'Stay Acoustic' by U2 - Guitar Tutorial

            U2 – Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
As Performed Live Acoustically on the Elevation Tour from Boston

Transcribed by Eden Kung ([email protected])

This is the acoustic version of Stay (Faraway, So Close!) that U2 played on 
their Elevation tour DVD. It’s drastically different from the original and 
sounds better in my humble opinion.


Tune down a half step


Fig 1

Green light, ....

      E                 F                 A                 E
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0----------
b---------------0---------------0-------------------------------------0------
g---------1-------1---------3-----3-----------6-----6-----------1-------1----
d-------2-----------2-----4---------4-------7---------7-------2-----------2--
a-------------------------------------4-----------------7--------------------
e-----0-----------------2-----------------5-----------------0----------------
Play 3 times


Fig 2

You say when ...

      Asus2/F#                            E
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------------------
b---------0-----0-----------0---0-------------------0-------------------------
g-------2---------2-------2-------2-----------1-------1h2p1h2p1---------------
d-------------------2---------------2-------2-------------------2---------2---
a-------------------------------------0---------------------------2-----2---2-
e-----2-----------------2-----------------0-------------------------0---------
                                                   h = hammer on, p = pull off

Because when he hurts you, you feel alive.

      Asus2/F#                            E
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------------------
b---------0-----0-----------0---0-------------------0-------------------------
g-------2---------2-------2-------2-----------1-------1-----------------------
d-------------------2---------------2-------2---------------------------------
a-------------------------------------0---------------------------------------
e-----2-----------------2-----------------0-----------------------------------

Oh oh. Is that what it is?

      F                 A                 E                
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0----------
b-------------0-------------------------------------0------
g---------3-----3-----------6-----6-----------1-------1----
d-------4---------4-------7---------7-------2-----------2--
a-------------------4-----------------7--------------------
e-----2-----------------5-----------------0----------------


Fig 3

Red light, grey morning…

Strum
      E                 F                 A                 E
e-----0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-------
b-----0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-------
g-----1-----------------3-----------------6-----------------1-------
d-----2-----------------4-----------------7-----------------2-------
a-----2-----------------4-----------------7-----------------2-------
e-----0-----------------2-----------------5-----------------0-------


Fig 4

And if you look, you look through me.     And ...

      Asus2/F#                            E/C#
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------
b---------0-----0-----------0---0-------------------0---------------0---------
g-------2---------2-------2-------2-----------1-------1---------1-----1-------
d-------------------2---------------2-------2-----------2-----2---------2-----
a-------------------------------------0-----------------------------------2---
e-----2-----------------2-----------------4-----------------4-----------------

And if I touch you                    You ..

    A                                 B
e---------0-----------------0---------------0---------0-------0---------------
b-----------------------------------------------0---0---0---0---0---0---------
g-------6-----6-----------6-----6---------8-------8-------8-------8-----------
d-----7---------7-------7---------7-----9-------------------------------------
a-----------------7-----------------------------------------------------------
e---5-----------------5---------------7---------------------------------------


Fig 5

If I could stay…

      Asus2/F#                            E
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------------------
b---------0-----0-----------0---0-------------------0-------------------------
g-------2---------2-------2-------2-----------1-------1h2p1h2p1---------------
d-------------------2---------------2-------2-------------------2---------2---
a-------------------------------------0---------------------------2-----2---2-
e-----2-----------------2-----------------0-------------------------0---------
Play 2 times

Stay, ...

      Asus2/F#          A                 E                
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0------------------
b---------0-----0-----------------------------------0--------------
g-------2---------2---------6-----6-----------1-------1------------
d-------------------2-----7---------7-------2-----------1h2p1h2p1--
a-------------------------------------7----------------------------
e-----2-----------------5-----------------0------------------------


Faraway, so close…

Repeat Fig 1, quietly


And if you listen, I can’t call…

Repeat Fig 4


Fig 6

If I could stay…

      Asus2/F#                            E
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------------------
b---------0-----0-----------0---0-------------------0-------------------------
g-------2---------2-------2-------2-----------1-------1h2p1h2p1---------------
d-------------------2---------------2-------2-------------------2---------2---
a-------------------------------------0---------------------------2-----2---2-
e-----2-----------------2-----------------0-------------------------0---------
Play 2 times

Stay, ....

      Asus2/F#          E/C#              A                 B
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-----------
b---------0-----0-----------------0-----------------0-------------------------
g-------2---------2---------1-------1---------6-------6---------8-----8-------
d-------------------2-----2-----------2-----7-----------7-----9---------9-----
a-------------------------------------------------------------------------9---
e-----2-----------------4-----------------5-----------------7-----------------

Stay, ...

      Asus2/F#          A                 E                
e-----------0-----------------0-----------------0------------------
b---------0-----0-----------------------------------0--------------
g-------2---------2---------6-----6-----------1-------1------------
d-------------------2-----7---------7-------2-----------1h2p1h2p1--
a-------------------------------------7----------------------------
e-----2-----------------5-----------------0------------------------


Fig 7

Ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh…

Strum
      E                 F#m               A                 E
e-----0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-------
b-----0-----------------0-----------------0-----------------0-------
g-----1-----------------2-----------------6-----------------1-------
d-----2-----------------4-----------------7-----------------2-------
a-----2-----------------4-----------------7-----------------2-------
e-----0-----------------2-----------------5-----------------0-------

End on E.