Tabs (Ver. 2)
As with most early VH, tune your guitar down a half-step to 
Eb MajorEb across the board (high
to low: Eb, Ab, Bb, Gb, Db, Eb MajorEb) in order to play in tune with the record.
Dan
[email protected]
Version 1: The Eddie Van Halen "Right" Way
The opening chord (as best as I can tell--the bass doubles on the low 
E MajorE string, and
your ear's mileage may vary)
NOTE: This intro chord is plucked in 6/4 time.
E MajorE -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
BB -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
G+G -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------| play this pattern twice
D MajorD -7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7--| (total of eight measures)
A augmentedA -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------| drums join final measure
E MajorE -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
Opening and main verse riff
"She ain't waiting 'til she gets older..."
v--Use pinky to hit 9th fret while still holding barre chord
E MajorE ----------5----9---9---------------------3------2--------|
BB -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---------3--------3--------|
G+G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4------------------2--------|
D MajorD -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5------------------0--------|
A augmentedA -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3---0-2-3-----2-0-----------|
E MajorE ---------------------------------------------------------|
v--Bend slightly (1/2 step) here
E MajorE ----------5----9---9-------------3--------3----------------|
BB -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---3-3-5b-3---3--------------|
G+G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4-----------------------------|
D MajorD -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5-----------------------------|
A augmentedA -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3-----------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------------------|
"Aw, aw, aw, got that rhythm..." (0:40)
v--Slide the chord up two frets
E MajorE --------3-------3-------3--------7-/-9-----------------------------|
BB ----------3-------3-------3------8-/-10----------------------------|
G+G ---------------------------------7-/-9-----------------------------|
D MajorD -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0-------------------------------------|
E MajorE -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE --------3-------3-------3----------------7-/-9---------------------|
BB ----------3-------3-------3------6-/-8---8-/-10--------------------|
G+G ---------------------------------5-/-7---7-/-9---------------------|
D MajorD -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0-------------------------------------|
E MajorE -------------------------------------------------------------------|
"She's just lookin' good..." (0:58)
E MajorE ---7-/-9----9---7--------------|
BB ---8-/-10---10--8--------------|
G+G ---7-/-9----9---7--------------|
D MajorD --------------------------------|
A augmentedA --------------------------------|
E MajorE --------------------------------|
"You know how sometimes, you've got to run..." (1:40)
Eddie does this bit with a stocatto strumming that is better heard than explained
no slide! --v
E MajorE ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB -------6-/-8---8--6---6-/-8-/-11----6-/-8---8--6---6-/-8--6--------|
G+G -------5-/-7---7--5---5-/-7-/-10----5-/-7---7--5---5-/-7--5--------|
D MajorD -------3-/-5---5--3---3-/-5-/-8-----3-/-5---5--3---3-/-5--3--------|
A augmentedA ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
"You're running blind..." (1:48)
I am almost certainly wrong/incomplete here; it doesn't sound full enough
E MajorE -------------------------12--------------------------------------|
BB --15--13--15---------------15--13--15--17--17----17----17----|
G+G --14--12--14--14-----------14--12--14--17--------------------|
D MajorD ----------------14--14-12-------------------------17----17-------|
A augmentedA -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------------------------|
BB --15--13--15--10---13--12--------------------------------------|
G+G --14--12--14--9------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD ---------------------14--12--------------------------------------|
A augmentedA -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14----------------------|
BB ----6--6-/-8--8--------6-/-8-/-11-/-13-/-15----------------------|
G+G ----5--5-/-7--7--------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14----------------------|
D MajorD -----------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------------------------|
(the rhythm under the solo is a variation on the segment above)
Ending (3:11)
v-- natural harmonics
E MajorE -----------3----3-------3--------5---------------------------------|
BB ---------3--------3-------3------3------------------------------|
G+G ---------------------------------2------------------------------|
D MajorD ---------------------------------0------------------------------|
A augmentedA --0-2-3-------2------1---------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Version 2: The Dan Amrich "Obviously Wrong But More Comfy" Way
Main verse riff:
E MajorE -3-2--0-0-0-----0-------1-0--3-3-----------3------2---------|
BB -3-3--3-2---2-----2-----1-1--3-3---------3--------3---------|
G+G -2-2--2-2-----2---------0-0--5-4------------------2---------|
D MajorD -0-0--0-0---------------0-0--0-0------------------0---------|
A augmentedA -----------------------------------0-2-3-----2-0------------|
E MajorE ------------------------------------------------------------|
This is what I've always used and it's a hell of a lot easier to play, so long as you
don't mind it being totally wrong from what's on the record. :)
Other versions of Secrets
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Secrets by Van Halen
