Time Stand Still

Background and Commentary

“‘Time Stand Still’ is a lament about change. The world is ablaze with constant change, but that change isn’t surreal in it’s randomness. Things always seem to come along certain paths and in certain patterns. Similarly, there’s a regular proportion in change. [This fact about constant change has implications for life satisfaction.] You cannot find a port of rest in the storm of constant change. This changing world of frustration and disappointment is what the Buddha calls Samsara. Zen meditation [in part] is aimed at transforming consciousness so as to see eternity in a moment of time. Such an enlightened person is mentioned in the song.”—Carol Selby Price and Robert Price, Mystic Rhythms

“The drum rim clicks are metaphors for clock ticking and the smashing effect symbolizes time stopping.”—Robert Telleria, Merely Players

“‘Time Stand Still’ is a master of melodies, distinguished by an ethereal Aimee Mann [of ‘Til Tuesday] come chorus time.”—Martin Popoff, Contents Under Pressure

“We thought we had the perfect part for a female voice, which I think it was. And we listened to a lot of records, liked Aimee’s a lot and asked her if she would sing on it, which she graciously agreed to do.” (Off the Record)—Geddy in Merely Players

“She was very nervous. I don’t think she had done that sort of thing very often, especially with a band like us. We weren’t necessarily playing the kind of music that she was into or listening to, but she liked the band. We made her feel relaxed very quickly, turning the whole session into a fun thing.”—Alex in a 1996 Guitar World interview

1987 “was the year that I got the Signature guitars with single-coil active pickups. It’s very apparent on [this] song. The guitar has a clear, metallic sound to it that really sings. I got into that bright tone, and my sound was still very chorusy. I had gotten rid of all my Hiwatts and the Dean Markleys and was using primarily Marshalls again. I used 2×12 combos as well as the JCM800.”—Alex in a 1996 Guitar World interview

Lyrics

I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath
Before I start off again
Driven on without a moment to spend
To pass an evening with a drink and a friend

I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim
Who learns to transcend
Learns to live as if each step was the end

(Time stand still)
I’m not looking back
But I want to look around me now
(Time stand still)
See more of the people and the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each sensation a little bit stronger
Experience slips away
Experience slips away

I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes
Let my defenses down
All those wounds that I can’t get unwound

I let my past go too fast
No time to pause
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain, whose ship runs aground
I can wait until the tide comes around

(Time stand still)
I’m not looking back
But I want to look around me now
(Time stand still)
See more of the people and the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each impression a little bit stronger
Freeze this motion a little bit longer
The innocence slips away
The innocence slips away

Summer’s going fast, nights growing colder
Children growing up, old friends growing older
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each impression a little bit stronger
Experience slips away
Experience slips away
The innocence slips away

Tablature

By Dan Newcombe (STDN@vm.marist.edu)

Excerpted from Fretplay.

I know that this is not 100 percent accurate, but it is closer than nothing. If you have corrections, please post them. To find out the chord rythyms, listen to the album.

Intro: (Riff 1)
(Clean tone, with a bit of delay and maybe chorus)
(Play 3 times)
————————-
——————–2-2–
——4—–4——-2-2–
—-4—–4———2-2–
——–7——4-0–0-0–
–7———————-

C# A E
I turn my back to the wind to catch ….

B
again Driven on …
—0————————————————————-
—0———————————————-4-5^4–5^4–5^4
—2———————————————-4—4—-4—-4
—2———————————————-4—4—-4—-4
—1——————————-0–2–4–2——————–
—0——————0—2—4———————————-

B E A C#
pass the moment with a drink ….

A E
too thin, I’d like to pause, ….

pretend like some pilgram ….
—0————————————————————-
—0———————————————-4-5^4–5^4–5^4
—2———————————————-4—4—-4—-4
—2———————————————-4—4—-4—-4
—1——————————-0–2–4–2——————–
—0——————0—2—4———————————-

B E A
as if each step ….

(Guitar Tacet)
“Time Stand Still, I’m not ….

(Play riff 1 twice)
now Time ….

E A B
Freeze this moment a ….
-0—–0—–
—4—–4—
—–4—–4-
————-
————-
————-

A F# E
Make each sensation a ….

B A E B A (Play riff 1)
Experience slips away …

A A

(2nd verse same as the first as far as music goes.)
I turn my face to the sun, close ….

Chorus:
“Time stand still. I’m not …..

(Play riff one)
now

E A B
Freeze this moment a ….
-0—–0—–
—4—–4—
—–4—–4-
————-
————-
————-

For complete tab, go to Fretplay.