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Head Over Heels
The Go-gos
Text File
#----------------------------------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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: marc@owlnet.rice.edu (Marc Bennett Hirsh)
Subject: TAB: "Head Over Heels" (Go-Go's)
The second greatest pop song ever written ("What I Like About You" is
#1). An easy song to play, and loads of fun. My band plays this and it
is easily our best cover. As always, a few pointers:
1) Guitar 1 - If it's in TAB, chances are it's the piano/keyboard part.
I've written it in as Guitar 1. I haven't written out the verse
part because I don't know it. I don't think you REALLY need to
know it. It's basically single notes, and while interesting, not
especially important to the overall flow of the song. So, the way
I've written it, guitar 1 is silent for most of the song. You can,
if you want, have it double guitar 2 or, if you're daring, combine
the two parts on one guitar. It's not that hard and was what my
band was going to do until we found a singer who played keyboard.
2) Guitar 2 - Rhythm. All of the chord names above the words and TABs
are guitar 2. Although it just plays basic chords, it plays a
vital part in keeping the song moving smoothly. NEVER
underestimate the power of playing a single chord for an entire
bar. You can get the rhythm for guitar 2 from the recording. It's
a bit too difficult for me to transcribe, and I know what I play,
which may not be what the recording does. Anyway, go by ear. It's
not tough.
3) I've written out the cool bass part for the chorus because it fills
in what would be a large whole and it sounds neat besides.
4) Any time I have separated two chords with a | (as in D | A), that
means that we are dealing with more than one measure. So, in the
above example, you would play a D chord for one measure (using
whatever rhythm) and then play an A chord for one measure. I just
did this so I wouldn't have to write out in TAB chords for which
I don't know the rhythm.
5) The C and B chords in the bridge should be A-form barre chords.
6) I saw the Go-Go's live in Virginia, for the 1994 WHFS-mas Holiday
Nutcracker (with Vicki Peterson of the Bangles on guitar!), and
they didn't have a keyboard - Vicki played all the piano parts on
guitar. I'd like to think that she read my original post of this
song to learn it, but I'm sure that wasn't the case. BTW, they
were terrific, easily one of the best live bands I've ever seen.
7) As always, Belinda Carlisle's voice is way too high for more mere
mortals to reproduce. Don't hurt yourself.
"Head Over Heels" (Kathy Valentine/Charlotte Caffey)
Performed by the Go-Go's
From the album _Talk_Show_ (or _Return_To_The_Valley_Of_The_Go-Go's_ or
_Greatest_Hits_, but if TS is available on CD, I'd highly recommend it,
though _Return_ is mighty damn good)
Transcribed by Marc Hirsh with absolutely no permission
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
(guitar 1)
E-2-2-------------|-----------------|-2-2-------------|-----------------
B-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-
G-----2-2-0-0-2-2-|-4-4-0-0-2-2-2-2-|-----2-2-0-0-2-2-|-4-4-0-0-2-2-2-2-
D-----------------|-------------0-0-|-----------------|-------------0-0-
A-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
E-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
(guitar 1)
E-2-2-------------|-----------------|-2-2-------------|-----------------
B-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-
G-----2-2-0-0-2-2-|-4-4-0-0-2-2-2-2-|-----2-2-0-0-2-2-|-4-4-0-0-2-2-2-2-
D-----------------|-------------0-0-|-----------------|-------------0-0-
A-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
E-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
|
|(guitar 2)
E-0---------------|-(0)-------------|-0---------------|-(0)-------------
B-2---------------|-(2)-------------|-2---------------|-(2)-------------
G-2---------------|-(2)-------------|-2---------------|-(2)-------------
D-2---------------|-(2)-------------|-2---------------|-(2)-------------
A-0---------------|-(0)-------------|-0---------------|-(0)-------------
E-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
w (w) w (w)
Been running
D G
So long, I've nearly lost all track of time
D G
In every direction, I couldn't see the warning signs
Cadd9 G
I must be losin' it, cause my mind plays tricks on me
D A
It looks so easy, but you know looks sometimes deceive
D G
Been running so fast, right from the starting line
D G
No more connections, I don't need any more advice
Cadd9 G
One hand's just reaching out, and one's just hanging on
D A
It seems my weaknesses just keep going strong
D A E
Head over heels, where should I go
(E) B
Can't stop myself, out of control
D A E
Head over heels, no time to think
(E) B D | D
Looks like the whole world's out of synch
D G
Been running so hard, when what I need is to unwind
D G
The voice of reason is one I left so far behind
Cadd9 G
I waited so long, so long to play this part
D A
And just remembered that I'd forgotten about my heart
D A E
Head over heels, where should I go
(E) B
Can't stop myself, out of control
D A E
Head over heels, no time to think
(E) B D | A
Looks like the whole world's out of synch
D G D G
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
B-3-----------|-------------|-3-----------|-------------
G-2-5-5-4-2-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-2-|-2-5-5-4-2-0-|-(0)-0-2-4-0-
D-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-(0)-0-4-2-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-0-
A-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
q e e e q e (e) q q q e q e e e q e (e) q q q e
C B A
E-----0-1-|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
B-1-3-1-1-|-4-5-7-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-
G-0-0-----|---------|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-
D---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
A---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
E---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
q q q q q q q q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
D G D G
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
B-3-----------|-------------|-3-----------|-------------
G-2-5-5-4-2-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-2-|-2-5-5-4-2-0-|-(0)-0-2-4-0-
D-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-(0)-0-4-2-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-0-
A-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
q e e e q e (e) q q q e q e e e q e (e) q q q e
C B A
E-----0-1-|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
B-1-3-1-1-|-4-5-7-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-
G-0-0-----|---------|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-
D---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
A---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
E---------|---------|-----------------|-----------------
q q q q q q q q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
D | Cadd9 | G6 | Asus4
D | Cadd9 | G6 | A
(bass only)
E----------|----------|----------|-----------
B----------|----------|----------|-----------
G--------2-|----------|------1-4-|---4-4-2-1-
D-0--0-4---|------5-4-|-2--2-----|-----------
A----------|-0--0-----|----------|-2---------
E----------|----------|----------|-----------
q. e e q. q. e e q. q. e e q. q e e q q
E----------|----------|----------|-----------
B----------|----------|----------|-----------
G--------2-|----------|------1-4-|---4-4-2-1-
D-0--0-4---|------5-4-|-2--2-----|-----------
A----------|-0--0-----|----------|-2---------
E----------|----------|----------|-----------
q. e e q. q. e e q. q. e e q. q e e q q
D A E
Head over heels, where should I go
(E) B
Can't stop myself, out of control
D A E
Head over heels, no time to think
(E) B D
Looks like the whole world's out of synch
D A E
Head over heels, where should I go
(E) B
Can't stop myself, out of control
D A E
Head over heels, no time to think
(E) B D
Looks like the whole world's out of synch
D A E
Head over heels, where should I go
(E) B
Can't stop myself, out of control
D A E
Head over heels, no time to think
(E) B
Looks like the whole world's out of
D A E B
E-------------|-------------|-0-0-0-0-0---|-------------
B-------------|-------------|-3-3-2-0-----|-------0-0-0-
G-5-5-4-2-0---|-------------|---------2-4-|-(4)-4-1-2-4-
D-0-0-0-0-0-2-|-(2)-2-4-5-2-|-----------4-|-(4)-4-------
A-----------0-|-(0)-0-0-0-0-|-------------|-------------
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------
e e q q e e (e) e q q q e e q q e e (e) e q q q
synch
D A E B D
E-------------|-------------|-0-0-0-0-0---|-------------|---
B-------------|-------------|-3-3-2-0-----|-------0-0-0-|-3-
G-5-5-4-2-0---|-------------|---------2-4-|-(4)-4-1-2-4-|-2-
D-0-0-0-0-0-2-|-(2)-2-4-5-2-|-----------4-|-(4)-4-------|-0-
A-----------0-|-(0)-0-0-0-0-|-------------|-------------|---
E-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|---
e e q q e e (e) e q q q e e q q e e (e) e q q q q
The end. Chords you'll need to know are:
Cadd9 G6 Asus4
E---3----|--0--|---0---
B---3----|--3--|---3---
G---0----|--0--|---2---
D---2----|--0--|---2---
A---3----|--2--|---0---
E--------|--3--|-------
Not terribly difficult chords. but ones that may confuse some
and are vital to making the song sound right.
--
Marc Hirsh (marc@owlnet.rice.edu)
\ /
^ --"It's easy to be nuts. Try being me."
V (_The_Fisher_King_)
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