Thom Yorke – Cymbal Rush

EDIT: I’ve uploaded a brief .mp3 with a bit of singing (very low in the mix and with reverb ladled over the top!) as a guide…cymbal rush

Thom Yorke – Cymbal Rush
From the album “The Eraser”

Here’s a bash at the main riff from this tune (think it’s played on a rhodes organ or something in the album version, but it’s a nice pitch for ukulele).

The main trick here is to tune the (high) g string down a semitone to an f# – this lets you play a bit of a droney backing to the chords and helps to fill out the sound a bit more.

Also, it helps if you think “bossa nova” while playing the chords against the f# string bit – stay with me on that one!

I haven’t figured out the instrumental break or anything – feel free to suggest how this might go or how I might change what’s already here…

a||---7---7-7-7---7-7-7---7-5-5---5-4-4---4-4-4---4-2-2---2-0--0-----|
e||---5---5-5-4---4-5-5---5-5-5---5-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0---0----|
c||---6---6-6-6---6-6-6---6-4-4---4-1-1---1-1-1---1-1-1---1-1----1---|
f#|-0---0-0-----0---0---0---0---0---2---2---0---0---2---2-----2---2--|

Quite a variety of different attempts to translate the lyrics to this song (especially that first line) but I reckon this version is close:

try to save but it doesnt come off the rug
try to build a wall that is high enough
s’all boiling over
s’all boiling over

try to save your house
try to save your songs
try to run but it follows you up the hill
s’all boiling over
s’all boiling over

your loved ones
your loved ones

a normal conversation
a normal conversation
you should a took me out while you had the chance

all the rooms renumbered and the losers turned away
dont turn away dont turn away
you should a took me out while you had the chance

there were ten in the bed and the little one said roll over

you should a took him out while you had the chance