Big Country Info Big Country Info

Chance by Big Country from the album "The Crossing".

Tabbed by Colin Dawson - colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com
July 2002 (updated October 2005)

There are a few differences between this and the way Stuart Adamson
plays the track live but I find that this arrangement helps fill out
the sound quite nicely and sounds more like The Crossing version.

I use lots of delay (set delay to 270ms) and chorus
and heavily damp the strings with my right hand on the bridge most of
the time although I use a bit less damping on the intro. Let the delay
do a lot of the work for you. You basically play along with the delay.
If you play this live, the rest of the band have to follow the guitar
speed or the song falls to bits - make sure that the drummer can hear
the guitar clearly so he can follow the speed of the delay.

I've described the effects I use which I hope you find useful.
I use the middle pickup and a very clean amp sound using the clean
channel on my Fender Prosonic. I've played this song live using a Strat,
a Gibson Flying V, a Washburn G-2V and an Ovation Preacher and it
sounds great with any of them if you get the effects and the amp
sound right. A programmable multi-effects unit is a must if you want
to play this live because of the complex effects and the frequent
sound changes.

 

Introduction

Delay plus chorus. Lightly damp the strings at the bridge. Make sure
you emphasise the notes with the ^ above them.

  D                D                D                D
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|
G|7-7-9-7-7-7-4-2-|7-7-9-7-7-7-4-2-|7-7-9-7-7-7-4-2-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Verse 1 (the open D is optional)

You'll find that you can skip a lot of the notes here and let the delay
do the work for you. Heavily damp the strings at the bridge. Make sure
you emphasise the notes with the ^ above them.

  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
All the rain came down on a cold new town As he carried you away

  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---------------|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-3-3-3-------|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-------|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
From your father's hand that always seemed like a fist Reaching out to make you pay

Solo 1

Use 2 delays - one set at 270ms the other at 40ms to give a doubling
effect. Set the short delay with a delay mix of 72% and very few repeats,
the longer one with a slightly lower effect mix but more repeats.
If you don't have 2 delays you can maybe use the chorus in a multi-
effects unit to create the short delay. On my Korg A3 I set the chorus
speed at 0.80, the depth at 44, the feedback at 0, the delay at 40ms,
the fine at 0.9 and the effect balance at 72 (effect sligtly louder
than original signal). Add a pitch shift of 1 octave higher mixed at a
suitable level with the original signal plus chorus, compressor, a small
amount of overdrive and reverb. Heavily damp the strings with your right
hand against bridge.

For simplicity, I've used the following shorthand;

1 = 11th fret.
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret

 

        Bm            D               Bm
E|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|
B|-----|22222--------|---------------|22222-5-2------|
G|--1-4|-----4-4-1--1|44444-1-----1-4|----------4-1-4|
D|2----|----------2--|--------2-2----|---------------|
A|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|

  A                Bm              D
E|----------------|------2--------|----------------|
B|22222-----2-2-4-|55555---5-4-2-4|22222-----------|
G|------4-4-------|---------------|------4-4---1-4-|
D|----------------|---------------|----------2-----|
A|----------------|---------------|----------------|
E|----------------|---------------|----------------|

  Bm               D
E|----------------|----------------|
B|22222-----------|----------------|
G|------4-4-1---1-|44444-1---------|
D|------------2---|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|

 

Verse 2 (no shorthand)

  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
He came like a hero from the factory floor with the sun and moon as gifts

  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---------------|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-3-3-3-3-3-7-|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
But the only son you ever saw were the two he left you with

 

Chorus

Use delay and chorus. Heavily damp the strings at the bridge.

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord        where did the feeling go

 

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord         I   never   felt so  low

Solo 2

Use overdrive/distortion, delay (270ms with lots of repeats)
and chorus.
  Bm                A                   Bm       G
E|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------|
B|-----------------|-------------------|---------------12-12-|
G|7rrrrr------7-9-9|s11---9---7-9-9-7h9|p7s------------------|
D|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------|
A|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------|
E|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------|

  A                  Bm                 F#m
E|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|
B|12--10-10s8--7h8p|7h8p7h8p7h8p7------|----------------|
G|-----------------|---------------7-9-|9s11------------|
D|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|
A|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|
E|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|

Repeat Solo 1;

For simplicity, I've used the following shorthand;

1 = 11th fret.
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret

 

        Bm            D               Bm
E|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|
B|-----|22222--------|---------------|22222-5-2------|
G|--1-4|-----4-4-1--1|44444-1-----1-4|----------4-1-4|
D|2----|----------2--|--------2-2----|---------------|
A|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|
E|-----|-------------|---------------|---------------|

  A                Bm              D
E|----------------|------2--------|----------------|
B|22222-----2-2-4-|55555---5-4-2-4|22222-----------|
G|------4-4-------|---------------|------4-4---1-4-|
D|----------------|---------------|----------2-----|
A|----------------|---------------|----------------|
E|----------------|---------------|----------------|

  Bm               D
E|----------------|----------------|
B|22222-----------|----------------|
G|------4-4-1---1-|44444-1---------|
D|------------2---|--------2-------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|

 

Verse3 (same as verses 1 & 2) (no shorthand)
  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Now the skirts hang so heavy around your head that you never knew you were young

 

  Bm7              A                G                D
E|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---^-^-----^-^-|^---------------|
B|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-5-3-3-3-0---|3-3-3-3-3-3-3-7-|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7-|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Because you played chance with a lifetime's romance and the price was far too long

Chorus
  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord        where did the feeling go

 

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord         I   never   felt so  low

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord        where did the feeling go

 

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord         I   never   felt so  low

Instrumental break 1
  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|7-8-7-555-7-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|7-7-7-666-6-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------57|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|7-8-7-555-7-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|7-7-7-666-6-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Chorus
  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord        where did the feeling go

 

  D                A                D       A        G  (Gtr 2 staccato)
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|777-7-55555-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|777-7-66666-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord         I   never   felt so  low

Gtr 1 Instrumental break 2 (Gtr 2 plays heavy distortion part)
  D            A      D     A      G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|7-8-7-555-7-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|7-7-7-666-6-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------57|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

  D                A                D       A        G    (1st time)
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-77|7-8-7-555-7-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-77|7-7-7-666-6-6-77|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------55|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Chorus
  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|7-7-7-5-5-5-5---|--------------7-|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-|7-7-7-6-6-6-6-7-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord        where did the feeling go

 

  D                A                D       A        G   
E|5-5-5-5-5-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-|7-7-7-5-5-5-5---|----------------|
G|----------7-7-6-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-|7-7-7-6-6-6-6-7-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D|----------------|----------------|--------------5-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
  Oh               Lord         I   never   felt so  low

 

Chorus to End

The single version has a different ending. Try this; repeat 4 times
and end on the G

     D       A        G                D        A        G        
E----|----------------|----33333-------|----------------|----33333-------|
B--2s|7-8-7---2-3-2-0-|----00000-----2s|7-8-7---2-3-2-0-|----00000-----2s|
G--2s|7-----7-2-------|--0-00000-----2s|7-----7-2-------|--0-00000-----2s|
D--2s|7-------2-------|0---00000-----2s|7-------2-------|0---00000-----2s|
A----|----------------|----22222-------|----------------|----22222-------|
E----|----------------|----33333-------|----------------|----33333-------|

 

Here are the parts for guitar 2;

Gtr2 - Verses 1, 2 & 3  (twice)
  Bm               A                G                D
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Gtr2 during Solo 2

This is the same effect settings as solo 1 but with less volume.
Heavily damp the strings - it should sound like plucked violin
strings.

  Bm       A        Bm  G    A        G        F#m
E|--------|--------|--------|----5---|--------|--------|
B|--7-7---|--5-5---|--7---3-|--5--5-5|--3-3---|--2-2---|
G|-7-7-7-7|-6-6-6-6|-7-7-4-4|-6-6--6-|-4-4-4-4|-2-2-2-2|
D|9-----9-|7-----7-|9---5---|7-------|5-----5-|4-----4-|
A|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|

Gtr 2 Instrumental break 2 (Guitar 2 - heavy distortion)
                D   A        D      A     G
E---ssssssss|---5---55|5-----55|5---555---33|3---ssssssss|
B---ssssssss|---7---55|5-----77|7---555---33|3---ssssssss|
G---ssssssss|---7---66|6-----77|7---666---44|4---ssssssss|
D---ssssssss|---7---77|7-----77|7---777---55|5---ssssssss|
A---ssssssss|---5---77|7-----55|5---777---55|5---ssssssss|
E---ssssssss|---5---55|5-----55|5---555---33|3---ssssssss|

     D   A        D      A     G
E|---5---55|5-----55|5---555---33|3-----------|
B|---7---55|5-----77|7---555---33|3-----------|
G|---7---66|6-----77|7---666---44|4-----------|
D|---7---77|7-----77|7---777---55|5-----------|
A|---5---77|7-----55|5---777---55|5-10s-------|
E|---5---55|5-----55|5---555---33|3-10s-------|

Key:

S = slide
H = hammer-on
P = pull-off
^ = emphasise the notes below this mark
ssssssss = staccato

colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com