Tears

Background and Commentary

The studio production piece on 2112. Lyrics by Geddy.

It’s “better produced than ‘Lessons’,” which immediately precedes it. “It is very much in the mode of ‘Rivendell’ [from Fly By Night] and marks one of the few times that Neil plays in a straight four-time signature.”—Bill Banasiewicz, Rush Visions

“Once again Geddy proves he’s not just a screamer and his lyrics improved. Hugh Syme [who occasionally plays keyboards and art directs the album covers] plays the Mellotron keyboards.”—Robert Telleria, Merely Players

A “haunting, ambitiously arranged ballad.”—Martin Popoff, Contents Under Pressure.

Two “Tears” tribute versions.

Lyrics

All of the seasons and all of the days
All of the reasons why I’ve felt this way
So long
So long

Then lost in that feeling I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion and that you had cried
For me
I can see

What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes that only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes that know why?

A lifetime of questions, tears on your cheek
I tasted the answers and my body was weak
For you
The truth

What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes that only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes that know why?

Tablature

By Rob Goggins

Excerpted from Fretplay.

Dm : [xx0231]
CaddD : [x32030]
G : [320033]
A : [x0222x]

[Riff 1]
e:–0—————0———–|
B:—-6——-6——-6———|
G:——0———0—–0——-|
D:——–7—————7—–|
A:–8—————8———–|
E:——————————|

[Riff 2]
A7sus4 A7 A7sus4 A7
e:–0–0–0–0–0-0–0–0–0–0–0-0–0–0–0–0–0-0–0–0–0–0–0~–|
B:–3—3-3—3-3–3-2—2-2—2-2–2-3—3-3—3-3–3-2—2-2—2-2~–|
G:–0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0~–|
D:–2—–2—–2—-2—–2—–2—-2—–2—–2—-2—–2—–2~–|
A:–0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0—-0—–0—–0~–|
E:———————————————————————|

[Riff 3]
A7sus4 A7 A7sus4 A7
e:——————————–0———————————-|
B:——-3~————2~———–3———–2~——————-|
G:—–0—–0~——0———0——0——-0———————-|
D:—2————-2———2————–2————————|
A:-0————-0———0————–0————————–|
E:——————————————————————-|

Progression:

[Riff 1] x2

[Riff 1] x2 /w lyrics:

All of the seasons …

[Riff 2] and [Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

So long, so …

[Riff 1] x2 /w lyrics:

Then lost in that feeling, I ….

[Riff 2] and [Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

For me, I …

Dm CaddD G A
What would touch me deeper? Tears …
Dm CaddD G A
Would it touch you deeper than tears ….?

[Riff 1] x2
[Riff 2] and [Riff 3] x1