Various Riffs Tab by Blue Oyster Cult #----------------------------------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: tgannon@charlie.usd.edu (spideir) **"BOC's GREATEST RIFFS" (Blue Oyster Cult)** ====================== For all those BOC fans out there--BOTH of yu' >:-} --or for those just curious about "vintage metal": hey, Sabbath wasn't the only band that Metallica, et al. cut their teeth on. . . . --transcr./tabbed tcg, 197?[yeh, I'm old]-1994 --fuzz box: all . . . [hell, I use TWO fuzz boxes] --regarding "key" names: major-minor distinction often meaningless, since rhythm guitar usually playing "chords" with no third ("power chords"), and the leads in the "major" keys are often Mixolydian mode or pentatonic minor. . . (In "straight" minor-key tunes, Buck Dharma shows a preference for the Aeolian mode [=minor pentatonic, plus "tasty" major 2nd and minor 6th steps].) --Disclaimer: these are hacker's versions, admittedly--above all, trust your ear . . . ==================== **"TRANSMANIACON MC" (_Blue_Oyster_Cult_) --key: Am Intro riff D5 [chord tacit] [repeat] |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| |o------7------7---|-------7------7---|------------------|-----------------o| |o--x-x-7--x-x-7---|---x-x-7--x-x-7---|----7-6---5-4-----|-----------------o| |---x-x-5--x-x-5---|---x-x-5--x-x-5---|--0-----7-----5-4-|-8-7-----7-6------| |------------------|------------------|------------------|-----8-7-----7-6--| 1 & 2& 3 & 4& 1 & 2& 3 & 4& 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & neat chromatic, "haunting" lead fill (end of Verse) [Am] [C] ---|-------------------------|------| ---|----8--7--6--5-----------|------| ---|----------------8--7--6--|-5=---| ---|-------------------------|------| ---|-------------------------|------| ---|-------------------------|------| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1... ====================================== **"CITIES ON FLAME WITH ROCK AND ROLL" (_Blue_Oyster_Cult_) --key: F#m Intro/lead tacit riff |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| |o-----------------|------------------|------------------|-----------------o| |o-----------------|------------------|-----------4------|2-----2----------o| |----------0=======|------------------|-----0-3h4---3h4--|--3h4---3\2\0-----| |--2=======--------|-2===-------------|---2--------------|--------------2-0-| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & =========== **"SCREAMS" (_Blue_Oyster_Cult_) --key: Em Intro/Verse riff [right-hand muffle] [Em] [G] [F#m] [Am] |----------------------|----------------------| |----------------------|----------------------| |o---------------------|---------------------o| |o--------2------------|---------------------o| |------2---------------|-----0--4--3=====x----| |---0--------3=====x---|--2-------------------| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & ========================== **"THE RED AND THE BLACK" (_Tyranny_and_Mutation_) --key: Am Intro/Verse riff [very fast] [A5] v^* |--------------------------------| |--------------------------------| *: quick up-then-down pick |o------------------------------o| |o------------------------------o| |-----------3~----3--------------| |-----5--5---------5--5--3--4----| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & ======================= **"OD'd ON LIFE ITSELF" (_Tyranny_and_Mutation_) --key: E Intro/Verse riff [E5] ----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| ----|-----------------|-----------------|-lead gu.:---8b9-|-------------8b9-| ----|o----------------|----------------o|o----------------|----------------o| ----|o------.--.--.---|-------.--.--.--o|o------.--.--.---|-------.--.--.--o| --2=|==2-2--4--5--4-2=|==2-2--4--5--4-2=|==2-2--4--5--4-2=|==2-2--4--5--4-2=| --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=| 4 & 1 & 2 3 4 & 4 & ===================== **"HOT RAILS TO HELL" (_Tyranny_and_Mutation_) --key: E Intro/Verse riff E5 G5 F#5 |-------------------------|---------------------------| |-------------------------|---------------------------| |o------------------------|--------------------------o| |o------2--x--------2--x--|--------------------------o| |-------2--x--------2--x--|-----5--x--5--5--5--4--4---| |-0--0--------0--0--------|--0--3--x--3--3--3--2--2---| ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . "bridge" lead riff [--actually an amalgam of 1st & 2nd versions] --"neat" mixolydian . . . choke pick for "ragged" sound [A7] -|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| -|-----------------|------------------|------------------|-----------.------| -|--.---.---.------|---.-----------.--|--.--.-----.---.--|---.-------2------| -|--5---4---2--4-5-|---4--------2--4--|--5--4-----2---5--|---4--------------| -|-----------------|-------3-4--------|-------3h4--------|-------3h4--------| -|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| 1 2 3 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 1 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & "bridge" lead riff--"neat" dorian [though string choices may be way off?!] [gliss-slide up for [E5] octave-higher riff |] -|--0-------------------------|-----------------------/---| ---| -|--5\3--2--0--(2b)3r2--0-----|----------------------/----| ---| -|-------------------------2--|--(4b)6r4---x-0------/------------------| v -|----------------------------|----------------2===/-------------------| -|----------------------------|----------------------------------------| -|----------------------------|----------------------------------------| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 |--12---------------------------------|----------------------------------| |------15\14--12--(14b)15r14--12--10--|-(12b)14r12-----------------------| |-------------------------------------|--------------x-12--------12b13---| |-------------------------------------|------------------14--14----------| |-------------------------------------|----------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|----------------------------------| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & ================== **"CAREER OF EVIL" (_Secret_Treaties_) --key: Am Intro/Verse riff A5 C5 D5 |-----------------------|-------------------------| |-----------------------|-------------------------| |o----------------------|------------------------o| |o-------------5---x--5/|7--7--6-----5--4--------o| |---7---x--7---3---x--3/|5--------7--------5--3---| |---5---x--5------------|-------------------------| ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ============================ **"DOMINANCE AND SUBMISSION" (_Secret_Treaties_) --key: F#m Intro/Verse riff F#5 A5 F#5 B5 F#5 C5 F#5 G#5 C#7#9 ----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------| ----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------5---x-----| ----|o----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------4---x--o--| ----|o--------2---x---|---------4---x---|---------5---x---|---------3---x--o--| --4=|=4-4-x-x-0---x-4=|=4-4-x-x-2---x-4=|=4-4-x-x-3---x-4-/-6-6-x-x-4---x-4---| --0-h-2-2-x-x-------0-h-2-2-x-x-------0-h-2-2-x-x-------2-/-4-4-x-x-------0---|h . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ===================== **"HARVESTER OF EYES" (_Secret_Treaties_) --key: E Intro/Verse riff [hold all "chords" (over e pedal point)] E5 F#5 G#5 F#5 E5 F#5 G5 F#5 E5 ---|--------------------------|--------------------------| ---|--------------------------|--------------------------| ---|o-------------------------|-------------------------o| -2=|o=====--4--5======--4--2==|======--4--5======--4--2=o| -2=|======--4--5======--4--2==|======--4--5======--4--2==| ---|--0--0======--0--0======--|--0--0======--0--0======--| . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ============= **"ASTRONOMY" (_Secret_Treaties_) --key: Em Lead tacit (before final Chorus)--slowly [Em] ||--15==hold=thru==|------------------|--12==============|------------------| ||-----------------|--13=========--15-|------------------|------------------| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|--12=========--14-| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 & 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 & [ quarter - note triplets ] |----------------|----------------|-----------------14-|--15-17-14-15-12-14---| |--12============|----------------|--------12----15----|----------------------| |----------------|-------------11-|--12-14----14-------|----------------------| |----------------|--14=======-----|--------------------|----------------------| |----------------|----------------|--------------------|----------------------| |----------------|----------------|--------------------|----------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 & |---3---||---3---| |---3---||---3------| [ 16th notes ] [ 16th notes ] |--12==========-------12--------------|----------------------------12h14---|| |----------------12-------15--12------|----------------------12h15---------|| |---------------------------------14--|--12==========--12h14---------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| 1 2 3 & 4 & & & 1 2 3 & & & 4 & & & [ 16th notes ] [16th notes] . |--12===========--14----14----14-15===|==15==========--15-/-17-17----17----|| |--------------------15----15---------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| 1 2 3 & & & 4 & & & 1 2 3 & & & 4 ================================== **"THEN CAME THE LAST DAYS OF MAY"(_On_Your_Feet_or_On_Your_Knees_)--key:Bm Lead Solo--slowly; heavy reverb, left-h. vibrato on "held" notes [--IMHO, Buck's most "transcendental" solo--] h=half note; h.=dotted half q=quarter note; q.=dotted quarter; q..=quarter+eighth+sixteenth e=eighth note; e.=dotted eighth; e3 e3 e3=eighth-note triplets s=sixteenth note; s.=dotted sixteenth t=thirty-second note [s],[e]...=sixteenth-note rest, eighth-note rest, etc. [Bm] [A] [G] [F#7] [chords sim. . . . . . . . . . . . .] ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| ||-7======---------|-7==========------|------------------|------------------| ||---------9=======|---------------9--|-7======--6=======|-4======--6=======| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| ||-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| h h h. [e] e h h h h [slide up |-------------------------------------|----------------------------9/10\------| |------------------------------8\7====|===7==========------11-12--------------| |--7p6==========----/9----------------|---------------------------------------| |----------------------9----9---------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| s q.. [e] s s e3 e3 e3-------h-----------------------------------| [e3] e3 e3 e e and back] |-(\)9======---------9/10======-------|-----------------------------------9-| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------11----| |------------11-11--------------11-11-|--9-11================------11-------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| q. s s e q s s s s--h [s] s e e |-(9/)10--9--10/12--------------------|-------------------13/14---------------| |------------------12=========-----12=|==12--12-------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| e e s s h [s] s------e q-------------------------------| s q.. [???????] [??????] |---15b16r15~~~------12-14-10-12-9-10-|--10b12r10----7------9---------------| |---------------------x---------------|------------------------11====-------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| [s] s q e [e] s s s s s s e e e q s s--q |-------10--9--7----------------------|---10--9--7-------------------10--9--| |-----------------7==================-|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------9================-------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| [q] s s s s---h [e] s s s s-h s s |---7---------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |--------------------------------/12==|===12========================------7h--| |------7--9/11=============--9-7------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| e e e e--q s s e-------h----------------------------------| [e.] s [ho/po trill] (no pick) |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |10p7h10p7===========================-|-----2--3--2h3p2==============-(/7)=---| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| t t t t-e-h. [q.] s s t3t3t3-q--------------------| e |-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------| |=7-7h10p7h10p7h10p7h10p7==========-------|------------------2=====(/7)---7h| |---------------------------------------7-|--9\4===========-----------------| |-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------| s. t t t t t t t t t-h [s] s e e-q q e. s (no pick) |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |10p7h10p7h10p7h10p7=7==========------|-----------------------------2h3p2h3p| |-----------------------------------9-|---9b10r9---(\6)===========----------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| t t t t t t t t-q [s] s e q e q. t t t t sl |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |2h3p2h3p2===-3-----------------------|-------------------------------------| |-----------------4=============---6--/--7=========================---------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| t t t t q e q. e h. [q] =========================== **"(Don't Fear) THE REAPER" (_Agents_of_Fortune_) --key: Am Intro/Verse riff--legato A5 G F G |--------------------------|---------------------------| |--------------------------|---------------------------| |o-------2--0=========--0==|=========--0=========--0==o| |o----2--------------0-----|--------0-----------0-----o| |--0--------------2--------|-----0-----------2---------| |--------------3-----------|--1-----------3------------| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & ========================================== **"E.T.I. (ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence)" (_Agents_of_Fortune_) --key: E Intro/Verse riff E5 A [ 16th notes ] [16th's] |--------------------------|-----------------------------------| |--------------------------|-----------------------------------| |o-------------------------|----------------------------------o| |o--2=====------2=====-----|----------------------------------o| |---2=====------4=====-----|--------------2-4-5-5-4---2--------| |---0=====------0=====-----|--x-0-2-0-3-4-----------------3\2--| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & & & 2 & & & 3 & & & 4 & & & ============ **"GODZILLA" (_Spectres_) --key: F#m Intro/Verse riff F#5 B5 C#5 G#5 A5 D#5 E5 B5 |-----------------------------|----------------------------| |-----------------------------|----------------------------| |o----------------------------|---------------3---4-------o| |o-----------------4---6------|---------------1---2---4---o| |---4============--2---4---6--|--7==========----------2----| |---2============----------4--|--5==========---------------| 1 2 3 & 4 & 1 2 3 & 4 & =================== **"BURNING FOR YOU" (_Fire_of_Unknown_Origin_) --key: Am Lead Intro [*: rhythm gu.: hold chord full two measures] [F5] [3 times] ||------------------------------|--------------------------------|| ||--------------------------8===|====8---------------------------|| ||o--*---/9-----7-h9p7---5------|----------/9-----7-h9p7---5----o|| ||o-[3]-------------------------|-------------------------------o|| ||--[3]-------------------------|--------------------------------|| ||--[1]-------------------------|--------------------------------|| 1 2 3& & & 4 & 1 2 3& & & 4 [G] [Am] [F] [G] |---3-------| |------------------|---8-7---8--------|------------------|---------------7----| |---8==============|----------------8=|==8===------------|-----------10-------| |------------------|-----------9-10---|-------10-9==-----|--------------------| |------------------|------------------|------------------|--------------------| |------------------|------------------|--------------10==|==10=====10---------| |------------------|------------------|------------------|--------------------| 1 2 3 4 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 2 3 & 4 & 1 2 3 4 [Em] [F] |--3--| [Dm] [G] |------------------|----------------------|-------8-12-------|----15=======---| |--8========----8--|(8)/10----------------|----10------15----|----------------| |-------------9----|----------------7--9--|-10------------12=|=12-------------| |------------------|-------10====10-------|------------------|----------------| |------------------|----------------------|------------------|----------------| |------------------|----------------------|------------------|----------------| 1 2 3 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & |--3---||---3---| 1 & 2 3 4----| *===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===* | Thomas C. Gannon | tgannon@charlie.usd.edu | U of SoDak (Vermillion) | * ------------------------------- _-^-_ ------------------------------- * | "--If I decide to practice a / o )=\ slight movement from right | * to left . . . or from left { /===} to right . . . it's * | nobody's business but my \ (=o=/ own." (_A_Day_for_Eeyore_) | *===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===* ^-_=^ *===*===*===*===*===*===*===*===*