The Power of Love (Album Version)
Used in the film "Back to the future"
Transcribed by Ryan Robles (ryanjrobles@aol.com)
Here's the full transcription for those who wanted it. You've got the lyrics, riffs and all! I've
done the solo to the best of my ability. I'm pretty sure its 95% correct. You will need to listen to the
in order to get the correct intonation o
f bends and rhythm for the runs etc.
Everything is in the order that you'll here it on the CD. I've given the times for occurrence of events.
INTRO/CHORUS RIFF
This is a straightforward rhythm based on the following chords:
C C\\E F G \tab
E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|-----5-----5---------------|
D|-----5-----5------2-----5--|
A|-----3-----3------2-----5--|
E|-----X-----0------1-----3--|
The secret to getting this chorus riff to sound right is to make sure you dampen the open E
string on the C chord. Use your left hand finger or your left-hand palm to do this. If this is
done correctly, when you introduce the open E on the chord, it'll sound fantastic. This riff
is used all throughout the choruses and outro of the song.
It's a simple progression over the Cm7 (x35543), Bb (x13331) and F (x65343) chords that make up the
Fragments of the chords are played in a sequence to form the verse riff.
The riff is as follows:
(-PH 1-) (----PH 2---) (----PH3--------|
E--------------------------------------------|
B-------------4--3--4--6-6------4--3---------|
G---5--3--5---3--3--3--5-5---5--3--3--5------|
D---5--3--5------------------5--------5------|
A--------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|
The PH's at the top of the tab simply represent the phrases, as I can't give too much detail on these
staves. This riff is played in the intro, every verse and the solo.
At the end of each chorus, you'll find that it ends with the following sequence to bridge to either
next verse or middle 8:
\tab Bb\tab F G7
E-------1-------1------3-----------------|
B-------3-------1------3-----------------|
G-------3-------2------4-----------------|
D-------3\emdash ------3------3----------|
A-------1-------3------5-----------------|
E---------------1------3-----------------|
Now we'll go through the song and add in the bits I've given above.
VERSE 1. (21 sec) Play riff throughout
NOTE: at the end of each verse grouping, Bb and F chords are used for emphasis.
The power of love is a curious thing
Make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
Bb F
More than a feeling that's the power of love
Tougher than diamonds, bricks like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream
Make a bad one good make a wrong one right
Bb F
Power of love that keeps you home at night
(CHORUS RIFF) (58 Sec)
C C/E F G
You don't need money, don't take fame
C C/E F G
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
C C/E F G
It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes
Bb F G7 (BRIDGE)
but it might just save your life
\tab \tab \tab \tab (BEGIN VERSE RIFF AGAIN)
That's the power of love
That's the power of love Bb F
First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it, it might make you mad
But you'll be glad baby when you've found
That's the power makes the world go round Bb F
And it don't take money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden it can be cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
(Just follow the chords below) (1:56 sec)
Eb G7 Cm7 F7
They say that all in love is fair yeah, but you don't care
Ab Eb/G
But you know what to do
Fmin7 Eb
When it gets hold of you
Ab Gsus4 G
And with a little help from above
(Begin Riff Again)
you feel the power of love
you feel the power of love
Can you feel it?
Hmmm
}{\f2\ul\cgrid0 SOLO}{\f2\cgrid0 (2:31 sec)}{\f2\ul\cgrid0
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(---------PH1----------------------) (--------------PH2---------------)
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BU\tab BU HO(vib) HO BD
E|---13--(15)---13-(15)-13-11------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------13---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------3-5--|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|--8-10--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|----------10-9-8-6-6-8--8-(10)-6------------------------------------------------|
}d \nowidctlpar\adjustright {\f2\cgrid0 E|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------8--|
(----------------------------PH3--------------) (---------PH4-----
Sl BU BU LD HO BU
E|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
G|------------------8-10-10-(12)--10-(12)-10\emdash -8----|----------8-10-(12)---|
D|--------------8-10----------------------------10-|-----8-10--------------------|
A|-------6--8-10-----------------------------------|-----------------------------|
E|---6-8-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
-------------------------------PH4 cont--------------------------)
BU PO\tab \tab BU\tab \tab PO PO
E|----------8---------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------11-8----8-----------------------------------------------|
G|---10-(12)-------10---10-(12)-10-8----10-8-------8------------------|
D|-----------------------------------10------10-8----10-8----8--------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------10---10-9-8-|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
(---------PH5---------------) (---------------------PH6-------------)
\tab BU vib\tab HO BU \tab BU
E|-------------------------------|----------8-8---------8-8---------8-8-----------------|
B|-------------------------------|-------8\emdash -8-8---------8-8---------8-8----------|
G|--------------8-10\emdash 10-(12)\emdash 10--|--8-10--------10-(12)-----10-(12)-------|
D|---------8-10------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
A|--8-9-10-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
(-----------PH7-------) (------------------PH8------------------
\tab \tab \tab \tab BU\tab \tab BU\tab \tab BU
E|-----8-----------8-------|---------8-8----------8-8----------8-8-|
B|--10-8-10-8---10-8-10-8--|---------8-8----------8-8----------8-8-|
G|--10---10-8---10---10-8--|-10-(12)------10-(12)------10-(12)-----|
D|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
--------------------------PH8--------------------------)
BU\tab \tab Sl \tab Sl\tab \tab VIB.
E|---------8-8------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------8-8---10-8\emdash -10-(11)-10----------------------------|
G|-10-(12)-------10-8--10-(11)-10\emdash -8---8-----------8---------|
D|----------------------------------10---10-8----8----10------------|
A|--------------------------------------------10--------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
Sl = Slide to bracketed () note
BU = Bend up to bracketed note ()
VIB= Add vibrato
PO = Pull off
HO = Hammer On
The PH's at the top of the tab simply represent the phrases of the solo, as I can't give too much detail
these basic staves. Listen to the recording to get the correct rhythms and details of slides, pull offs,
ons etc.
It don't take money and it don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
You won't feel nothin' till you feel
You feel the power, just the power of love
That's the power, that's the power of love
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Feel the power of love
(To fade)
}{\f2\ul\cgrid0 NOTES
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Chris Hayes uses a clean humbucker sound with some tone rolled off. A clean amp sound will be
but to get that even tone you'll have to use mild compression.
For the chorus use as much American distortion as you can muster!
The middle 8 is simply shimmering clean with some chorus if you've got it.
The solo sound is overdrive with little middle tone. Use you middle pickup and add loads of reverb.
the record a delay is used to create a 50's echo effect.
Hope this helps. Send requests to the above address.
Ryan
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Artist: Lewis Huey
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