PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT
As recorded by Kansas
(From the 1982 Album VINYL CONFESSIONS)
Words and Music by Kerry Livgren, Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, Danny Flower & Rob Frazier
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Piano'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Electric Guitar'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Violin'
Gtr IV (E A D G B E) - 'Electric Guitar'
Gtr V (D A D G B E) - 'Electric Guitar (Dropped D-Tuning - DADGBE)'
Intro
Q=118
Dm C/G Bb/F Dm C C/E
4/4
Gtr I (Piano arr. for Gtr.)
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E Q
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|----------8-(8)------||
|-------5h6-----6-|-5------3-(3)------|-------5h6-----6-|--8-------------8----||
|-----7-------7---|----5---------3----|-----7-------7---|-----9----9-(9)---9--||
|---7-------7-----|-5----5-3-(3)---3--|---7-------7-----|-10----10------------||
|-5---------------|-------------------|-5---------------|---------------------||
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|---------------------||
W Q. E +Q Q W Q. E +Q Q
1st & 2nd Verses
Dm C/G Bb/F
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E Q
||-------------------|-------------------|
||o--------5h6-----6-|-5------3-(3)------|
||-------7-------7---|----5---------3----|
||-----7-------7-----|-5----5-3-(3)---3--|
||o--5---------------|-------------------|
||-------------------|-------------------|
| W Q. E +Q Q
|
| Gtr III (Violin arr. for Gtr.)
| ~~
| W W
||-------------------|-------------------|
||o------------------|-------------------|
||-------------------|-------------------|
||--12---------------|-------------------|
||o------------------|-------------------|
||-------------------|-------------------|
Dm C C/E
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E E E
|-----------------|----------8-(8)---0-5--|
|-------5h6-----6-|--8-------------8------|
|-----7-------7---|-----9----9-(9)--------|
|---7-------7-----|-10----10--------------|
|-5---------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
| W Q. E +Q Q
|
| W W
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
Dm C/G C
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-------5h6-----6-|-5--------8--------|
|-----7-------7---|---5---5-----9-5---|
|---7-------7-----|-5---5---10------5-|
|-5---------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
| W Q Q Q. E
|
| Gtr II (El. Gtr.)
| W W
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| W W
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
C/Bb Bb C
Q. E +H +H E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|---5----3-(3)----|-(3)------6s5-3--------|
|---5----3-(3)----|-(3)-------------5-----|
|---5----3-(3)----|-(3)-------------------|
|-----------------|----------3------------|
|---6----6-(6)----|-(6)-------------------|
| +H H
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Q. E +H +W
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|---5----3-(3)----|-(3)-------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
| a Q. E +H +H a Q. +E
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-3s5----3-(3)----|-(3)----3s5-----(5)s===|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------------|
Dm C/G Bb/F
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E Q
|-------------------|--------------------|
|---------5h6-----6-|--5------3-(3)------|
|-------7-------7---|-----5---------3----|
|-----7-------7-----|--5----5-3-(3)---3--|
|--5----------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
| W Q. E +Q Q
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| +W +W
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-(3)---------------|-(3)----------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| W +W
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--2----------------|-(2)----------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
Dm C C/E
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E E E
|-----------------|----------8-(8)---0-5-|
|-------5h6-----6-|--8-------------8-----|
|-----7-------7---|-----9----9-(9)-------|
|---7-------7-----|-10----10-------------|
|-5---------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
| W Q. E +Q Q
|
| W W
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|
| W W
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
Dm C/G C
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-------5h6-----6-|-5--------8--------|
|-----7-------7---|---5---5-----9-5---|
|---7-------7-----|-5---5---10------5-|
|-5---------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
| W Q Q Q. E
|
| Gtr IV (El. Gtr.)
| W W
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
C/Bb Bb C/Bb Bb
Q. E +H Q. E +H
|--------------------|--------------------|
|-5------3-(3)-------|-5------3-(3)-------|
|-5------3-(3)-------|-5------3-(3)-------|
|-5------3-(3)-------|-5------3-(3)-------|
|--------------------|--------------------|
|-6------6-(6)-------|-6------6-(6)-------|
|
| PM------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|--------------------|
|--------------------|--------------------|
|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|
|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|
|-1--1-1-1--1--1-1-1-|-1--1-1-1--1--1-1-1-|
|--------------------|--------------------|
$
C/Bb Bb A
Q. E +H E E Q +H
|--------------------|---------------||
|-5------3-(3)-------|-2---2--(2)----||
|-5------3-(3)-------|-2---2--(2)----||
|-5------3-(3)-------|-2---2--(2)----||
|--------------------|-0---0--(0)----||
|-6------6-(6)-------|---------------||
|
| PM---------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E Q +H
|--------------------|---------------||
|--------------------|-2---2--(2)----||
|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|-2---2--(2)----||
|-3--3-3-3--3--3-3-3-|-2---2--(2)----||
|-1--1-1-1--1--1-1-1-|-0---0--(0)----||
|--------------------|---------------||
Chorus
Dm F C/D Dm
W W
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|
| Q Q Q. +E E S S E E +E Q E
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-6-----10----(10)\-|-5-x-x-6-6-(6)-6--6\-|
|-7-----10----(10)\-|-5-x-x-7-7-(7)-7--7\-|
|-7-----10----(10)\-|-5-x-x-7-7-(7)-7--7\-|
|-5------8-----(8)\-|-5-----5-5-(5)-5--5\-|
|-------------------|---------------------|
Bb F Bb F C
Gtr IV
Q E E E E E E E E E E +H
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-3--3-3---10---3-|---10---5-(5)----|
|-3--3-3---10---3-|---10---5-(5)----|
|-3--3-3---10---3-|---10---5-(5)----|
|-1--1-1----8---1-|----8---3-(3)----|
|-----------------|-----------------|
Dm D5F5 C/D Dm
E S S E E +Q. +E E S S E E +H
|-------------------------|------------------|
|-6-x-x-------------------|-5-x-x-5-6-(6)----|
|-7-x-x-7-10-(10)---(10)\-|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)----|
|-7-x-x-7-10-(10)---(10)\-|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)----|
|-5-----5--8--(8)----(8)\-|-5-----5-5-(5)----|
|-------------------------|------------------|
To Coda
Bb F/C C F/Bb
Q E E +Q E E H H W +W
|-------------------|-------------|-----------|---------|
|-3--3-3-(3)--3-3/--|-10-----8----|-10--------|-(10)----|
|-3--3-3-(3)--3-3/--|-10-----9----|-10--------|-(10)----|
|-3--3-3-(3)--3-3/--|-10----10----|-10--------|-(10)----|
|-1--1-1-(1)--1-1/--|--8----10----|--8--------|--(8)----|
|-------------------|--8-----8----|--6--------|--(6)----|
1.
Dm C/G Bb/F
Gtr I
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E Q
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-------5h6-----6-|-5------3-(3)---------|
|-----7-------7---|----5---------3-------|
|---7-------7-----|-5----5-3-(3)----3----|
|-5---------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
| W Q. E +Q Q
|
| Gtr III
| W H E E e e
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|--------------9-10-12-|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
Dm C
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------|-------8-3-12----15-12--||
|--------5h6-----6-|--------------13-13----o||
|------7-------7---|-----9-9---12-----------||
|----7-------7-----|-10---------------------||
|--5---------------|-----------------------o||
|------------------|------------------------||
| W Q Q Q Q
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| W H. E E
|------------------|------------------------||
|-10---------------|-----------------------o||
|------------------|-12--------------10--9--||
|------------------|------------------------||
|------------------|-----------------------o||
|------------------|------------------------||
Bridge
2.
N.C.
Gtr II
|--3--|
W H Q E S S S
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------------10-|
|-------------------|----------------------10----|
|-------------------|-------------------12-------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|
| Gtr V (El. Gtr. w/ Dropped D Tuning - DADGBE)
| Q +E E +H Q +E E +H
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------------|
|-1--(1)s13-(13)----|-1--(1)s13-(13)-------------|
D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q +E. +S E S +S +Q +E E E E S +S E S S S S
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-13--(13)-(13)\----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------10b12==(10)r(10)---|-(10)\-----------10b12-(10)----------10h12-|
|-------------------------------------|-----------10---------------12-10h12-------|
|-------------------------------------|-------/12----12---------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|
| PM------------| PM--------------------------|
| Q Q Q E E Q Q Q Q
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|--5----5--------5---------------5--5-|---5--------5-----5-------------5----------|
|--0----0--------0--------------------|---0--------0-----0-------------0----------|
N.C. C/D Dm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
W +W q q E E +Q
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|-11-----------------|-(11)-----------------|----5--5-6-(6)\--|
|--------------------|----------------------|----5--5-7-(7)\--|
|--------------------|----------------------|----5--5-7-(7)\--|
|--------------------|----------------------|-5--5--5-5-(5)\--|
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|
| PM--------|
| Q +E E +H Q +E E +H Q Q Q Q
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|-5--5--5----5----|
|--1--(1)s13-(13)----|---1---(1)s13-(13)----|-0--0--0----0----|
Bb5
W
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|--3----------------------------------------------|
|--3----------------------------------------------|
|--1----------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------14-15-14----------14-15-17-|
|-17-15-13----13-15-17----------17-15-17----------|
|----------17-------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr IV
| PM----------------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|--3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1----|
|-------------------------------------------------|
+W
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|-(3)----------------------------------------------|
|-(3)----------------------------------------------|
|-(1)----------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|-14-----------------14-17-15-14----------14-15-17-|
|-----17-15-14-15-17-------------17-15-17----------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--3------3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--3------3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--1------1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1----|
|--------------------------------------------------|
D.
>
+H H
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|-(3)----------------------------------------------|
|-(3)----------------------------------------------|
|-(1)----------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|--------------------------------------------------|
|-15-----------------15-17-18-17-15----15-17-18-20-|
|-----17-15-14-15-17----------------17-------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|
| PM----------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--3------3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--3------3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3----|
|--1------1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1-----1----|
|--------------------------------------------------|
Chorus
S. al Coda &
A5 F/C C Dm F
Gtr IV
Q H. Q. +E H Q Q Q E +E
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||-10----(10)\-5----||-6-----10--10-(10)\--|
|------------------||-10----(10)\-5----||-7-----10--10-(10)\--|
|-------7----------||-10----(10)\-5----||-7-----10--10-(10)\--|
|-------7----------||--8-----(8)\-3----||-5------8---8--(8)\--|
|-------5----------||--8-----(8)\------||---------------------|
|
| e E H. W W
|-17---17----------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|
| Q Q +H W W
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|------------------||------------------||---------------------|
|-------6---(6)----||------------------||---------------------|
|-------7---(7)----||------------------||---------------------|
|-------7---(7)----||------------------||---------------------|
|-------5---(5)----||------------------||---------------------|
C/D Dm Bb F Bb
e S S E E +Q.. +S Q E E E E E E
|-----------------------|-----------------|
|-5-x-x-5-6-(6)----(6)\-|-3--3-3---10---3-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)----(7)\-|-3--3-3---10---3-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)----(7)\-|-3--3-3---10---3-|
|-5-----5-5-(5)----(5)\-|-1--1-1----8---1-|
|-----------------------|-----------------|
F C Dm
E E E E +H E S S E E +Q. +E
|-----------------|---------------------------|
|---10---5-(5)----|-6-x-x---10-(10)---(10)\---|
|---10---5-(5)----|-7-x-x---10-(10)---(10)\---|
|---10---5-(5)----|-7-x-x-7-10-(10)---(10)\---|
|----8---3-(3)----|-5-----5--8--(8)----(8)\---|
|-----------------|---------------------------|
Outro
C/D Dm Bb F F/C C Dm F
E S S E E +Q. +E Q E E Q E E Q. E H Q Q Q E +E
|----------------------|----------------|-------------||--------------------|
|-5-x-x---6-(6)---(6)\-|-3--3-3-3--3s10-|-10s==5-5----||-6-----10--10-(10)\-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)---(7)\-|-3--3-3-3--3s10-|-10s==5-5----||-7-----10--10-(10)\-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)---(7)\-|-3--3-3-3--3s10-|-10s==5-5----||-7-----10--10-(10)\-|
|-5-----5-5-(5)---(5)\-|-1--1-1-1--1s=8-|--8---3-3----||-5------8---8--(8)\-|
|----------------------|----------------|--8----------||--------------------|
C/D Dm Bb F Bb
Gtr II
~~~~~~~~~~~~
H E E E E Q. E +Q E E
|---------------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------|
|--------------------2------|-3-----3-(3)----5-3-|
|----------------3-5--------|--------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr IV
| e S S E E +Q.. +S Q E E E E E E
|---------------------------|--------------------|
|-5-x-x-5-6-(6)--------(6)\-|-3---3-3-----10---3-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)--------(7)\-|-3---3-3-----10---3-|
|-5-x-x-5-7-(7)--------(7)\-|-3---3-3-----10---3-|
|-5-----5-5-(5)--------(5)\-|-1---1-1------8---1-|
|---------------------------|--------------------|
F C Dm F
~
|--3---|
E +E E E +Q +E a E E W
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------6-|--------------------------|
|-5pb7r(5)p3-5-(5)--(5)-5s7---|-7------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
|
| E E E E +H E S S E E +Q. +E
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
|------10----5-(5)------------|-6-x-x---10-(10)---(10)\--|
|------10----5-(5)------------|-7-x-x---10-(10)---(10)\--|
|------10----5-(5)------------|-7-x-x-7-10-(10)---(10)\--|
|-------8----3-(3)------------|-5-----5--8--(8)----(8)\--|
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
C/D Dm Bb F
~~~ ~~
+H E E E E H E +E Q
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|-----------------------10---|-11------13pb15r(13)-11----|
|-(7)-------------10-12------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|
| E S S E E +Q. +E Q E E Q E E
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|--5--x-x---6-(6)-------(6)\-|--3--3-3--3-----------3s10-|
|--5--x-x-5-7-(7)-------(7)\-|--3--3-3--3-----------3s10-|
|--5--x-x-5-7-(7)-------(7)\-|--3--3-3--3-----------3s10-|
|--5------5-5-(5)-------(5)\-|--1--1-1--1-----------1s=8-|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|
| Gtr V
| ~~
| H E E E E H E +E Q
|------------------------8---|-10------11pb13r(11)-10----|
|-----------------10-11------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------------|---------------------------|
C Dm F C/D Dm
~~~
H a H S E. H. +H H
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|-12b14======12r12----|-10-----------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|----12--12----------------|-(12)---------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|
| Q. E H Q Q Q E +E e S S E E +Q.. +S
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|-10s======5-----5----|--6----------10--10-(10)\-|---5--x-x-5-6-(6)----(6)\-*|
|-10s======5-----5----|--7----------10--10-(10)\-|---5--x-x-5-7-(7)----(7)\-*|
|-10s======5-----5----|--7----------10--10-(10)\-|---5--x-x-5-7-(7)----(7)\-*|
|--8-------3-----3----|--5-----------8---8--(8)\-|---5------5-5-(5)----(5)\-*|
|--8------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|
| ~~
| H a H W H H
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|-13b15======13r13----|-10-----------------------|--10----------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
|---------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
