The Raven Lyrics

The Stranglers - The Raven (2)
Email: Bushhead81@Hotmail.com
This is a better version
THE RAVEN
Transcription by: Richard Stanforth (rtstanforth@hotmail.com)
Date of Transcription: 21st July 2002
This transcription and more is exclusive to and can be found at :-
http://www.geocities.com/strangledchords
Updated: now featuring some extra tablature of the guitar parts! I've made my best attempt at
this.
bass intro:
the note A alternated as octaves, for acoustic guitar players, the underlying chord is A major.
play this for about seven bars.
then the following chords can be played under the guitar 'solo' (if that's what you'd like to
call it)...
...before Dave Greenfield's signature keyboard riff is finally heard and the following chords
are played...
B------------------------------------------1-3-3^-1-------|
(play the above twice)
then: Dm G Dm G Dm G Dm G
verse 1:
fly straight.....with perfection
find me.....a new direction
you'll never realise the things they said
we'll never realise until we're dead
the fires they burned along the coast of triumphs
the ebony embittered souls of children
we'll seek another way before too long
but will you stop my wind before I'm gone
(at * points play this)
E----------12--10h12p10----------12--10h12p10----------12--10h12p10---------------------10--|
then, on the word 'gone', instead of reverting back to the main verse riff, the following is
played (as a sort-of bridge or instrumental pre-chorus):
chorus:
and when you find me all alone
your world has never been my own
B--5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---8p0-0-------------------5p0-0--------------------|
G--------7-------7-------7-------7-------7-------7p0-0-4p0-0-------------7p0-0-4p0-0--------|
D------------------------------------------------------------5p0-0-------------------5p0-0--|
B--5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---5h6p5---8p0-0--------------------------------------------|
G--------7-------7-------7-------7-------7-------7p0-0-4p0-0--------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------5p0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0--|
and then, the bridge or 'pre-chorus' is played again, three times, but in the next key upwards,
like so:
E--7--5-7-5-5s3-3---7--5-7-5-5s3---7--5-7-5-5s3-3--|
...before a Dave Greenfield keyboard solo that's based around the chorus melody,
but features these chords:
B--8^-6--------------------------8^-6------------------------|
then, the same chords are used for a second chorus, which is a slight variation
of the first chorus:
(from now on most of the guitar parts are repeated the same)
chorus 2:
and when you find me, and when you find me all alone
your world has never been my own
and then comes the second verse, which uses exactly the same chords and has exactly
the same structure as the first verse:
verse 2:
my friend, you're black, and when you fly you're wild
I am white, sometimes I behave just like a child
the northern seas are cold but they're our own
we'll sail your southern seas before too long
and now, on the word 'long' instead of going to the first bridge or pre-chorus
earlier, the keyboard riff from the intro is played and the same chords are used,
so, basically the keyboard intro is being used as an outro:
when I was a viking, my friend he was the raven
then just repeat the chords Dm Am G F G A until the song fades.
I apologise if this tab doesn't make too much sense as the song has a weird structure to it,
like so:
bass intro
guitar intro
keyboard intro
bridge (in Dm)
chorus (variation 1)
bridge (in Em)
keyboard solo
chorus (variation 2)
outro (same as keyboard intro)