Author/Artist: Utopia Title: My Angel Album: Oops, Wrong Planet I've been told that this song was co-written by Roger Powell and Todd, and I can believe it. The verse has feel similar to the song Windows, and the chorus has many of Todd's signature musical devices. The facts that the lead vocals are shared by Kasim and Todd, and the background vocals by all are especially joyous, make this stand out as a real group effort by Utopia. A special pat on the back goes to Todd's sax solo - it's always a pleasure to hear because, although he's no virtuoso, he has a recognizable sound, and he always uses it to compliment the arrangement. The verse has a rambling, conversational feel to it - the melody and harmony move unpredictably and freely, and the key center (Db) is not strongly emphasized. A link section ("When I have fallen from grace") raises the level of urgency with shorter melodic phrases and a more insistent rhythm. When it bursts into the melodic chorus with it's catchier melody and more predictable harmony, the listener experiences a nice sense of release from the tension that has built up over the verse and link. I'm afraid this is not one of the easier arrangements I've made. The harmony is fairly complex, and I couldn't find a good way to simplify the chord voicings without losing the flavor of the original. If my notation is clear and you find the patience to work your way through my fingerings, I think you'll find this fun and satisfying. My Angel (Intro, *1) (*2, verse) Bbm7 Db Walk the line Gb/Ab Db/Ab Gb/Bb Db/Bb Bmaj7 It's not easy, I must stand alone E B/E A/E B/E C#m7 It's the kind of a life I've chosen Abm7 Gb/Ab Right or wrong I can feel Near me always, Something to live up to Someone to depend upon (*3, link section) A Am7 C#m7 When I have fallen from grace A Am7 C#m7 When I grow weak from the pace B A A/G D/F# Dm/F I can feel the breath of gentle wings on my face (*4 - Chorus) Bb C/Bb And when the world closes in around me F/A Dm7 Ebmaj7 Then my angel Will come and roll away the stone Eb/F Eb/Db Ab/Db Like a hand reaching down from the heavens And when the darkness falls all around me Then my angel Will come and draw aside the veil Eb/F Bb/Ab Ab I am safe in the arms of my angel (Intro riff) Anywhere Anytime, In my mind I know That a pair of sweet eyes is watching me Wherever I go Is it real? Am I dreaming? Sometimes I don't know But I want to believe it's so Let me dream on Is it profane or divine Am I insane? I feel fine I can close my eyes but I still see it shine (Chorus, first half sung, second half sax solo) (Chorus) (Intro riff) -------------------------------------------------------------------- (*1 - Intro:) E--|--------|--------|--------|---6----|- B--|---8----|---8----|---7----|---4----|- G--|7-7---7-|6-6-----|6-6---6-|--4-----|- D--|-5------|-5------|-4------|-5------|- A--|--------|--------|0-------|6-------|- E--|--------|--------|--------|--------|- (*2, verse) Walk the line.. It's not easy, I must stand alone.. Bm7 Db Gb/Ab Db/Ab Gb/Bb Db/Bb Bmaj7 x x _xx__ x x x x x x x 4|||||| 4|1|||| |||||| 41||||| 61|111| 61|111| 71|||2| |||||| |||||| ||||11 |||||| ||||2| |||||| ||34|| 2|333| ||333| |||2|| ||444| ||3||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| 43||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ...kind of a life I've chosen, E B/E A/E B/E C#m ox ox ox____ ox |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| 4|1111| |||1|| ||111| 2||111| ||111| ||||2| 5||||2| 5|||||| |||||| 5|||||| ||3||| ||3||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| Right or wrong... (second time) depend upon... Abm7 Gb/Ab Gb/Ab |||||| ||||1| |||||| |||||| |||2|| 11|1111| 42|333| 43|4||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| (*3, link section) When I have fallen from grace... A Am7 C#m7 xo xo |||||| |||||| 4|11111 5||||1| 5|||22| ||||2| |||2|| |||||| ||3||| ||3||| ||3||| |||||| I can feel the breath of gentle wings on my face... When the... A A/G D/F# Dm/F xo____ _x____ _xo__x _xo__x |||||| |||||| |||||| 1||||| ||111| ||111| 2||3|| |||2|| |||||| 2||||| ||||4| ||||4| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| (*4 - Chorus:) world closes in around me, my Angel will come... away the stone Bb C/Bb F/A Dm7 Ebmaj7 x_____ x xo x x 1|1|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| 5||111| 5||11|| 5|1111| 6|1|||| ||333| 2||||| ||||2| ||||2| |||2|| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||3||| ||3|4| Like a hand reaching down from the hea- vens. Eb/F F/Db Ab/Db x x x |||||| |||||| |||||| 8|1111| 8||111| 8|||1|| |||||| 2||||| 2|||3| |||||| |||||| ||4||| (end of 2nd half of chorus:) I am safe in the arms of my an- gel Eb/F Bb/Ab Ab _x____ _x____ _x___x |||||| |||||| ||111| |||||| |||||| |||||| 3||1111 ||111| |||||| ||||2| 42||||| 44||||| -------------------------------- About my tab style: This message should be displayed in a mono-spaced font, or the chord diagrams and tabs will look unaligned. The letter to the left of the slash in chord names like "A/D" refers to a triad, and the letter to the right refers to the bass note only. The number directly to the left of the chord diagram is the position on the guitar neck (or closest fret). "x" along the top means mute or deaden that string, "o" means let it ring open. The horizontal dashes in the tablature diagram usually correspond to 8th notes unless otherwise indicated. The song remains in 4/4 time throughout. If you see any mistakes, or have any corrections or alternate ways of playing any of my tabs, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at lsprague@user1.channel1.com or lin.sprague@bull.com Last revised 8:03pm Sunday, June 22, 1997 -- ...Lin Sprague... lsprague@user1.channel1.com -OR- lsprague@cass.ma02.bull.com