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The Hands

Queensryche

Text File

Here's an acoustic version of "The Hands" from Operation Mindcrime: II,
as performed by Geoff Tate, Michael Wilton and Mike Stone during radio
promotionals. I haven't quite got all the nuances of the song, but this
is close enough to sing along to. This was tabbed using the acoustic version,
but really all you need to do is change to power chords during the chorus
and play clean guitar during the verses if you want to do it electrically.
If anyone is able to smooth this out, muchas gracias! - G.

All chords are meant to be read from the low E to the high E. In other words 
022000 (Em) means that you fret the A and D strings at the 2nd fret, and 
leave all the others open. An X means that you don't play the string.

The Hands 
Music by Michael Wilton and Jason Slater
Lyrics by Geoff Tate
Performed by Queensryche

Intro (strum each chord once, and listen to the song to get the rhytm):

Dsus2 / Dm / Dsus4 / C / Csus4 / C

To make this easy, hold down Dsus2 (x00230) first. Then use your forefinger 
to fret the high-E string on the first fret (x00231) to play Dm. Finally, 
use your little finger to hold down the same string on the third fret 
(x00233) to get Dsus4. It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds. To play 
the last part, play C (032010) and use your forefinger (the one holding the 
B string at the first fret) to bar the high-E on the same fret and get Csus4
(032011)

The same progression is used throughout the verses.

Dsus2          Dm
When I'm lost, I find a way
Dsus4          C / Csus4 / C 
I hear voices...
Dsus2                 Dm
Feelings surround me, closer to the edge,
Dsus4             C / Csus4 / C
I close my eyes...

The bridge is essentially the two chords F (133211) and E flat (668886)
played in alternation, and ending on Dsus2 (slide down from E flat to play
557755).

F
And my luck keeps holding strong,
Eb                            
Even when the boot comes down,
F
I'm waiting for the revolution,
Eb                    Dsus2 
But there's no one around - except

And now we move to the chorus which is very similar to the verse and intro.
You need to start with Dm (you can keep pulling off and on to Dsus2 to make
it sound better), then move to Am (002210) and do the same with Asus2 
(002200) and finally move to C which you can, if you wish, alternate with 
Csus4 (as above). As you end the chorus, start playing the intro again.
     
    Dm
The hands out of nowhere
Am              C 
Saving me again (save me)
        Dm  
There's always something there watching out for me,
       Am                       C
If I'm suffocating, it gives me air -
   C        Play intro here (Dsus2 / Dm / Dsus4 / C / Csus4 / C)  
It gives me air...

The rest of the song can be played using the same three patterns for
the intro/verse, bridge and chorus. Not too sure about the solo, though you
can try playing the verse and bridge chords again and then return to the
chorus.

Great song, and one of the best on Operation Mindcrime II. 
All comments, corrections and suggestions welcome.

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The Hands

Queensryche