High Water

Background and Commentary

“Orchestral arrangements, watery melodies, and synth textures over a wurbling guitar riff opens this song about the most dynamic force in nature: water. Man comes from the water in a biological context (saltwater in our veins) as well as a geological and mythological context. The Flood or Great Deluge is referenced in the first verse.”—Robert Telleria, Merely Players

“I always feel comfortable when I’m near water, be it the sound of the ocean or even the refreshing feeling of a dip in the swimming pool. I remember being in the center of one of Japan’s biggest cities and the noise pollution was incredible. But right in the middle was this garden with a small waterfall that ran over a bunch of stones. It was designed in such a way that, if you stay by the waterfall, the sound of water would drown out all the surrounding noises. I think the Japanese understand the therapeutic nature of water better than most.” (Canadian Musician)—Neil in Merely Players

Lyrics

When the waters rose in the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory
It flowed into our blood

When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home

Springing from the weight of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst

Something swam through the jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home

Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins

When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home

Tablature (Bass)

Excerpted from Ultimate Guitar.

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+—–+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+——–+———+—5-5—+——-+—–+
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|—–|—-|—-|—-|—-|—-|—-|——–|———|———|——-|—–|
+—–+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+——–+———+———+——-+—–+

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|——-|———|——-|—–|-3—3-|-3——-|-3—3-|-3-3-2-3-|——-|
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Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h
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Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h Q e+h w +w w +w Q e+h
+——-+——-+——-+——-+——-+——-+—+—-+—+—-+——-+
|——-|——-|——-|——-|——-|——-|—|—-|—|—-|——-|
|——-|——-|——-|——-|——-|——-|—|—-|—|—-|——-|
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+——-+——-+-3-5—+-3-5—+——-+——-+—+—-+—+—-+-3—–+

Q Q q E E e+h E E Q s E E E e+h E E Q s s s s E E e+h E E Q s E
+——-+———+———–+———+—————+———+———–+
|——-|———|——-5-7-|———|———–5-7-|———|——-5-7-|
|—–R-|———|———–|———|——-5-7—–|———|———–|
|-3-5—|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5—–|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5———|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5—–|
+——-+———+———–+———+—————+———+———–+

E E e+h E E Q s s s s E E e+h E E Q s E E E e+h E E e+h w +w
+———+—————+———+———–+———+———+—+—-+
|———|———–5-7-|———|——-5-7-|———|———|—|—-|
|———|——-5-7—–|———|———–|———|———|—|—-|
|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5———|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5—–|-5-5-5—|-5-5-5—|-3-|—-|
+———+—————+———+———–+———+———+—+—-+

For complete tab, go to Ultimate Guitar.

Tutorials

“High water” bass cover

“High water” drum cover

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~ by rvkeeper on February 8, 2011.