Afterimage

Background and Commentary

“Written in memory of Robbie Whelan, a friend of the band’s [and assistant to Paul Northfield, engineer on Grace Under Pressure] who died in a car accident not too far from the studio [Le Studio in Quebec]. Alex’s guitar playing in the bridge flashes and disappears thoughtfully. The title is a photographical term referring to the ghost-like image that continues to appear in one’s vision after the exposure to the original image has ceased.”—Robert Telleria, Merely Players

“Although it has a tone of sadness, it tries to capture the beautiful memories the band had of their friend. The sense of a friend trying to explain to someone who is not there and never will be again how much he meant to them is captured in the call and response between Geddy’s vocals and Alex’s guitar on the chorus.”—Bill Banasiewicz, Rush Visions

Lyrics

Suddenly, you were gone
From all the lives you left your mark upon

I remember
How we talked and drank into the misty dawn
I hear the voices

We ran by the water on the wet summer lawn
I see the footprints
I remember

I feel the way you would
I feel the way you would

Tried to believe but you know it’s no good
This is something that just can’t be understood

I remember
The shouts of joy skiing fast through the woods
I hear the echoes

I learned your love for life,
I feel the way that you would
I feel your presence
I remember

I feel the way you would
This just can’t be understood

Tablature

By Jimmy Pena (jimmy@walrus.com)

Excerpted from Fretplay.

This song is in the key of C. Standard tuning [EADGBe] (low to
high). 4/4 time. Play with some distortion.

| = not a standard bar line; just used to separate music
~ = vibrato or held note
x = percussive note with no pitch; muted note
. = staccato; mute the note immediately after striking it
h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
b = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret
r = release bend to indicated string/fret
/ = slide up from infinity
\ = slide down into infinity
[5] = artificial harmonic (use thumb to follow through the pick attack)
o \_
o / repeat sign (always look for these!)

[x35553] = fret box; this is a C chord – this is the same as standard
tablature, only turned on its side. Tilt your head clockwise to read.

Chord legend:

Dm : [x57765]
C : [x3555x]
Dm11 : [x53553]
Csus2 : [x35533]

[Riff 1]
Am Em
e:-0–0~——————————-0~————————–|
B:-1–1——————————0-0—————————|
G:-2–2——————————0-0—————————|
D:-2–2—2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2—————————|
A:-0–0—0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0–2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2|
E:———————————–0-0–0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0|
G F
e:—3~—————————–1–1~————————–|
B:-3-3——————————1–1—————————|
G:-0-0——————————2–2—————————|
D:-0-0–0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0–0-0-0-0—3–3—————————|
A:-2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2–2-2-2-2—3–3–3-3-3-3–3-3-3-3–3-3-3-3|
E:-3-3–3-3-3-3–3-3-3-3–3-3-3-3—1–1–1-1-1-1–1-1-1-1–1-1-1-1|

[Riff 2]
Am7 Dm C
e:——————–5–|—5–5–5–5–5————————-|
B:——————–5–|—6–6–6–6–6—5~——————–|
G:o——————-5-o|—7–7–7–7–7—5~——————–|
D:o———————o|—7–7–7–7–7—5~——————–|
A:———–5–5-7——|—5–5–5–5–5—3~——————–|
E:–3–5—–3–3-5——|—————————————–|

[Riff 3]
Bbsus2 Gm7sus4
e:–1–1–1–1——1~———————————————|
B:–1–1–1–1——1~———————————————|
G:–3–3–3–3——3~———————————————|
D:–3–3–3–3——3~———————————————|
A:–1–1–1–1——x———————————————-|
E:——————3~———————————————|

[Riff 4a] [Riff 4b]

e:——13–12–10–12————-|——13–12–10–12———–|
B:–10——————13–10~~—|–10——————10~~—–|
G:———————————|——————————-|
D:———————————|——————————-|
A:———————————|——————————-|
E:———————————|——————————-|

[Riff 4c] [Riff 4d]

e:——13–12–10–12–[15]~~–|——13–12——12–[17]~~——|
B:–10————————–|————–15——————|
G:——————————|–14——————————|
D:——————————|———————————-|
A:——————————|———————————-|
E:——————————|———————————-|

For complete tab, go to Fretplay.