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Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same Guitar Tab

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The Song Remains the Same
Led Zeppelin


This song has 3 12-string electrics and 2 6-strings(telecaster thru supro)
Ill try to keep them all straight for you.

The intro is 1 12string banging out an open D repeatedly. One 12-string
plays this set of chords over it:

e--2-----5-----7-----9----14------14-----------------------------------
b--3-----6-----8----10----15------15-----------------------------------
g--2-----5-----7-----9----14------14-----------------------------------
d------------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

and the third 12 plays these chords:

e--------------12----12---------14-----14-------------------------------
b--7-----8-----12----14---------15-----15-------------------------------
g--7-----7-----12----14---------14-----14-------------------------------
d--7----10---------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now one 12 stops playing and one 12 plays these chords
while the second 12 plays the same chords but with an open D-string
instead of a second fret D.
e--0----0-0--2------2-2--0---0-0--2--2-2--3--3-3-0--0-0--3--3-3--2------
b--3----3-3--3------3-3--3---3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-3--3-3--3--3-3--3------
g--2----2-2--2------2-2--2---2-2--2--2-2--2--2-2-2--2-2--2--2-2--2------
d--2----2-2--2------2-2--2---2-2--2--2-2--2--2-2-2--2-2--2--2-2--2------
a-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now this chord sequence is played by 2 12's the same way
and repeat it. /-again the 2nd 12 plays the open D on this chd
e-2--2-2-----2--2--3--3-3----2--0---------------------------------------
b-3--3-3-----3--3--3--3-3----3--3---------------------------------------
g-2--2-2-----2--2--2--2-2----2--2---------------------------------------
d-0--0-0-----0--0--0--0-0----0--0---------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Next is both 12's playing this:

e---0----0---0-0----0---0---0-------0--------0----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----
b---1-1----1---0-0--0-----0----1--3---3-1-3-------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----
g------------------------------------------------------------------------
d-3-----------------3----------3-----------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next one of the 6 strings come in with the 2 12's to play this:

e--0----0-0--2------2-2--0---0-0--2--2-2--3--3-3-0--0-0--3--3-3--2------
b--3----3-3--3------3-3--3---3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-3--3-3--3--3-3--3------
g--2----2-2--2------2-2--2---2-2--2--2-2--2--2-2-2--2-2--2--2-2--2------
d--2----2-2--2------2-2--2---2-2--2--2-2--2--2-2-2--2-2--2--2-2--2------
a-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

One this next distorted part,
the six string plays this: and 12's play this
e-------------------------------------------------2-----------------------
b-------------------------------------------------3-----------------------
g-------------------------------------------------2-----------------------
d-------------------------------------------------2-----------------------
a---------------0------------------------------0--------------------------
E---3^4--0-3^4--0-----------------3^4--0--3^4-----------------------------

Here is the 2 12's backing part to the first solo:

e---2------2---3--3-------5--3-------------------------------------------
b-----3------3------3-----3--5-------------------------------------------
g-------2-------------2--------------------------------------------------
d-0----------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

And the first 6 string solo:

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g-----------------------------------------------------7-9-7---7----------
d------------------------7-9-7---9-7---7--7-7-----7-9-------9------------
a-3^4--0--3^4--5-7p5-7/9-------9-----9-----------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------7----------------------------------------10----------------
b---------------10-7-----------------------------------------------------
g----7--9^11---------9-7---9-7---7-9-7---7-7----7-9^11----(11)^9--7------
d--9---------------------9-----9-------9-----9---------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------7------------------------------------
b--7^8-7-------------------------------10-7-------------------------------
g--------7------7-9-7---7----7-9^11---------9-7---9-7---7-----------------
d-----------7-9-------9----9--------------------9-----9-------------------
a-------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now the 6 string plays this figure a few times:

e------------------------------0------------------------------------------
b------------------------------0------------------------------------------
g--/5-4-2---2----/5-4--2-----2--------------------------------------------
d---------3--------------3-3----------------------------------------------
a-------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

And ends it with this:
e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g--/5-4-2-0-------------------------------------------------------------------
d------------3-2-0----------------------------------------------------------
a------------------3-2-0----------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2 12's play this after the solo: and end that section with a bunch of
/-these
e--3-5---8--8--8------3--5---8--8--8--7-7---8---------------------------
b--5-7--10-10-10------5--7--10-10-10--9-9--10---------------------------
g-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d----------------------------0------------------------------------------
a-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

During the vocals, the 2 12's play on this basic pattern with a few
subtle changes on the first couple of measures.

e--0---0---------------3-----0------0-----------------------------------
b--1---1-----3-----3h5----3--3--3-3---3p1-----0-------------------------
g--0---0-----0-----------------------------0----------------------------
d--2---2----------------------------------------------------------------
a--3---3----------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

While the 6 plays this on the first two measures.

e-----------------------3----------------------------3------------------------
b----------------1---------------------------------3-------3---0--------------
g-2^4^2----------------------0--0--------------5^6-----3/4---4--------0-------
d---------0-0-2----2---------2--2------0----5---------------------0h2---------
a----------------------------3--3---------5-----------------------------1h2---
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------3-

And on the third measure the 12's play this:

e-0--0----0--0---0-----------0--0----------0--0----0--0---0---0---0--0-------
b-1--1----2--2---2-----2-----0-------0-2--------0--1----0-1-----0-1---1-0--0-
g-0--0--------------3-----3--------3---3---3-------------------------------0-
d-2--2----4----4----4--4--4------------------------------------------------0-
a-3--3-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------

And the 6 plays this:

e-----------------------------------7--------6-------5--5--/10-8-/13-13/12
b--2-----2---------------------------------5-------5-----------------------
g----------3-------------------4/7-----4/6-----4h5------5-----------------
d----4-----4-----------------4--------------------------------------------
a--------------------------4----------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heres that mid section thing:

e--------15-|-(5)^7^5-5-3------3------------3-------------------------------
b-----------|-------------------------3-----------4-------------------------
g--14/16----|--------------3h4----3-4---3h4---3-4---3^4---------------------
d-----------|-------------------------------------------5-------------------
a-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------

On the last measure of the vocal part, the 6 plays this:

e---------------------------------1--------5-------10--8-----8-------10--
b-------------------------0-----1---1--------------------------10/12-----
g---------------------------1-2-------3/5-----5/10----10-10-10-----------
d-6^8-6^8-6-5-4 --6^8-6-4------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then just bend the g-string 5th fret up and pick it as you release the bend.


The second solo is this:

e----------------------------------------7-------------------------------
b--7-----7-----------------------------7---10-10-7-----------------------
g--9^11--9^11--9p7h9----7-7-7-----9^11-------------9p7-9p7----7-7--------
d---------------------9-------9----------------------------9------9------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------7-----------------------------------------------------------------
b---------10-7------------------------------------------------------------
g--9^11--------9-7-9-7---7-9-7--------------------------------------------
d----------------------9-------9-7-9-7---7-9-7---7-9-7/9-7-9-7---7--------
a--------------------------------------9-------9---------------9----------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

e---------------------------------------10--------------------------------
b-------------------------------------------13-10----10-------------------
g------------------------9p7-7---7-9/11-----------12----10^11-------------
d----------------------7-------9------------------------------12----------
a-97-5-5--5-5--5h7/9-----------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

e--------------------------------------------------15--------------------
b--------13-15^17-15-------------13-15-(15)^16^17-----15^17-15-----------
g--9/14---------------12----9/14-----------------------------------------
d------------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e--------------------------------------------------------------15----------
b--15^17--15---------------------------------------------15^17-----15^17-15
g-------------12-14^16^14---------16^18---14----14-16----------------------
d--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------7----------------------------------------
b--12^13---12^13^12---------------10-7-10-7-----------------------------
g--------------------14------0-------------------------------7-----------
d-------------------------------------------------7-10-7---7-7-----------
a---------------------------------------------7/9--------9---------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g-----------------7-------------------7-7-7-----------------------------
d------7-10-7---7-7-------10p7----7---7-7-7-----------------------------
a--7/9--------9-------7/9------10---9------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the next vocals bit, The 12's play this chord sequence
hitting each one 3 or 4 times:
/--now just arpeggiate this chord
e--8--7--10---8--12---10/14---------------------------------------------
b-10--8--12--10--13---12/15---------------------------------------------
g------------------------16---------------------------------------------
d-----------------------------------------------------------------------
a-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

After that, the 12's play this:

e-0-----------------------------2---3---2---0------------0------0--------
b-------3-------------------3----3---3---3---3---1-3---1-----------------
g-0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0---0-----2---2---2---2------2-------------------
d-------------------------0-2-----------------------------------2---2---2
a-------------------------------------------------------------3-----3-3--
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b--------------------------------3---------------------------------------
g--------------------------------2---------------------------------------
d--5-5-5-4-4-4-2-----------------0---------------------------------------
a--3-3-3-2-2-2-0--7-7-7-5-5-5-5--2---------------------------------------
E-----------------5-5-5-3-3-2-0--0---------------------------------------

The 6 string part over that is:

e--15--------------------------------------------------------------------
b------(15)^17^15-------------------------8^10---(8)^10^8----------------
g------------------(14)^16^14--9--7-8-9-7------7-------------------------
d------------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-15---------------------------------------------------------------------
b----15^17^15------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------14^16^14-14--1412-----------------------------------------
d--------------------------------12-12/14--------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e--------------------------------7^9-7-5-----------(7)^9^7-7-5-----------
b------------------6---5-----5------------7^9-7-5------------------------
g------------5-5-7---7---7-7---------------------------------------------
d------5-5-7-------------------------------------------------------------
a--5-7-------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------
And then the power chords with the 12's and the 6

Next is as little soloing over the rythym laid down by the 2 12's and
1 6

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g---7^9^7p5-------------2h4p2---2----------2h4p2---2------2h4p2---2------
d-----------7-------2-4-------4--------2-4-------4--------------4--------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------2----------------------------------------------------------------
b---------5-2---------2----10h13p10--12-15-15^16--15-12-12---------------
g--4^6--------4-2-4-2----------------------------------------------------
d------------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b-------10-12-10----10----10--------10-12-10----10----12------10-12-10---
g--9/11----------11----11------9/11----------11----11-----9/11-----------
d------------------------------------------------------------------------
a------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e---------------------5---------------------------------------------------
b-----10-10-------------5^7-5-3-3-----------------------------------------
g--11-------12----------------------2p0---0-2p0---0-----------------------
d---------------------------------------4-------4----2p0---0-2p0---0------
a--------------------------------------------------------4-------4--------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g--2p0--0---------2p0--0---------2p0---0---------------------------------
d------4---2p0--0-----4--2p0---0-----4---2p0---0-2p0-0-------------------
a--------------4-------------4---------------4---------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e---------------------15------------------------13-14-15--------------------
b------13-15-15^17-15----15^17-15------13-15^17----------15^17-15-13-15-13-
g--/14------------------------------14--------------------------------------
d---------------------------------------------------------------------------
a---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now w/heavy distortion repeat this figure a few times and end it w/
that last little chord.
e------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------
g--------------2----------------------4p2-----------------2--------------
d--2-2-----2-4---4-2--2-2------2-4-2------4p2-------------0--------------
a--0-0-2/4------------0-0--2/4-------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well that's about all of it. Sorry for any mistakes.
CHUCK

From: bobz@crl.com (Robert Zawalski)
Subject: TAB: The Song Remains the Same (Led Zeppelin)


Of course you all realize that I expect a complete tab of Jethro Tull's
'The Minstrel in the Gallery' for this. ;)

guit. 1 (12 string)
E:--------------2---7---9---12---14---14--
B:--------------3---8---10--13---15---15--
G:--------------2---7---9---12---14---14--
D:--0R--------------------------------------
A:------------------------------------------
E:------------------------------------------
ride on the open d throughout (listen to tape for rythem)

guit. 2 (6 string)
E:------------------5---7---9----
B:------------------6---8---10---
G:------------------5---7---9----
D:
A:
E:
========
**1**
(12 string)
E:--0-0-0---2-2-2--
B:--3-3-3---3-3-3--
G:--0-0-0---0-0-0--
D:--2-2-2---2-2-2-- x3
A:--0-0-0---0-0-0--
E:

**2**
E:--2-2-2--2-2--3-3-3--2-0--
B:--3-3-3--3-3--3-3-3--3-3--
G:--2-2-2--2-2--2-2-2--2-2--
D:--0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0--0-0-- x4
A:--------------------------
E:--------------------------


E:--0----0-----0----0------------0-----------0------
B:----1----1-----0----0----1--3-----3--1--3----0----
G:------2----2-----0----0--2---------------------0--
D:
A:
E:
(let all notes ring) [end of **2**]

Guitar 1 goes to **1**

then

**3**
(guitar 1 (12 string))
E:---------------2
B:---------------3
G:---------------0

Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/l/led_zeppelin/270533.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
 
 
No Picture

josh
Average
#1 by josh stagel at Feb 16, 1978 at 12:42 PM EST
this song is prolly about how theyve travelled all over and done lots of things and effected lots of people but everything is still groovy, "the song remains the same".
 
No Picture

Josh
Average
#2 by Josh at Jun 23, 1980 at 6:16 AM EST
the song meaning is simple where ever u go the song will always remain the same suffering is every where and so on where but plant had a 'crazy dream' that everything will be just fine and 'anything he'll want to know' he'll get to know zep r gr8 by the way
 
No Picture

Nick
Average
#3 by Nick Vanderstelt at Feb 19, 1987 at 10:46 PM EST
you should elaborate, roadrunner99....
 
No Picture

Rhythm Player
#4 by riotsk8team001 (jason) at Nov 7, 1996 at 6:06 PM EST
one of led zeppelin's best. i can't believe no one's commented on it. i think it's actually about a dream plant had. where he went to different parts of the world, and the "song" was always the same. i think song is metaphorical, but i don't have a clue what it could represent.
 
No Picture

geoff
Average
#5 by geoff at Dec 8, 1999 at 10:16 AM EST
i love the last line. i agree with staleph1sh about the metaphor, but alas! i cant think of anything. i love the last line...so great
 
No Picture

geoff
Average
#6 by geoff at Apr 29, 2005 at 7:40 PM EST
but people can have their own meanings thats the beauty of lyrics
 
No Picture

Da 1 n onli Mat
Average
#7 by Da 1 n onli Matt! goncalves at Jun 1, 2006 at 5:28 PM EST
how were they "practicing celtic/druid magic"? what the fuck are you talking about?