Simply Red – Holding Back The Years (Guitar Solo Tab)

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Chords

© Mick Hucknall & Neil Moss. YOUTUBE VIDEO: This arrangement is based on a live performance at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome 2017, and uses easy to play chords and is very effective at conveying the sense of musical emotion as a solo guitar performance. Note: The variation of G6 as shown below uses the same fingering pattern of Fmaj7, but slid up the neck by 2 frets. The use of the Open "E" on these 3 chords adds that sense of delicate emotion.
[Chords]
Fmaj7 = x-3-3-2-1-0
G6    = x-5-5-4-3-0
Am/E  = x-7-7-5-5-0
[Intro] Fmaj7 G6 Am/E G6 Fmaj7 G6 Am/E G6 G [Verse 1]
Fmaj7                 G6
     Holding back the years.

Fmaj7                G6                       Fmaj7
     Thinking of the fear I've had so long.

                   G6
     When somebody hears.

Fmaj7              G6                   G
     Listen to the fear that's gone.

Fmaj7                 G6
     Strangled by the wishes of pater.

Fmaj7               G6
     Hoping for the arms of mater.

Fmaj7              G6                   G
     Get to me the sooner or later,  oh.
[Chorus 1]
Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6            G
     I'll keep holding on.
[Verse 2]
Fmaj7                 G6
     Holding back the years.

Fmaj7                    G6
     Chance for me to es-cape from all I know.

Fmaj7                 G6
     Holding back the tears.

Fmaj7                        G6         G
     'Cause nothing here has grown.

Fmaj7                   G6
     I've wasted all my tears.

Fmaj7                 G6
     Wasted all those years.

Fmaj7                G6
     Nothing had the chance to be good.

Fmaj7            G6                     G
    Nothing ever could, yeah,  oh.
[Chorus 2]
Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6          G
     I'll keep holding on,     so tight.
[Instrumental] Fmaj7 G6 Am/E G6 G G G [Verse 3]
Fmaj7                        G6
     Well I've wasted all my tears.

Fmaj7                             G6
     Wasted all of those precious years.

Fmaj7                    G6
     And nothing had the chance to be good.

Fmaj7                    G6               G
     'Cause nothing ever could, oh yeah,      Oh.
[Chorus 3]
Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on.

Fmaj7          G6
     I'll keep holding on,
[Outro]
Fmaj7                  G6
     Holding, Holding, Holding, Holding,

Fmaj7          G6
     la-la-la, la, la-la.

Fmaj7             G6
     I said, ooh, yeah.

Fmaj7                     G6
     That's all I have to-day.

Fmaj7                   G6     G
     It's all I have to say.

Fmaj7                     G6
     That's all I have to-day.

Fmaj7                   G6     G
     It's all I have to say.

          Fmaj7
Oh  Oo----h