The song, &quot;Hero of War&quot;, from the fifth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against &quot;Appeal to Reason(released in North America on October 7, 2008) is about an Iraq War Veteran looking back on his war experiences. It is described by Rolling Stone as an &quot;ambivalent aggro-folk track&quot;. McIlrath said of the song, &quot;I wanted to take the perspective of 'What is the war going to be looked back on as?'&quot; He went on to say, &quot;There are not many songs...

Appeal To Reason

         E
He said, "Son,
                 G#m
Have you see the world?
                    A
Well, what would you say
                   E
If I said that you could?
                A                       
Just carry this gun. 
                    E
and you

S           
A|--0*------------------------------|
E|--------------------7----4-2------|
C|-----4---4---4---4--6--------4-3--|
G|-------4---4---4----8-------------|

Hero Of War

Intro
A|----3---3---3--2-----7--5--3--2---|
E|--------------(3)-----------------|
C|--5------------2------------------|
G|------0---0----0------------------|


Verse 1
          C
He said, "Son,
                 Em
Have you see the world?
                         F
Well, what would you say
                   C
If I said that you could?
                    F                       
Just carry this gun. 
                          C
and you’ll even get paid."
                            G      Csus2
I said, "That sounds pretty good."                       


Verse 2
              C
Black leather boots
             Em
Spit-shined so bright
                     F                  
They cut off my hair 
              C
but it looked alright
                       F
We marched and we sang
                     C
We all became friends
                     G     Csus2
As we learned how to fight


Chorus
          Am
A hero of war
                      F
Yeah that’s what I’ll be
                C
And when I come home
                         G
They’ll be damn proud of me
                     Am 
I’ll carry this flag
                  F
To the grave if I must
                             C
Because it’s the flag that I love
                G
And a flag that I trust


Verse 3
                     C
I kicked in the door
                    Em 
I yelled my commands
                   F
The children, they cried
           C
But I got my man
                 F
We took him away
                   C
A bag over his face
                        G        Csus2
From his family and his friends

Verse 4
                          C
They took off his clothes
                   Em 
They pissed in his hands
               F
I told them to stop
              C
But then I joined in
                      F 
We beat him with guns
                    C
And batons not just once
              G    Csus2
But again and again 


Chorus
          Am 
A hero of war
                      F
Yeah that’s what I’ll be
                C
And when I come home
                         G
They’ll be damn proud of me
                     Am
I’ll carry this flag
                  F
To the grave if I must
                             C
Because it’s the flag that I love
                G             Csus2
And a flag that I trust


Fill
Intro
A|----3---3---3--2-----7--5--3--2---|
E|--------------(3)-----------------|
C|--5------------2------------------|
G|------0---0----0------------------|

Verse 5
    C                          
She walked 
                    Em
through bullets and haze
               F
I asked her to stop
                C
I begged her to stay
                  F
But she pressed on
               C
So I lifted my gun
             G    Csus2
And I fired away

Verse 6
     C                          
The shells 
                    Em
jumped through the smoke
                  F
And into the sand
                       C
That the blood now had soaked
          F                           
She collapsed 
                   C
with a flag in her hand
                 G     Csus2
A flag white as snow


Chorus
          Am   
A hero of war
                  F
Is that what they see
                      C
Just medals and scars
                 G
So damn proud of me
                         Am
And I brought home that flag
               F
Now it gathers dust
                       C
But it’s a flag that I love
                   G
It’s the only flag I trust


Outro
          C                           Em
He said, "Son, have you seen the world? 
                    F                       C
Well what would you say, if I said that you could?" 

Intro :
A|----3---3---3--2----/7--5--3--2---|
E|--1------------3------------------|
C|---------------2------------------|
G|------0---0----0------------------|


1st verse ;
         C                     Em
He said "Son, have you see the world?
                    F                      C
Well what would you say if I said that you could?
                F                         C              
Just carry this gun and you'll even get paid."
                            G       G     
I said, "That sounds pretty good."                       


2nd verse :
              C                   Em
Black leather boots, spit-shined so bright
                F                  C
They cut off my hair but it looked alright
                  F                   C              
We marched and we sang, we all became friends
                  G         G     
As we learned how to fight


Chorus :
          Am                         F
A hero of war, Yeah that's what I'll be
                C                             G
And when I come home they'll be damn proud of me
                Am                     F
I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must
                             C                    G>let ring
Because it's the flag that I love and a flag that I trust



3rd verse :
                C                  Em
I kicked in the door, I yelled my commands
                   F                C
The children, they cried but I got my man
             F                  C              
We took him away a bag over his face
                        G         G     
From his family and his friends


4th verse :
                   C                          Em
They took off his clothes, they pissed in his hands
                F               C
I told them to stop but then I joined in
                 F                        C              
We beat him with guns and batons not just once
                  G         G     
But again and again 


Chorus :
          Am                         F
A hero of war, Yeah that's what I'll be
                C                             G
And when I come home they'll be damn proud of me
                Am                     F
I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must
                             C                    G
Because it's the flag that I love and a flag that I trust


A|----3---3---3--2----/7--5--3--2---|
E|--1------------3------------------|
C|---------------2------------------|
G|------0---0----0------------------|


Bridge : 
    C                          Em
She walked through bullets and haze
                F                     C
I asked her to stop, I begged her to stay 
                F                 C
But she pressed on so I lifted my gun 
             G        G    
And I fired away


5th verse :
        C                         Em
And the shells jumped through the smoke
               F                       C
And into the sand that the blood now had soaked
      F                          C              
She collapsed with a flag in her hand
                G        G     
A flag white as snow


Chorus :
          Am                     F
A hero of war, is that what they see ?
                 C                     G
Just medals and scars so damn proud of me
                        Am                  F
And I brought home that flag now it gathers dust
                        C                      G>let ring
But it's a flag that I love It's the only flag I trust


Outro :
         C                     Em
He said, "Son, have you seen the world? 
                    F                      C>let ring
Well what would you say, if I said that you could?"

A|----3---3---3--2----/7--5--3--2---|
E|---------------3------------------|
C|--5------------2------------------|
G|------0---0----0------------------|

[intro]
F Am Dm Am A# Dm Gm C

[Verse 1]
             F 
Baby really hurt me
                Am 
crying in the taxi
                Dm
He dont wanna know me
                         Am                     A#     Dm
says you make the big mistake of dancing in my store 
Gm                  C
   Says it was poison
                 F
So I guess I go home 
          Am                     Dm
into the arms of the girl that I love
                Am 
the only love I havent screwed up
A#                  Dm
   She's so hard to please
             Gm      C  
but shes a forest fire
        F               
I do my best to meet her demands
Am
play it romance
         Dm
we slow dance in the living room
    Am                      A#
but all that a stranger would see
        Dm           Gm               C     
is one girl swaying alone stroking her cheek

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Verse 2]
            F 
The truth is, I am toy
                Dm
that people enjoy
                Am               A#
till all of the tricks dont work anymore
Dm              Gm       C
And then they are bored of me
             
                    F
I know that its exciting
                     Am
running through the night but
              Dm                Am
every perfect summer's eating me alive
            A#    Dm
unitl youre gone
Gm          C
Better on my own

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Outro]
             Dm           F           A#
They're gonna watch me disappear into the sun
                 Dm        F           A#
You're all gonna watch me disappear into the sun

Liability

Intro:

Bb - F - A

F                 C
I've been feeling lonesome
F                            C
I'm down, don't know what to do
D
I let you lie to me
F
plant seeds inside
            E
to see them grow
                      F
only to leave them to die

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
    A
for you

F                  C
I've been lost and finding
F                           C
out that I've been such a fool
D           
you thought you'd stick around
F
until the day you found
    E                    F
someone to make me obsolete

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm F
why cry
    Bb
for you... 


Guitar Solo:

Bb - F - A (2x)

  C     
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
    A
for you

Why Cry

Intro  D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 1
    D                              Bm7
We never spoke a word, but every thought she had 
                         G     A Asus A
I heard from across the room 
             D                               Bm7
If we were standin' face to face I couldn't find the words 
               G               A Asus A
To say give me one more move 
        G              A             G                   A
I don't even know her name, I guess foolish pride's to blame


Chorus 
          D                        D7
Now, I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
        Bm7                 F#              G                    A
And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
        Bm7 A   G                              Gm
Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Interlude   D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 2
          D                           Bm7
Wise man next to me did say 'bout the one that got away
        G                    A
Son, I missed my chance 
           D                            Bm7
Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase
     G               A
Ask her to dance, go on, son
           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith


Chorus
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A   G                               Gm
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away 


Solo   D    Bm7  Bm  F#  G   A  D    D7    Bm  F# |A   D 


           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith
 
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A    Bm7 A       Bm7 A       G                      G   
Don't be fallin', fallin' in, fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Outro  (G)   Gm  Bm7  E G  Gm  D

As She's Walking Away

D G D A D x 2

D
I been loved and I been alone
G
all my life I been a rolling stone
D
done everything a man can do
G	                       C	D
everything but get a hold on you
C			D
done everything a man can do
G	D 	A 	D
everything but get a hold on you

D
I've been blessed and I've been cursed
G
all my lies have been unrehearsed
D	
a wall of fire that I walked through
G			C	D
only trying to get a hold on you
C				D
a wall of fire that I walked through
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D

A
I saw you waiting at the gate
D
but I arrived a moment late 
A
I saw you shed a single tear
G	D	A	D
but still I can't get there from here

D
I been high and I been low
G
I been people that I don't know 
D
I been to China and to Peru

G			C    D
only trying to get a hold on you
C			D
I been to China and to Peru
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

Hold On You

INTRO:

A |---------------------|
E |--7--7--7----------- -|
C |---------------------|
G |---------------------|

VERSE 1:   

C#m          E       B      A                     C#m   E    B   A 
I’m going away to be alone I’m coming back with answers
C#m           E            B    A            C#m   E   B   A
Don’t try to call my telephone it’s disconnected
C#m           E          B       A               C#m   E   B   A
And I don’t know where I’m going but can you guide me
C#m              E        B        A              C#m   E   B   A
But if I find love where I’m going will it survive me


PRE-CHORUS 1:

C#m            B   A                         C#m         A   B
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not affected
C#m         B   A                           C#m         A   B
And in your own time you’re still attracted but in your own life


CHORUS:

A                                 C#m            B
This heart attack I’ve gotta get away not coming back
A                                 C#m                     B
I want some downtime so call me when you can and I’ll be fine


VERSE 2: [same chords as VERSE1]
I’ve found the time to be alone I don’t know what you’re asking
I’m waiting by the telephone and you’re still barking
My heart stops it isn’t… going could you revive me
I think I’m lost without knowing so come and find me


PRE-CHORUS 2:  [same chords as PRE-CHORUS1]
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted and in your own time


{CHORUS x2}


Sometimes if we don’t go sometimes you don’t know
You don’t go I don’t go I don’t go you don’t go

C#5  B5  A5                      C#5  A5  B5
            I’ve got your back              but you don’t got mine
C#5  E5  A5                    C#5  A5  B5
            This heart attack              then I’m feeling fine


CHORUS x2

C#m          E       B    A 
I’m going away to be alone
C#m          E       B    A 
I'm going away to be alone ...............

This Heart Attack

C#                                A                   E
Mass romantic fool, wears Foster Grants, his books on tape ring true,
                               F#                          C#
Like everyone wants to say "I love you" to someone on the radio.
                                                A
His choice of hollowed stars, now the one true loves,
           E                                     F#
And author of "My Life Among the Kids Who Go to Shows".
        C#
This is not the way.

                   B
In the streetlight dawn 
F#                 C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#

C#                                A
Mass romantic fool, separated by sheets.
                 E
When the curtain calls
                                     F#                       C#
you speaking on the themes of stolen virtue, missing from the radio.
                                   A                  E
Now this romantic duel is into the streets. Bon appetit.
                F#
You've eaten me alive.
                    C#
You realize this is not the way.


                   B
In the streetlight dawn
F#                 C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#

C#                               A
Mass romantic fool, separated by sheets.
                 E
When the curtain calls
                                     F#                       C#
you speaking on the themes of stolen virtue, missing from the radio.
                                   A                  E
Now this romantic duel is into the streets. Bon appetit.
                 
You've eaten me alive.
     F#              C#
You realize this is not the way.


                    B
In the streetlight dawn
F#                  C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                 G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#


B                A               E
This boy's life among the electrical lights.

Mass Romantic

Riff:
|3-----------6-------------------|3-----------6---------------|
|3-------6/8-6-----------8-------|3-------6/8-6-----------8---|
|3-------5/7-7-----------7-------|3-------5/7-7-----------7---|
|0-------------------------------|0---------------------------|
Repeat 2x


| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo joo eyeball he one holy roller

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He wear no shoe shine he got toe jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot Coca-Cola

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He say,"I know you and you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me



Repeat Riff



| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me


Repeat Riff

Come Together

Intro: F

F
Under your wheels, the hope of spring
  Am
Mirage of loss, a few more things
    Dm
You left your sorrow dangling
   Bb                  C
It hangs in air like a school cheer

F
Complex notes inside the chords
    Am
On every wall inflections carved
Dm
Deep as lakes and dark as stars 
  Bb                 C         
Remember we were the volunteers.        
 
 Bb      Am                   Bb
(Oooooo) Courts knew this and nothing more
          Am                 Bb                F
(Oooooo) Now it's my rights versus yours

F
Under your wheels, your hopeless reign
Am
You fall too hard, we're up too late
   Dm
We hang suspended from the heights
  Bb                C
Until it's safer to walk here

F
Under your wheels, your chance is with
    Am
The easy call, the called-off search
    Dm
The medicine, it still won't work
            Bb                  C      
But there's dangerous levels of it here

 Bb      Am                Bb
(Oooooo) Same thing as the other time
         Am                       Gm
(Oooooo) But now it's your rights versus mine

    Bb                     F           Gm
The truth in one free afternoon
    Bb                     F   
The truth in one free afternoon

C                   Dm
Under my wheels the chance is held
Am                 Bb
Gave me to save me from myself
C                  Dm              Bb                     
Spectacles painted with my shaking hand

C                     Dm
Fingers in paints, in paints we brought
Am                       Bb
Thinking we'd leave them when we're not
C                   Dm             Bb
Flying the flags of new empires in rags

                  Gm
The new empire in rags
    Bb                F
The truth in one free afternoon
                Gm
A new empire in rags
    Bb                F
The truth in one free afternoon
                Gm
A new empire in rags
    Bb                F
The truth in one free afternoon
                Gm
A new empire in rags
    Bb                F
The truth in one free afternoon

F                       
Under your wheels, the fits and starts
    Am
The time to dabble in the arts
   Dm
To tease the packs of dogs in charge
    Bb                     C          
But kid it's all wasted on me

F
Under your wheels, the hope of spring
   Am
Mirage of loss, a few more things
    Dm
The medicine it still won't sing
    Bb                          C
But there's dangerous levels of it here

F              Am
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo             
F                              Am        Gm
Your rights over my rights now
Eb
We came to the right place. 
F                              Am
Your rights over my rights now
F                              Am        Gm
Your rights over my rights now
Eb
We came to the right place.  
F                             Am
Your rights over my rights now
F                             Am
Your rights over my rights now
F Am F Am F

My Rights Versus Yours

F                 Am
State of love and trust
     F      Am
as I busted down the pretext
F         Am
sin still plays and preaches
       F             Am
but to have an empty court, uh huh
F       Am 
and the signs are passin, 
F        Am
grip the wheel can't read it
F    Am                 F                  Am
sacrifice receiving the smell that's on my hands...hands yeah

F     Am    C        G               Am 
and I listen for the voice inside my head
B             C              D
nothin', I'll do this one myself

F       Am
lay her down as priest does
F          Am
should the lord be acountin'
F       Am
will be in my honour
        F              Am
make it pain painfully quick, uh huh
F    Am 
promises are whispered
F      Am
in the age of darkness
F       Am
want to be enlightened
       F                   Am
like I want to be told the end...end, yeah

F       Am
and the barrel shakes
C       G            Am
aimed directly at my head
    B        C              D
oh, help me, help me from myself
F     Am     C
and I listen yeah, 
     G                 Am
from both sides of the bed
B             C              D
nothin', I'll do this one myself


oh myself...

SOLO:

A|--------------------5-3-2-------------------5-3-2-------------------5-3-2-|
E|--3-5-5-5-5-3-0-0-0-------3-5-5-5-5-3-0-0-0-------3-5-5-5-5-3-0-0-0-------|
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# Play solo during Hey-na-na-na-na, hey that's something.


F     Am    C        G               Am 
and I listen for the voice inside my head
B             C              D
nothin', I'll do this one myself
F               Am
oh, ah, and the barrel waits,
C       
trigger shakes
G                 Am
aimed right at my head
          G
won't you help me
F            Am
help me from myself

State Of Love And Trust

Intro: F#, D

F#                             D
Pinwheel spark break loose and roll 
E         A           D
where you stop nobody knows 
       E                B
just a thought but gone down 
          D             (Dsus)     D
it's been carved into a point understand 

            A                             F#
turned into someone that you only know 
            D                    E
when you're falling through your clothes 


run run run deep breath then jump 
roll with your vertigo stomp 
now you're clear but gone down 
you've been cleared of every charge understand 

you've turned into someone that you only know 
when you're falling through your clothes

End with A

Hero Of War

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