#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
This file was taken from the " SavatagE & Iron Maiden Israeli Page " ,
AddresS : Http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/2260 .
For MORE NEW NEVER BEFORE SEEN TABS of this bands , check out the place !!!
Here you go fellas!
Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes to Midnight
Source: 'Powerslave' - [Remastered CD]
'Live After Death' - [Remastered CD]
Music and Lyrics by: Smith/Dickinson
Tuning: Standard - [EADGBe] (low to high)
Key Signature: A
Tone/Effects: Distortion
Tab Accuracy: The solos aren't perfect. Corrections encouraged. I left
out a small part of solo #2. You figure it out!
Tab History: This tab was originally ripped by Rob Schenk
from a tab book. Redone by Jimmy Pena
.
Notes: In the live version (from Live After Death) Adrian plays [Fill 1]
after [Riff 4] almost every time. I think this is one of the top
three best Maiden songs, because not only does it have *the* rock
riff as its main theme, but the lyrics kick ass, the chord
changes in the pre-chorus are unusual, and the rhythm guitar
actually follows the lead in a harmony *during* the guitar solos!
Not to mention the rhythm guitar for each solo is highly unusual.
Enjoy.
Jimmy Pena - jimmy@walrus.com
+ Tab Legend +
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Symbol | Explanation |
+--------+-------------------------------------------------------+
| V | Finger or wrist vibrato |
| v(x) | Vibrato arm; number in ()'s is fret note to be |
| | sounded, (\) is an unspecified dive |
| ~ | Sustained/Held note |
| x | Percussive note with no pitch; muted note |
| ^ | Hammer on/Pull off |
| b | Bend string up to indicated pitch/7ret |
| r | Release bend to indicated string/fret |
| = | Tremolo picking; Play the note rapidly and repeatedly|
| x/y | Slide from fret 'x' to 'y'; x/ is a slide to nowhere |
| x\y | Slide from fret 'x' down to 'y'; x\ is a slide to |
| | nowhere |
| | Natural harmonic (lightly touch the string at fret |
| | indicated in <>'s) |
| [x] | Artificial "pinch" harmonic (use thumb to follow |
| | through the pick attack) |
| PM --| | Palm Muting; lightly touch the strings at the bridge |
| | with the edge of the fret hand |
+--------+-------------------------------------------------------+
[Riff 1]:
A5 (let open A ring)
e:-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G:------5-----7-----5-----7--7V--|------5-----7-----5----------------|
D:------5-----7-----5-----7--7V--|------5-----7-----5------2~--------|
A:--0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0--------|--0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0--0~-0-3^0--|
E:-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
PM----| |---| |---| |---| PM----| |---| |---| |---|
[Riff 2]:
A5 (let open A ring)
e:--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B:--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G:------5-----7-----5------7--7V--|------5-----7------7-----7--5V---|
D:------5-----7-----5------7--7V--|------5-----7------7-----7--5V---|
A:--0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0---------|--5-5---5-5---5-5-----5----------|
E:--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
PM----| |---| |---| |---| PM----| |---| |---| |-|
[Riff 3]:
A5 F/A G5 C5 F5 Bb5 C5 G/B
e:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---------------6~-6\-------------------------------------------------|
G:---------------5~-5\--------------5-5\4---------------3~-3^2^0-------|
D:-2-------2-----7~-7\--------------5-5\4---------------3~-3^2^0-5~-5~-|
A:-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0~---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1~-------3~-2~-|
E:--------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------1-1-1-1-1-1-1----------------|
PM |-----| |---| |-----| |---| |-----| |---|
Esus4 E
e:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---------------6~-6\-------------------------------------------------|
G:---------------5~-5\--------------5-5\4---------------3~-3^2^0-2--1--|
D:-2-------2-----7~-7\--------------5-5\4---------------3~-3^2^0-2~-2~-|
A:-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0~---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1~-------2~-2~-|
E:--------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------1-1-1-1-1-1-1----------0~-0~-|
PM |-----| |---| |-----| |---| |-----| |---|
e:--------------|
B:--------------|
G:--------------|
D:--------------|
A:------3-------|
E:--3-5---5-3---|
[Riff 4]:
A5 C5 G5 Dm F5 G5
e:--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------(6)--6-----------------------|
G:--------------------------------5~------7~----7-----10~---12~-------|
D:---5-7-----7^5---5-7-----7^5----5~--5~--7~------7---10~---12~-------|
A:-------0-0-----7-----0-0-----7--3~--5~--5~----------8~----10~-------|
E:------------------------------------3~------------------------------|
PM |---| |---|
[Fill 1] (Adrian Smith)
e:-------------------|
B:-------------------|
G:-------------------|
D:---7-5-------------|
A:-------7-6-5-3-0---|
E:-------------------|
Song progression:
[Riff 1] x4 (Adrian Smith only; Murray plays last A5 chord in tandem)
[Riff 1] x2 (Murray joins Smith)
[Riff 1] x2 /w lyrics:
Kill for gain or shoot to maim, but we don't need a reason
The golden goose is on the loose and never out of season
[Riff 2] x2 /w lyrics:
Some blackened pride still burns inside this shell of bloody treason
Here's my gun for a barrel of fun for the love of living death.
[Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:
The killer's breed or the demon seed,
the glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
[Riff 4] x2 /w lyrics:
[Fill 1]
Two minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom.
Two minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb.
[Riff 1] x1
[Fill 1]
[Riff 1] x1
[Riff 1] x2 /w lyrics:
The blind men shout "let the creatures out, we'll show the unbelievers"
Napalm screams of human flames, of a primetime Belsen feast, yeah
[Riff 2] x2 /w lyrics:
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy,
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies.
[Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:
The killer's breed or the demon seed,
the glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
[Riff 4] x2 /w lyrics:
[Fill 1]
Two minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom.
Two minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb!
Guitar Solos
------------
Here's what I have done: I tabbed each solo (#1 is Dave, #2 is Adrian)
and put the solo rhythm underneath it. Because the rhythms are so odd, I
will leave them separate and you can figure out how they fit with each
solo.
[Guitar Solo #1]:
e:--------------------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------5-6-8-6-5^6^5---5^6^5-|
G:-7b9r7~--5^7^5-4^5^4-2^4^2-0v(\)~---------------7-------|
D:--------------------------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------|
e:--------------------------------------------------------|
B:-5^6^5---5^6^5---5^6^5----------------------------------|
G:-------7-------7-------7-5^7^5-4^5^4-2^4^2-0v(\)-<12>~--|
D:--------------------------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------|
e:-------------15b17~~r15^12-15----12----------15-----------|
B:-15b17r15^13------------------15----13-15b17~~~~r17-13----|
G:-------------------------------------------------------14~|
D:----------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------|
e:-----------------12=-13=-15=-17=-20=-20b22-20b22r20^17-------|
B:-/13-12=-13=-15=---------------------------------------20b22~|
G:-------------------------------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------|
[Solo #1 Rhythm]:
A F G F E D
e:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G:--9-5-7~--7-7-7-7-7-7--5-4-2~----------4-5-7-9-5-7~--7-7-7-7-7-7-|
D:--7-3-5~--5-5-5-5-5-5--3-2-0~----4-5-7-------7-3-5~--5-5-5-5-5-5-|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D/F#
e:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G:--5-4-2~----------------9-5-7~--7-7-7-7-7-7--5-4-7~--------4-5-7-|
D:--3-2-0~-------5--------7-3-5~--5-5-5-5-5-5--3-2-4~--4-5-7-------|
A:-----------5-7---7-5-3-------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------ * ------------|
e:----------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------------------|
G:--9-5-7~--7-7-7-7-7-7--5-4-2~-----------------|
D:--7-3-5~--5-5-5-5-5-5--3-2-0~-------5---------|
A:--------------------------------5-7---7-5-3---|
E:----------------------------------------------|
Rhythm/Solo #1 Harmony:
e:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B:------------15b17r15^13-15-12-13----12---------17----------------|
G:16b18r16^14----------------------14----12--16b~~~~(18)r16-14-----|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------16--|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
This harmony is played on top of the rhythm which I notated above
with the |-- * --| underneath it. That makes 3 guitars folks! :>
[Guitar solo #2]:
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-15----------------------------------------------------|
G:-14b16--14b16r14^12-14~~--12^11-------11---------------|
D:--------------------------------14^12----12--11b12r11~~|
A:-------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:----17-17-17-17^15^13----------------------------------|
G:----------------------16-14-12-------------------------|
D:~~/-----------------------------14-12------------------|
A:--------------------------------------13-12b13r12-10~--|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:-----------------------------|--------------------------|
B:------------------------(15)-|--------------------------|
G:-------12-14-14b16r14-12-14~-|------------------9V------|
D:-12-14-----------------------|--------9V----------------|
A:-----------------------------|-7-10-7----7-10-7----7-10-|
E:-----------------------------|--------------------------|
PM ------| |------|
e:---------------|---12---------12-----------------------|
B:---------------|------15b17------15^12-----------------|
G:----------7~~~~~~/---------------------14^12----12-14--|
D:---?-----------|-----------------------------14--------|
A:---------------|---------------------------------------|
E:---------------|---------------------------------------|
e:-----------------15b17-15-14-12------------------------|
B:-------------------------------[15][13][12]------------|
G:-14b16r14^12-14----------------------------[14][12][11]|
D:-------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:------------------|
B:------------------|
G:------------------|
D:--[14][12]--------|
A:-----------[15]~~-|
E:------------------|
[Solo #2 Rhythm]:
E5 G/B C5 A/C#
e:--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B:--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G:--9-----------------------------|--9----------------------------|
D:--9---5~---5~---7~--------4-5-7-|--9---5~---5~---7~------0------|
A:--7---2~---3~---4~--4-5-7-------|--7---2~---3~---4~--0-2---2-0--|
E:--------------------------------|------------------------------3|
e:--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B:--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G:--9-----------------------------|--9----------------------------|
D:--9---5~---5~---7~--------4-5-7-|--9---5~---5~---2~------0------|
A:--7---2~---3~---4~--4-5-7-------|--7---2~---3~---0~--0-2---2-0--|
E:--------------------------------|------------------------------3|
Post-Solo Break:
C5 D5 E5 G5
e:-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G:--5~--7~\-9-9-9\7/9~--12\-7--9~|--5~--7~\-9-9-9\7/9~--12\-7--9~-|
D:--5~--7~\-9-9-9\7/9~--12\-7--9~|--5~--7~\-9-9-9\7/9~--12\-7--9~-|
A:--3~--5~\-7-7-7\5/7~--10\-5--7~|--3~--5~\-7-7-7\5/7~--10\-5--7~-|
E:-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Lead break: (Smith plays lead, Murray plays chords)
C5 D5 E5
e:--12---------------------------------------------------|
B:-----12-15v(\)-----------------------------------------|
G:-----------------(14b)16r14^12-14~~-----11-------------|
D:-------------------------------------------12-9-12~~*--|
A:-------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
C5 D5 E5
e:--12---------------------------------------------------|
B:-----12-15V\-------------------------12^13^12~---------|
G:----------------(14b)16r14^12-14~~--------------<5>v(\)|
D:-------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
C5 D5
e:-------------------------|
B:-------------------------|
G:---5~--------------7~----|
D:---5~--------------7~----|
A:---3~--------------5~----|
E:-------------------------|
* = This is an overdub which Dave plays live, so I assume he does it on
the album:
e:---------------------------|
B:--12-10^12^10--------------|
G:--------------12-11-12~~~--|
D:---------------------------|
A:---------------------------|
E:---------------------------|
[Riff 1] x1
[Fill 1] x1
[Riff 1] x1
[Riff 1] x2 /w lyrics:
The body bags and little rags of children torn in two
And the jellied brains of those who remain to put the finger right on you
[Riff 2] x2 /w lyrics:
As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions to make a better kind of gun.
[Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:
The killer's breed or the demon seed,
the glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
[Riff 4] x2 /w lyrics:
[Fill 1]
Two minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom.
Two minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb.
[Outro]:
G5 A5 F5 G5 C5 D5 C5 A5
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------|
G:--12--14~----10--12~\---5---7~----5---2~---------------|
D:--12--14~----10--12~\---5---7~----5---2~---------------|
A:--10--12~----8---10~\---3---5~----3~--0~---------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
Midnight...midnight...midnight..all night...
(I know this can be played with the original fingerings, but this way
makes it easier to leave the A string open and also play the little fills
between each set of chord changes.)
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------|
G:--7--9-9---9-9---9------------5--7-7--7-7--7-----------|
D:--5--7-7---7-7---7---7^5------3--5-5--5-5--5--5^3------|
A:---------0-----0---0-----7^5----(0)---------------5^3--|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:------------------------------------------------------------|
B:------------------------------------------------------------|
G:--5----------------------------5--2-----2-----2-------------|
D:--5--7-7---7-7---7----2^0------5--2-----2-----2-----2^0-----|
A:--3--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------3^0--3--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----3^0-|
E:------------------------------------------------------------|
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------|
G:--7--9-9---9-9---9------------5--7-7--7-7--7-----------|
D:--5--7-7---7-7---7---7^5------3--5-5--5-5--5--5^3------|
A:---------0-----0---0-----7^5----(0)---------------5^3--|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:-----------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------|
G:--5----------------------------5--2------|
D:--5--7-7---7-7---7----2^0------5--2------|
A:--3--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------3^0--3--0------|
E:-----------------------------------------|
For anyone interested, here is how Adrian plays this on Live After
Death:
G5 A5 F5 G5 C5 D5 C5 A5
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----(14)-15p14-----------(12)-13p12-------------------|
G:--12--14~-------14-----10--12~-------12-----5--7~--5-2~|
D:--12--14~----------14--10--12~----------12--5--7~--5-2~|
A:--10--12~--------------8---10~--------------3--5~--3-0~|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
e:-------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----(14)-15p14----------------------------------------|
G:--12--14~-------14-----10--12~------<12>v(\)5--7~--5-2~|
D:--12--14~----------14--10--12~-<12>---------5--7~--5-2~|
A:--10--12~--------------8---10~--------------3--5~--3-0~|
E:-------------------------------------------------------|
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