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Which Way To America

Living Colour

Text File

Great funky kind of song from the late '80s from the album 'Vivid'
standard tuning
rhythm is going to be the hardest thing to get to grips with on this song
especially just after a break, there's a tricky rhythm that I haven't quite
managed to work out yet so it'll be quite a vague outline of it.
anyway, enjoy...

Intro after 2 bars of bass
|----9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9---11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-x--10-10-10--10--10-10---10-10--10-10--12-12-12--12-12-12-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11--11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11---------------------
|-x--9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|----9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9---11-11-11--11-
|-x--10-10-10--10--10-10---10-10--10-10--12-12-12--12-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11--11-11-11--11-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11---------------
|-x--9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9----------------
|-----------------------------------------------------

Verse
|----9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9---11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-x--10-10-10--10--10-10---10-10--10-10--12-12-12--12-12-12-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11--11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-x--11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11---------------------
|-x--9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9---10^--9--
|-10-10-10--10--10-10---10-10--10-10--11^--10-
|-11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11----------
|-11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11----------
|-9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9-----------
|---------------------------------------------

repeat both parts of the verse

Chorus (distortion)
|------------------------------------|   -----------
|------------------------------------|   -----------
|---------------------------------4--|   -----------
|-4---4--4--4------4---4--4-4--4--4--|   -7----7--6-
|-4---4--4--4------4---4--4-4--4--2--|   -7----7--6-
|-2---2--2--2------2---2--2-2--2-----|x2 -5----5--4-

lead guitar coming in at the A power chord
|-----12------
|-12b----r----
|----------11-
|-------------
|-------------
|-------------
release of the B note is not played and the F# is held for the next 2 bars
of the next rhythm part played

Then back to the intro & verse riffs
and then the chorus again

ending of the second chorus...
|----------------------------------
|----------------------------------
|----------------------------------
|-7----7--6--4--------7----7--6--4-
|-7----7--6--4--------7----7--6--4-
|-5----5--4--2--------5----5--4--2-

lead guitar
|-----12------------------12---14--
|-12b----r------------12b----r-----
|----------11----------------------
|----------------------------------
|----------------------------------
|----------------------------------

I have absolutely no idea about the solo, but I know the rhythm guitar plays
the same chords as the ending of the 2nd chorus.

then....
"where's my picket fence?
my long, tall glass of lemonade?
where's my vcr, my stereo my tv show?" x2 with no guitar just drums

|-9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9---11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-10-10-10--10--10-10---10-10--10-10--12-12-12--12-12-12-
|-11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11--11-11-11--11-11-11-
|-11-11-11--11--11-11---11-11--11-11---------------------
|-9--9--9---9---9--9----9--9---9--9----------------------
|--------------------------------------------------------

Bridge
|-------12-12-12-12-----
|-10-x--10-10-10-10-x-x-
|-11-x--x--x--x--x--x-x-
|-11-x--11-11-11-11-x-x-
|-9--x--9--9--9--9--x-x-
|-----------------------

then play the Chorus, but the first riff x4
and then the second ending of the chorus again with the lead guitar soloing over the top.

and that's all.
great song though, lyrics below.  any questions? andrewbiles@hotmail.com

_____________________________
Lyrics (V. Reid):

I look at the T.V.
Your America's doing well
I look out the window
My America's catching hell

I just want to know, which way do I go
to get to your America?
I just want to know, which way do I go
to get to your America?

I change the channel
Your America's doing fine
I read the headlines
My America's doing time

I just want to know, which way do I go
to get to your America?
I just want to know, which way do I go
to get to your America?

Go west young, go west young man               (I think these 2 parts are 
                                                  sung simultaneously)
Don't want to crossover 
But how do I keep from going under?

Where's my picket fence?
My long, tall glass of lemonade?
Where's my VCR, my stereo, my tv show?

I look at the TV
I don't see your America
I look out the window
I don't see your America

I, want to know, how to get, to your America
I, want to know, how to get, to your America

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Which Way To America

Living Colour