Gloria by U2, Transcribed by Richard Zangoli
I saw that there wasn't a complete transcription to this great U2 song
either on the OLGA or in the U2 Guitar Archive so I decided to transcribe
it. The more that people play U2 songs, the better in my opinion. This is
the version from the Under a Blood Red Sky CD. I used the Best of.. U2 song
book as a guide but because it's pretty crappy, I had to figure a lot of it
out myself. I think this is reasonably accurate. Tune down half a step to
play along with the song.
Intro Riff-
E----------0-----------0--8--------------------0-----------------------
B-------6-----------6--------6--------------0--------0-----------------
G----7-----------7-------------7----------6---------------6------------
D-7-----------7------------------7------7---------------------7-------
A--------------------------------------7---------------------------7 ---
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------0--------
B------------------0------0-----
G-------------6----------------
D-------7----------------------
A---7---------------------------
E-------------------------------
The main riff- release the bend here
E-0---0---0--10--12----0---0--10--12-----12--10---14b---12--0--10--0--9--0
B-10-12----------------10--12----------10---------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-10--0--12--0----------0---0--0--10--12----0---0---10--12------12--10----
B-----------------10---10--12---------------10--12-----------10-------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
(Release the bend here as well) And I try to
sing.......
E---9b---------------------10--9--0-----------------------3----0
B---------10--0--12--0----------------10--0--12-----------3----0
G---------------------------------------------------------4----4
D---------------------------------------------------------5----5
A---------------------------------------------------------5----5
E---------------------------------------------------------3----3
The main riff varies slightly in the verses but the above should give you
the general idea.
Now for the harmonics over the chorus. Fool around with them (Edge always
changes the way he plays the chorus of the song) but this will give you the
general idea. Remember that all of the note are natural harmonics.
E-----7----------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------7----------------------7-----------------------------------------
G-------------7---------------5-------7--------------------------------------
D----------------7----------5---------------7--------------7---------7------
A-------------------------5---------------------7----------------7-----------
E----------------------5------------------------------7-----------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------7---------5------
B-----------7------7-------5--------7------------------------7---------5---
G-7----------------7-------5------------7-------7-------------------------
D---------7--------7-------5-----------------7--------7---------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------
B--------------------
G---------------5---- Edge changes the ending the second time around so
D-----------5------- play around with it until you get something that you
A-------5------------ think is close
E---5-----------------
Now for the slide guitar solo. I actually prefer sliding from fret to fret
without a slide because it's easier, but either way will do. This is going
to be hard to tab out on computer so bare with me. It should at least tell
you what notes to play, so have a listen to the CD to get the timing right.
I wont note all the slides as of course most of them will be.
There's lots of feedback here slide down and up the fretboard
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----14(hold)----------------------------------12---11---9s/-------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------s/12--s/12---11---9--7----s/12--12----14--14----12--11--9--9---11--11----
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------12--------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------12------------12-s/13--12--
G--s/11--9--9--7------7--6-7--6--2---4---------------12--------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------12---------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------12--s/
B---------12--12---12------12--s/
G--------------------------12--s/
D---------------------------------
A---------------------------------
E----------------------------------
And finally, the guitar after the bass solo-
let the delay repeat
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--12--12--12--12--12----14--------------------x--x---12--12--12--12---7--5----
G--11--11--11--11--11----13--------------------x--x---11--11--11--11---6--4-----
D--9----9----9--9--9-----11--------------------x--x---9---9----9---9---4--2-----
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gloria...........
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--12--12--12--12--12--14--10--10--10---5--5--5--5--5-----12--12--12---7--5-----
G--11--11--11--11--11--13---9---9---9----4--4--4--4--4----11--11--11---6--4----
D--9---9---9----9---9--11---7---7---7----2--2--2--2--2-----9---9---9---4--2--
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repeat this many times but be careful of the timing as Edge tends to change
it towards the end. I think this is how he finishes-
E-------------------------------------
B---12--12--12--12---7--7----------
G---11--11--11--11---6--6---4------
D----9---9---9---9---4--4---4-----
A---------------------------2-----
E--------------------------------------
So that's the whole song or at least enough to be able to play it all. Have fun.
Richard Zangoli(ahowden@magna.com.au).