---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Written by: Geoff Downes, Trevor Horn, Bruce Woolley
From: "The Age of Plastic" (1979)
Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Standard
The chord sheet contains the basic chords which may be enough to strum
along on a guitar. It is a little difficult because often the chords are
not played on the beat but are syncopated (whenever the [Verse] chords are
used and in the [Solo], too). It is important to retain this feel, as it is
responsible for the drive of these parts.
The split chords in the [Verse] part may be played as regular chords, too
(but the 3rd in the bass gives it that special extra, I think). The split
chords in the [Interlude] are essential and should stay.
In the tabs, I added the arpeggios, voicings and melody lines for anyone
who would like to get into the track a little deeper. I tried to make it
playable for guitar players, still the piano pattern in the verse might
take a little until it flows along effortlessly. (At least it was like that
for me ...)
Comments and suggestions are highly welcome!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capo 1st fret
Play: C
Key: Db
For chords in original key, transpose +1 (and "use flats").
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro
[Dm/F [C/E [Dm7 [Am
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|------5---------|------3---------|------1---------|----------------|
B|----3-----------|----1-----------|----1-----------|1-----0---------|
G|--2-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|2-----------2---|
D|3---------------|2---------------|0---------------|2---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
[Dm/F [C/E [Dm7 [G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|------5---------|------3---------|------1---------|3---------------|
B|----3-----------|----1-----------|----1-----------|0---------------|
G|--2-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|0---------------|
D|3---------------|2---------------|0---------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|3---------------|
[Verse] / [Bridge] / [Link 2]
[C/E [Dm [Gsus4 [G [C/E [Dm [Gsus4 [G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|--1-1-3-3-1-1-3-|3-1-1-0-0-1-3---|--1-1-3-3-1-1-3-|3-1-1-0-0-1-3---|
G|--0-0-2-2-2-2-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|--0-0-2-2-2-2-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|
D|2-----0---------|--------------3-|2-----0---------|-------------(3)|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|3---------------|----------------|3---------------|
Solo
[Dm/F [G [C/E [F [Dm/F [G [C/E [F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|5---5-----------|----------------|----5-----------|----------------|
B|------8---6---5-|----------------|------8---6---5-|--6-8-----------|
G|--7-------------|--5-------------|--7-------------|------5---------|
D|----------------|------7---------|7---------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
[Dm/F [G [E/G# [Am [break]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----5-----------|----------------|
B|------8---6---5-|----------------|
G|--7-------------|--7---5---------|
D|7---------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
[Link 1]
[Dm/F [C/G [Dm7
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|------5---------|------3---------|------1---------|
B|----3-----------|----1-----------|----1-----------|
G|--2-------------|--0-------------|--2-------------|
D|3---------------|----------------|0---------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|3---------------|----------------|
[G [Am [F 8Am [F [G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|10—10b12r10-8-— 10b12r10-8---10--| (second guitar)
B|8---8b10r8--6---|8b10r8--6---8---| (first guitar)
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHORDS (alphabetically)
E-A-D-G-B-e
Am9 x-0-5-5-0-0
C/E 0(3)2-0-1-0 or x-x-2-0-1-0
Dm/F 1-x-3-2-3-1 or x-x-3-2-3-1
E/G# 4-x-2-1-0-0
F* (t)1-x-3-2-1-1
F/A x-0-3-2-1-1
F(add9) (t)1-x-3-2-1-3
Fsus2 (t)1-3-3-0-1-1 or x-x-3-0-1-1
Gsus4 3-x-0-0-1-3
G/B x-2-0-0-0-3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro
| [Dm/F] | [C/E] | [Dm7] | [Am] |
| [Dm/F] | [C/E] | [Dm7] | [G] |
Verse 1
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
I heard you on the wireless back in Fifty Two
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through
[Bridge] (part)
[C/E] [Dm/F] | [Gsus4] [G] |
(Ow-A-ow-a)
Verse 2
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
They took the credit for your second symphony
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
Rewritten by machine and new technology
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
And now I understand the problems you can see
Bridge
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus] [G]
(Ow-a-ow-a) I met your children
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus] [G]
(Ow-a-ow-a) What did you tell them?
Chorus
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
Interlude
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
Pictures came and broke your heart
[Gsus4] [Am9]
Ow-A-A-A-ow
Verse 3
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
And now we meet in an abandoned studio
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
We hear the playback and it seems so long ago
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus4] [G]
And you remember the jingles used to go
Bridge
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus] [G]
(Ow-a-ow-a) You were the first one
[C/E] [Dm/F] [Gsus] [G]
(Ow-a-ow-a) You were the last one
Chorus
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
Interlude
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
In my mind and in my car
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
We can't rewind we've gone too far
[Gsus4] [Am9]
Ow-A-A-A-ow
Solo
| [Dm/F] [G] | [C/E] [F] |
| [Dm/F] [G] | [C/E] [F] |
| [Dm/F] [G] | [E/G#] [Am] (break] |
[Link 1] 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
| [Dm/F] | [C/G] | [Dm7] | [G] [Am] [F] | [Am] [F] [G] |
Chorus
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
Interlude
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
In my mind and in my car,
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
We can't rewind we've gone too far
[C] [G/B] [F/A]
Pictures came and broke your heart,
[C/G] [G] [F]* [Fadd9] [Fadd9] [break]
Put the blame on V T R
[Link 2] (= verse)
[C/E] [Dm] [Gsus4] [G] [C/E] [Dm] [Gsus4] [G]
You a-------re a radio sta-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ar
[C/E] [Dm] [Gsus4] [G] [C/E] [Dm] [Gsus4] [G]
You a-------re a radio sta-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ar
Chorus
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
[C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star
Outro
[C] [Fsus2] [C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star Video killed the radio star
(You a--------------re a radio star)
[C] [Fsus2] [C] [Fsus2]
Video killed the radio star Video killed the radio star
(You a--------------re a radio star)
(repeat and fade)
