Hangin On A Limb Chords

Song: Hangin' on a limb
Artist: Neil Young
Composer: Neil Young
Album: Freedom
 
Tabbed by DJ  25th June 2013
 
OPEN TUNING used on the 'Freedom' album:
D-G-C-F-A-A  (Chords will then sound in the key of D)
 
Tune 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th strings tuned DOWN
a full tone. Then tune the 1st string way down to
match 2nd string. Using a chromatic tuner may help
make this process a bit more accurate.
 
There are live versions where Neil plays the song
in standard tuning except for the top E string,
which is tuned down to B. He plays the same chord
shapes as below, but it will sound a full tone higher
than the original album track, and will sound in the
key of E.
LIVE VERSION DROPPED TUNING:  E-A-D-G-B-B
 
NOTE: I've simplified a few of the chord names,
as they would have been quite long and made the tab
look much more untidy.
 
IGNORE THE CHORD BOX DIAGRAMS that the website
displays, they are generated automatically from a
generic database which doesn't have this open tuning.
Just follow the voicings suggested in the text
column numbers
 
In the dropped tuning the chord shapes will actually
sound as those named in the brackets:
 
    (D)  (Gadd9)  (C6)  (A)  (Gadd9)  (Em11)  (F#m)
     E    Aadd9    D6    B    Aadd9 *  F#m11   G#m
A|---0-----0-------0-----0------0-------0-------0---|
A|---0-----2-------3-----7------5-------0-------0---|
F|---1-----2-------2-----8------6-------2-------4---|
C|---2-----2-------0-----9------7-------4-------6---|
G|---2-----0-------------9------7-------4-------6---|
D|---0--------------------------5-------2-------4---|
                             [Bass notes using thumb]
 
[Optional riff on Aadd9 chords]
    Aadd9  Asus2          Aadd9
A|---0-----0--0----0--0---0----|
A|---2-----0--0----0--0--h2----|  h = hammer-on note
F|---2-----2--2----2--2---2----|
C|---2-----2--2----2--2---2----|
G|---0-----0--0----0--0---0----|
D|-----------------------------|
 
Please take a second to scroll down to the bottom of
the page and select a star rating for my tab, thanks
=====================================================
[Intro]
  E        Aadd9 Asus2 Aadd9   D6    Aadd9  E
| / / / / |  /    /    /   / | /  /  /  / | / / / / |
  E       Aadd9 Asus2 D6  Aadd9 Asus2 Aadd9 E
| / / / / | / / / / | / /  /     /___/    | / / / / |
 
[Verse 1]
E                      Aadd9
Though the river flows gently to the sea,
D6            Aadd9   E
He was on the shore,  rooted like a tree,
E                       Aadd9
She was here and there, riding on the waves,
D6                 Aadd9
Through it all she heard his call,
    E
And gave it all she gave
 
[Chorus]
B                            Aadd9 *
   And though their love was hanging on a limb,
    E                        F#m11   G#m
She taught him how to dance--------------,
              Aadd9 *   B
And start a - gain,     ...and though their love...
    Aadd9 *                E
Was hanging on a limb, she taught him...
       E         F#m11             G#m  Aadd9 *   B
How to dance---------------------------------!
            (She taught him how to dance-----!)
 
[Break]
  E            Aadd9        D6    Aadd9  E
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
  E            Aadd9        D6    Aadd9  E
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
 
[Verse 2]
    E                Aadd9
And when the melody, through the window called,
   D6            Aadd9
It echoed in the courtyard, 
    E
And whispered in the halls,
   E                                Aadd9
He played it through the night, she knew he had to go
          D6              Aadd9
There was something about freedom...
   E
He thought he didn't know
 
[Chorus]
B                            Aadd9 *
   And though their love was hanging on a limb,
    E                        F#m11   G#m
She taught him how to dance--------------,
              Aadd9 *   B
And start a - gain,     ...and though their love...
    Aadd9 *                E
Was hanging on a limb, she taught him...
       E         F#m11             G#m  Aadd9 *   B
How to dance---------------------------------!
            (She taught him how to dance-----!)
 
[Break]
  E            Aadd9        D6    Aadd9  E
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
  E            Aadd9        D6    Aadd9  E
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
 
[Verse 3]
E                      Aadd9
Though the river flows gently to the sea,
D6            Aadd9   E
He was on the shore,  rooted like a tree,
E                       Aadd9
She was here and there, riding on the waves,
D6                 Aadd9
Through it all she heard his call,
    E
And gave it all she gave
 
[Coda]
B                            Aadd9 *
   And though their love was hanging on a limb,
    Aadd9 *                E
Was hanging on a limb, she taught him...
       E         F#m11             G#m  Aadd9 *
How to dance-----------------------------------!
            (She taught him how to dance!)
 
  Aadd9 *
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | |  /  ||
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