----9/11\9-|-(9)-9-9-9---9-|-(9)---9---9-9/11\9-|
D---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|-----------7---|-----7---7----------|
A-0-----0-|-(0)-0-----0---|-0---0---0---|-0-----0---0-0--------|-0-----0-------|-0-------0----------|
E---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|--------------------|
| h. q q q. q. q q. q. q q e q. q. h^e h h
|
|(2nd guitar)
|
| h.. e q q Q. e h.. e q q Q. e
E---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|-----------------|
B---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|-----------------|
G---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|-----------------|
D---------|---------------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|-----------------|
A---------|---------------|-------------|-12-12\---12\---------|---------------|-12-12\----12\---|
E---------|---------------|----5----(5)/|----------------------|-----5-----(5)/|-----------------|
e q. q. e e e q e e s s e e q. q. e q q q e e
E-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|
B-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|
G---9---9---9-|-(9)---9---9-9/11\9-|---9---9---9-|-(9)---9---9---------|
D-7-----------|-----7---7----------|-------------|---------------11-12-|
A-0---0---0---|-(0)-----0----------|-0---0---0---|-(0)-0---0---0-------|
E-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|
| q. q. q h h q. q. q e q q q.
|
|(2nd guitar)
|
| h.. e q q Q. e h.. e q q Q. e
E-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|
B-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|
G-------------|----14\-------------|-------------|---------------------|
D-------------|----14\-------------|-------------|---------------------|
A-------------|-12-12\---------12\-|-------------|-12-12\-----12\------|
E-5-------(5)/|--------------------|-5-------(5)/|---------------------|
A A5 A
e q q. e e h. e e e q q. e e h. e e
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
B--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
G--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|
A-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
q q. q. q q. q. q q. q. q q. q.
(Asus9) (Asus4) (A)
e q q. e e q. q e e e s e^e. q e s s s s e q. q e e
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
B-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
G-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
D-11-9---9---9-11-|-12---12-12-11-9-|-9p7-----7-7-7h9p7\5-|-7-7---7---11-12-|
A-0----0---0------|----0------------|-0-------0-----------|-0---0---0-------|
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
q q. q. Q h. q. h^e q. q q.
A5 A A5 A
Night hangs like a prisoner, stretched over black and blue, hear their
e q q. e e h. e e e q q. e e h. e e
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
B--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
G--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|
A-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
q q. q. q q. q. q q. q. q q. q.
(Asus9) (Asus4) (A)
heartbeats, we hear their heartbeats.
e q q. e e q. q e e e s e^e. q e s s s s e q. q e e
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
B-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
G-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
D-11-9---9---9-11-|-12---12-12-11-9-|-9p7-----7-7-7h9p7\5-|-7-7---7---11-12-|
A-0----0---0------|----0------------|-0-------0-----------|-0---0---0-------|
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
q q. q. Q h. q. h^e q. q q.
A5 A A5 A
In the trees, our sons stand naked, through the walls, our daughters cry, see their
e q q. e e h. e e e q q. e e h. e e
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
B--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
G--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|-12/14---14---14-12-|-11------11-12-|
A-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|-0-----0----0-------|-0--0--0-------|
E--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
q q. q. q q. q. q q. q. q q. q.
(Asus9) (Asus4) (A)
tears in the rain fall.
e q q. e e q. q e e e s e^e. q e s s s s e q. q e e
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
B-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
G-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
D-11-9---9---9-11-|-12---12-12-11-9-|-9p7-----7-7-7h9p7\5-|-7-7---7---11-12-|
A-0----0---0------|----0------------|-0-------0-----------|-0---0---0-------|
E-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
q q. q. Q h. q. h^e q. q q.
(Repeat next 4 bars 6 times)
D D5 A5
Whoo Whoo
e q q. q e q q. e e e q q e e e e e e e q e e
E---------------|--------------------|----------------|--------------------|
B-7-7-7-----7---|--7--10---10---10-7-|----------------|---------------10-9-|
G---------------|--------------------|---9---9-9-9/11\|\9---9-9-9-9--------|
D-0-----0-0---0-|-(0)----0----0------|----------------|--------------------|
A---------------|--------------------|-0---0---0------|-(0)-0-------0------|
E---------------|--------------------|----------------|--------------------|
h e q e q q. q. q q. q. e h q.
(Repeat the next two bars and fade out)
e e e e e e e e e e q e e e e
E-------------------|---------------------|
B-------10-----10---|-10-------10---------|
G-----9------9----9-|----9--------9-9-----|
D---7------7--------|------7----------7\--|
A-0-----------------|--------0------------|
E-------------------|---------------------|
| w q. h^e
|
|(2nd guitar)
|
| h.. e q q Q. e
E-------------------|---------------------|
B-------------------|---------------------|
G-------------------|---------------------|
D-------------------|---------------------|
A-------------------|-12-12\-----12\------|
E-5-------------(5)/|---------------------|
The end. The book also gives this little fill, but for the life of me, I can't figure out where it
is supposed to be played. The book never says. For completeness, however, I'm including it.
q. q e s s e e q. q q
E------------------|-------------------------------------------|
B------------------|-------------------------------------------|
G------------------|-------------------------------------------|
D-7----7-7-11h12-9-|-7-11---11---11----------------------------|
A----0---0---------|-0----0----0-------------------------------|
E------------------|-------------------------------------------|
Q q. q. q. q q.
There may be discrepancies in the rhythm. Not all of the note values add up in the book, and where
I could, I tried to correct them to the best of my ability. In any case, this should do you fairly
well in terms of thoroughness. It may look like a mess, but trust me: just about everything you
could need to play this song is in there. Dynamics and tempo, maybe, but that you should be able to
get from just a single listen to the song.
--
Marc Hirsh (marc@owlnet.rice.edu)
"Good, bad, I'm the one with the gun."
--- snappy end-of-file sign-off reelin', rockin' quote from Army Of Darkness
\ /
^ --- ugly red filthy rich source of all evil
V
