Fire In The Hole by Van Halen
Note: Eddie is using a Wolfgang Special equipped with a Steinberger
Trans-Trem tremolo. He changes tunings in different places in the song.
During the main riff (played in the intro, and the verse) he locks the
tremelo up one whole step (F#). Then in the pre-chorus, and chorus, Eddie
lowers the tremelo into standard tuning (E). Finally, during the outro,
he drops the tremelo 2 and 1/2 steps (B).
Key:
h = hammer-on
^ = strike string with edge of pick over bridge pickup
p = pull-off
v = vibrate string
x = mute string completely and pick, creating a percussive sound
/ = slide edge of pick down string, creating a scratching noise
~ = let string ring
b = bend string
r = release string from bend
Intro:
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------------------------------3----3-3-------------------------------|
A|---------2----2-2----------------2----0-0---------------0~-0~-----------|
E|---------2----2-2----------------0----0-0-----0-h-2-h-3~-----3-p-2-p-0~-|
B|---------0----0-0---------0-h-3-----------------------------------------|
F#|--0-h-3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|----------------------------------5-----------------------------------x-|
A|------------------2-----2-h-5-p-2---2-h-5-p-2--------------2----2-2---x-|
E|------------------2----------------------------0v----------2----2-2---x-|
B|--2b3r2-p-0-------0-------------------------------3--------0----0-0---x-|
F#|------------3-p-0-----------------------------------3-p-0---------------|
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------3----3-3---x-x-------------------------------------------------|
A|---------2----0-0---x-x----------0~----------------------2--------------|
E|---------0----0-0---x-x--0-h-2-3---3-p-2-p-0-------------2--------------|
B|--0-h-3---------------------------------------2b3--------0--///////////-|
F#|---------------------------------------------------0-h-3----///////////-|
F#|--^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|
C#|--^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|
A|----------------|
E|----------------|
B|----------------|
F#|----------------|
Verse:
In a word to the wisdom tooth To tell, or not the
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------------------------------3----3-3-------------------------------|
A|---------2----2-2----------------2----0-0---------------0~-0~-----------|
E|---------2----2-2----------------0----0-0-----0-h-2-h-3~-----3-p-2-p-0~-|
B|---------0----0-0---------0-h-3-----------------------------------------|
F#|--0-h-3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
truth (yeah) So open up
F#|------------------------76----54-------------------------------------|
C#|-----------------------------------543-(2-1)----------------------x-|
A|------------------2-----76----54------------------------2----2-2---x-|
E|------------------2--/5------------543-(2-1)-----------2----2-2---x-|
B|--2b3r2-p-0-------0---------(3)---------------------------0----0-0---x-|
F#|------------3-p-0----------------------------------3-p-0---------------|
and say ahh-men Rinse cup, and spit again
F#|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------3----3-3---x-x-----------------------------------------------|
A|---------2----0-0---x-x----------0~-----------------------------------|
E|---------0----0-0---x-x--0-h-2-3---3-p-2-p-0--------------------------|
B|--0-h-3---------------------------------------2b3r2-p-0-------0-------|
F#|--------------------------------------------------------3-p-0---3-p-0-|
Pre-Chorus:
Forked tounge in double speak Pretty soon you just might...
E|-x---------x-5-4-4-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-x-2---2---x-5-5-5-4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-------------------|
G|-x-2---2---x-4-4-4-4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-------------6-6-6-|
D|-x-2---2---x-------4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-4-4---6-6h8-8h9p8-|
A|-x-0---0---x---------------5p2-2-2p0h2---------0-0-2-2-4-4--/4-4-4-------|
E|-x---0---0-x-----------5p2-------------0h3p0h5---------2-2---------------|
Inhale before you begin Your iron lung's a bag of wind
E|-x-3-3-3--3-2-2--------------------------------------------|
B|-x-3-3-3--3-3-3--2--------------------2--------------2-5-4-|
G|-x-0-0-0--2-2-2--2------------2-------2--------------2-4-4-|
D|-x-0-0-0--0-0-0--2------------2-------2--------------2-4-4-|
A|-x-x-x-x---------0------3p0-0-0-----0-0--------------0-2-2-|
E|-x-3-3-3------------3p0---------3~~-----0h2p0h3p03~~-------|
Chorus:
There's a fire in the hole Fire in the hole
E|-x--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-x-3--5--3--5/8-/10------------------------8--------------------------|
G|-x-2--4--2--4/7-/9-------------------------7--------------------------|
D|-x-0--2--0--2/5-/7-------------------------5----9-77-55-44-22---------|
A|-------------------------------------3h5p3---3/-755-33-22-00---------|
E|--------------------3-6p5-3-5-3~~-5---------------------------0-3/5-0-|
There's a fire in the hole Fire
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-3--5--3--8--10-----------------------8---5---------------|
G|-2--4--2--7--9------------------------7-----4-----/-------|
D|-0--2--0--5--7------------------------5-------2---/-------|
A|--------------------------------3h5p3-----------2-/-------|
E|-----------------3~~--6p5--3h5----------2-----------15\-|
Verse:
Sweet 'n' sour, filiblister Faucet pouring,
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------------------------------3----3-3-------------------------------|
A|---------2----2-2----------------2----0-0---------------0~-0~-----------|
E|---------2----2-2----------------0----0-0-----0-h-2-h-3~-----3-p-2-p-0~-|
B|---------0----0-0---------0-h-3-----------------------------------------|
F#|--0-h-3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
fresh 'n' bitter Come on smile and...
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|----------------------------------5-----------------------------------x-|
A|------------------2-----2-h-5-p-2---2-h-5-p-2--------------2----2-2---x-|
E|------------------2----------------------------0v----------2----2-2---x-|
B|--2b3r2-p-0-------0-------------------------------3--------0----0-0---x-|
F#|------------3-p-0-----------------------------------3-p-0---------------|
On a count of three Ya got a mindful of decavities Hey!
F#|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------3----3-3---x-x-----------------------------------------------|
A|---------2----0-0---x-x----------0~-----------------------------------|
E|---------0----0-0---x-x--0-h-2-3---3-p-2-p-0--------------------------|
B|--0-h-3---------------------------------------2b3r2-p-0-------0-------|
F#|--------------------------------------------------------3-p-0---3-p-0-|
Pre-Chorus:
Chew your words, lest you choke You better watch your mouth...
E|-x---------x-5-4-4-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-x-2---2---x-5-5-5-4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-------------------|
G|-x-2---2---x-4-4-4-4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-------------6-6-6-|
D|-x-2---2---x-------4-4---------------4---------2---4-4-4-4---6-6h8-8h9p8-|
A|-x-0---0---x---------------5p2-2-2p0h2---------0-0-2-2-4-4--/4-4-4-------|
E|-x---0---0-x-----------5p2-------------0h3p0h5---------2-2---------------|
Tongue tied in a tangled web Your bile inside better left...
E|-x-3-3-3--3-2-2--------------------------------------------|
B|-x-3-3-3--3-3-3--2--------------------2--------------2-5-4-|
G|-x-0-0-0--2-2-2--2------------2-------2--------------2-4-4-|
D|-x-0-0-0--0-0-0--2------------2-------2--------------2-4-4-|
A|-x-x-x-x---------0------3p0-0-0-----0-0--------------0-2-2-|
E|-x-3-3-3------------3p0---------3~~-----0h2p0h3p03~~-------|
Chorus:
There's a fire in the hole Fire in the hole
E|-x--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-x-3--5--3--5/8-/10------------------------8--------------------------|
G|-x-2--4--2--4/7-/9-------------------------7--------------------------|
D|-x-0--2--0--2/5-/7-------------------------5----9-77-55-44-22---------|
A|-------------------------------------3h5p3---3/-755-33-22-00---------|
E|--------------------3-6p5-3-5-3~~-5---------------------------0-3/5-0-|
There's a fire in the hole Fire
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-3--5--3--8--10-----------------------8---5---------------|
G|-2--4--2--7--9------------------------7-----4-----/-------|
D|-0--2--0--5--7------------------------5-------2---/-------|
A|--------------------------------3h5p3-----------2-/-------|
E|-----------------3~~--6p5--3h5----------2-----------15\-|
Solo (Background guitar):
E|-----------3-3---------------------------------------|
B|-----------3-3----------------------2-2-3-3-2-2------|
G|-----------0-0----------------------2-2-2-2-2-2------|
D|-2-2-------0-0---------------2---2--2-2-2-2-2-2--2-2-| x2
A|-2-2-------x-x-----2p0-----0-2---2--0-0-0-0-0-0--2-2-|
E|-0-0-/-5p4p3-3-0h3-----3~~---0h3p0---------------0-0-|
Then it goes into just chords (when the drums start with the ride cymbal)
E5 G5 A5 (D5) E5 A5
E5 G5 A5
E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|-4-5-4/7-5-4--5-4/7--9--9/-|
D|-4-5-4/7-5-4--5-4/7--9--9/-|
A|-2-3-2/5-3-2--3-2/5--7--7/-|
E|---------------------------|
Bridge:
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------------------------------3----3-3-------------------------------|
A|---------2----2-2----------------2----0-0---------------0~-0~-----------|
E|---------2----2-2----------------0----0-0-----0-h-2-h-3~-----3-p-2-p-0~-|
B|---------0----0-0---------0-h-3-----------------------------------------|
F#|--0-h-3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|----------------------------------5-----------------------------------x-|
A|------------------2-----2-h-5-p-2---2-h-5-p-2--------------2----2-2---x-|
E|------------------2----------------------------0v----------2----2-2---x-|
B|--2b3r2-p-0-------0-------------------------------3--------0----0-0---x-|
F#|------------3-p-0-----------------------------------3-p-0---------------|
F#|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C#|---------3----3-3---x-x-------------------------------------------------|
A|---------2----0-0---x-x----------0~----------------------2--------------|
E|---------0----0-0---x-x--0-h-2-3---3-p-2-p-0-------------2--------------|
B|--0-h-3---------------------------------------2b3--------0--///////////-|
F#|---------------------------------------------------0-h-3----///////////-|
Chorus:
There's a fire in the hole Fire in the hole
E|-x--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-x-3--5--3--5/8-/10------------------------8--------------------------|
G|-x-2--4--2--4/7-/9-------------------------7--------------------------|
D|-x-0--2--0--2/5-/7-------------------------5----9-77-55-44-22---------|
A|-------------------------------------3h5p3---3/-755-33-22-00---------|
E|--------------------3-6p5-3-5-3~~-5---------------------------0-3/5-0-|
There's a fire in the hole Fire
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-3--5--3--8--10-----------------------8---5---------------|
G|-2--4--2--7--9------------------------7-----4-----/-------|
D|-0--2--0--5--7------------------------5-------2---/-------|
A|--------------------------------3h5p3-----------2-/-------|
E|-----------------3~~--6p5--3h5----------2-----------15\-|
There's a fire, fire, fire A fire!
E|------------------------------------------|
B|-3--5--3--8--10-----------------------8---|
G|-2--4--2--7--9------------------------7---|
D|-0--2--0--5--7------------------------5---|
A|--------------------------------3h5p3-----|
E|-----------------3~~--6p5--3h5----------2-|
Outro:
B|-----------3-3---------------------------------------|
F#|-----------3-3----------------------2-2-3-3-2-2------|
D|-----------0-0----------------------2-2-2-2-2-2------|
A|-2-2-------0-0---------------2---2--2-2-2-2-2-2--2-2-|
E|-2-2-------x-x-----2p0-----0-2---2--0-0-0-0-0-0--2-2-|
B|-0-0-/-5p4p3-3-0h3-----3~~---0h3p0---------------0-0-|
Lyrics
In a word to the wisdom tooth
To tell, or not the truth (yeah)
So open up and say ahh-men
Rinse cup, and spit again
Forked tongue in double speak
Pretty soon you just might spring a leak
Inhale before you begin
Your iron lung's a bag of wind
There's a fire in the hole
Fire in the hole
There's a fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
Fire
Sweet 'n' sour, filiblister
Faucet pouring, fresh 'n' bitter
Come on smile and say cheese
On a count of three
Ya got a mindful of decavities
Hey!
Chew your words, lest you choke
You better watch your mouth
Wash it out with soap. Yeah!
Tongue tied in a tangled web
Your bile inside better left unsaid
There's a fire in the hole
Fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
There's a fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
Fire!
Ah, shoot it!
(Guitar Solo)
Hey-hey-yeah!
Huh!
Yeah!
Hey-hey-yeah!
(hey hey hey hey hey)
There's a fire in the hole
Fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
There's a fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
Fire in the hole (hey hey hey hey hey)
There's a fire, fire, fire
A fire!