Behind Blue Eyes, the Who

mattguitar · 2005-10-31T18:54:53Z

Well, a bit of a pre-amble for you. I remember sitting in the Hard Rock CafÃ© in Barcelona with my wife Kathryn, and a couple of songs came on the screens that had a lot of impact â€“ one was Hurt by Johnny Cash, the other was Limp Bizkit's cover of the Who's Behind Blue Eyes. It wasn't really a song I was very familiar with at the time, but I rushed out and bought the Who's greatest hits, and have loved it ever since.This is probably the hardest song I have tried to do a mini lesson on, so apologies if this is a bit long winded, but I hope the explanation I have given to things makes sense to you and gets you playing this song, which is a classic.Disclaimer â€“ this version does NOT include the manic bridge section. Ok first things first. I tried this fingerpicked, and with a plectrum (pick). To be honest, I probably prefer it fingerpicked, try it both ways and see what you prefer. If you decide to fingerpick it, you'll have to be comfortable strumming with your fingers as well, for the chorus part.AND PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS VERY MUCH HOW I PLAY IT, NOT HOW THE WHO PLAY IT â€“ BUT THE LISTENER PROBABLY WON'T NOTICEâ€¦!!!!!Chords (don't be put off!!!)Em 022000Esus4 022200 (Form a normal Em then add pinky on G string fret 2)Asus2 x02200G6 320030G 320003 or 320033 its up to youD xx0232Dsus2 xx0230Dsus4 xx0233Cadd9 x30030Cadd9* x32033C x032010Bm x24432 OR XX4432 to avoid the barre chordThe intro.The intro consists of a picked Esus4 chord, this then goes straight into the Em for the first verse. I usually play this Esus4 section through 4 times before launching into the verse section. Here's a tab of the intro: Esus4 e---------------0----Â¦ B--T---------0---0---Â¦ G--A-----2----2---2--Â¦ D--B----2------2-----Â¦ A------2-------------Â¦ E-----0--------------Â¦ No need to do anything fancy here â€“ just hold onto your chord shape and make sure the strings all ring nice and cleanly. I am not going to recommend which fingers you use for which string â€“ at times I find myself playing the first four notes all with my thumb and the end part all with my fingers, find something that works for you, and that you can repeat. It goes without saying that if you are struggling with this, slow down! Its better to get this right, then slowly speed up, than rush it and play it wrong. Don't even try to move onto the rest of the song until you have got this sorted. Ok let's assume you've got that . Move onto the verseâ€¦.The chord progression is like thisEm / G6 / Dsus2 / Dsus2 / Cadd9 / Cadd9 / Asus2 / Asus2Let's tackle the Em / G6 / Dsus2 / Dsus2 section first. Get this right and the rest of it is a breeze! Em G6 Dsus2 e-----0----Â¦-----0----Â¦-----0----Â¦-----0----Â¦ B------0---Â¦------3---Â¦---3--3-3-Â¦---3--3-3-Â¦ G----0--0--Â¦----0--0--Â¦--2-2--2--Â¦--2-2--2--Â¦ D---2----2-Â¦---0----0-Â¦-0--------Â¦-0--------Â¦ A--2-------Â¦--2-------Â¦----------Â¦----------Â¦ E-0--------Â¦-3--------Â¦----------Â¦----------Â¦ So start of with very simple arpeggios on the Em and G6 â€“ play the notes nice and evenly one and two and three and four andâ€¦..then change to Dsus2 (note your ring finger is already in place from the G6 on the third fret of the B string, so just add a finger on the G string 2nd fret to get to Dsus2). The picking on the Dsus2 isn't complicated, just play it through slowly to get the hang of it. The timing is the same here, one and two and three and four andâ€¦.note that you hold the Dsus2 for two bars.Moving on to the Cadd9 / Asus2 section Cadd9 Asus2 e------0----Â¦------0----Â¦------------Â¦-0--------Â¦ B----3--3-3-Â¦----3--3-3-Â¦-0-----0----Â¦-0--------Â¦ G-----------Â¦-----------Â¦-2-----2----Â¦-2--------Â¦ D---2-2--2--Â¦---2-2--2--Â¦-2-----2----Â¦-2--------Â¦ A-3---------Â¦-3---------Â¦-0-----0----Â¦-0--------Â¦ E-----------Â¦-----------Â¦----3-------Â¦---------Â¦ Ok here's where some of you will struggle â€“ the picking on the Cadd9 isn't the most basic. But seeing as I like to have â€œcheatâ€ answers to all things guitar related, in all honesty you can substitute the following for the Cadd9 / Asus2 section if you like Cadd9 Asus2 e-----0----Â¦-----0----Â¦-0-S------Â¦----------Â¦ B------3-3-Â¦------3-3-Â¦-0-T------Â¦----------Â¦ G---0---0--Â¦---0---0--Â¦-2-R------Â¦----------Â¦ D--2-2-----Â¦--2-2-----Â¦-2-U------Â¦----------Â¦ A-3--------Â¦-3--------Â¦-0-M------Â¦----------Â¦ E----------Â¦----------Â¦----------Â¦----------Â¦ This will keep the original picking going quite nicely for the Cadd9 â€“ on the Asus2 just give it a big downstrum and let ir ring out for 2 bars (this is where you are singing â€œbehind blue eyesâ€ so it gives it a bit of punch.)Ok so now would be a good time to review where we are in the song. As far as I can tell we have covered this â€“ Play intro (Esus4 â€“ repeat 4 bars) Em G6 No one knows what it's like Dsus2 Dsus2 To be the bad man Cadd9 Cadd9 Asus2 (strum once) To be the sad man Behind blue eyes Em G6 And no one knows what its like Dsus2 Dsus2 To be hated Cadd9 Cadd9 Asus2 (strum)...

Page 2 / 2 Prev

Easy Songs

Last Post by mattsback 18 years ago

16 Posts

12 Users

0 Reactions

3,352 Views

RSS

mattsback

(@mattsback)

New Member

Joined: 19 years ago

Posts: 3

21/02/2008 7:35 am

great cover version that Chris, I totally agree

great song, gets better with age

all the best

Matt

ReplyQuote

Page 2 / 2 Prev

29 Forums
47.8 K Topics
385.7 K Posts
79 Online
11.4 K Members

Forum Icons: Forum contains no unread posts Forum contains unread posts

Topic Icons: Not Replied Replied Active Hot Sticky Unapproved Solved Private Closed

Behind Blue Eyes, the Who

Newsletter

Blog

Reviews