WHEEL IN THE SKY (N. Schon-R. Fleischmann-D. Valory) From Journey: Infinity
Transcribed by Edward Brock (bobo@surfsouth.com)

This will certainly be better than any description of the song yet present on the internet, because this is the first one. I have been told many fans want to learn it and are frustrated that there is no tab for it, well, here's my second contribution (hopefully an improvement on the first).

The melody for the intro/chorus is based on a simple fingerpicked Dm chord, slid up a whole step and picked again. Then move to the bent-knuckle barred C chord (3rd fret barred, "A" position). All these use suspensions, mind you, in the fingerpicking sequences. Then comes the stretch--all the way to an "E" position barred chord on the 10th fret. Fingerpick that as well, using full step hammer-ons on the B and e strings. Then you slide back to the Dm real quick and progress again till you get to the barred C. From that you slide down to a Bb for the crashing chord before the verse lick is played. So the fingerpicking sequence is as follows: (Dm, Dm/up a step, Dm, barred C, Dm, Dm/up a step, Dm, octave up E, Dm, Dm/up a step, barred C) and end the intro with a crashing Bb. Whew! Okay, so it's a little confusing, and perhaps I made a minor mistake or two. But if you're listening to the record, you should get the idea. Remember to use the suspensions and hammer-ons for each chord.

The chorus line "wheel in the sky keeps on turniun'" is led into with a crashing b flat and of course ended with one (Bb-Dm-C-Bb).

Now I tab the verse. I will describe it too: it's just a Dm repeated with hammer-ons preceeding it in the A and D strings, third fret on both.

e------------------1-------------------------1----------------------------1--------------------|
B------------------3------------------------3-----------------------------3-------------------|
G------------------2------------------------2-----------------------------2--------------------|
D---------0h3--------------------0h3--------------------------0h3-------------------------|(rep.)
A----0h3-------------------0h3-------------------------0h3--------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

I'm sure you can tell I'm new at this, but I really thought it best to share what I know of how to play the song with everybody, because I remember how bad I wanted to learn it. If anybody more experienced in tabbing wants to take this description and tab it completely, be my guest. Iam after all the innovator of ballad style tab writing, so I don't care.

Now, there is a really awesome extension to the solo on the greatest hits live version. At the beginning, Jon Cain starts thrashing this out on his guitar as Schon solos:

e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---9-----5----7-------------------------------------------------------------------
A---7-----3----5-----5---5----x-----5-----5/7---7-------------------------------
E----------------------3---3----x-----3-----3/5---5--------------------------------

Lyrics (Greatest Hits Live):

When I was here, again oh lord
I hadn't been home in a year or more
I hope she holds on a little longer

Send a letter on a long summer day
Made of silver not of clay
Ooh I've been runnin' down this dusty road

Oh the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin,
I don't know where I'll be tomorrow,
Wheel in the sky keeps me yearnin'
Oh, oh oh, na na na na na--
For tomorrow

Round, round and round
Ooh round and round
Round, round and round
Ooh the wheel keeps on turnin' the wheel

ohh ohh
yeah yeah

For tomorrow,
For tomorrow,
Ooh oh ooh
turnin again