Guitar & Bass Tabs
Firehouse
About Firehouse
FireHouse formed in 1989 and quickly became one of rock's defining melodic hard rock acts of the early 90s. Led by guitarist Bill Leverty and vocalist C.J. Snare, the band fused big choruses with emotive lyrics, creating a sound that bridged arena rock and radio friendly hooks. Their self-titled debut album FireHouse (1990) delivered enduring hits like Don't Treat Me Bad and Love of a Lifetime, propelling them to mainstream success and international tours. They followed with Hold Your Fire (1992) and a string of releases through the mid-90s, cultivating a devoted fanbase and influencing a generation of guitar-driven melodic rock. Even as musical trends shifted, FireHouse continued to record and tour, maintaining relevance with new material and ongoing live performances. Their legacy lives on in the many players who learned to balance soaring solos with memorable vocal melodies, making FireHouse a touchstone for melodic hard rock and a reminder of the era when guitar-centric rock ruled MTV and radio.
🎸 Want to know what gear Firehouse used, their playing style, and fun facts? Scroll below the lessons!
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Don't Treat Me Bad
Firehouse
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Don't Treat Me Bad
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Love Of A Lifetime
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All She Wrote
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Shake And Tumble
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Lover's Lane
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Oughta Be A Law
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Don't Walk Away
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Home Is Where The Heart Is
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Overnight Sensation
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Rock You Tonight
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Sleeping With You
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You're Too Bad
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When I Look Into Your Eyes
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Hold Your Fire
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The Meaning Of Love
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Talk Of The Town
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Life In The Real World
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Mama Didn't Raise No Fool
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Hold The Dream
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Trying To Make A Living
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Here For You
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FireHouse's playing style blends tight rhythm guitar with soaring melodic leads. Bill Leverty's solo work uses blues-based pentatonic scales, expressive bends, and tasteful phrasing, often doubling the vocal melody in harmonized lines. The band's rhythm guitar relies on power chords, palm muting, and clean arpeggios to support ballads like Here For You. The result is a punchy, radio-friendly blend of crunchy riffs and big choruses, anchored by a solid bass and drum foundation that drives the songs from verse to chorus.
🎸 Gear & Equipment
FireHouse is known for bright, sustain-rich tones built on humbucker-equipped electrics and tube amplifiers. Bill Leverty's rig has featured prominent use of guitar models associated with PRS, complemented by high-gain amps and a chorus/delay reverb setup that creates the signature shimmering textures of the band's ballads and rockers.
Why Learn Firehouse Songs?
Learning FireHouse tunes helps players build strong rhythm foundations, learn memorable melodies, and master dynamic shifts essential to rock ballads and anthems. The 22 lessons offer chord shapes, strum patterns, lead lines, and solos with varying difficulty, making them approachable for late-beginners to intermediate players. As you work through these tracks, you'll develop technique such as palm muting, alternate picking, string bending, and expressive phrasing, while gaining a practical sense of how melodic hooks support memorable vocal melodies and live performance.
Did You Know?
- 1FireHouse formed in 1989 and became a defining melodic hard rock act of the MTV era.
- 2Love of a Lifetime, their signature power ballad, remains a wedding and classic rock radio staple.
- 3Band members Bill Leverty and C.J. Snare built a distinctive guitar driven sound that helped shape early 90s rock.
- 4The band continues to tour and release music, maintaining a devoted fanbase decades after their debut.
22 Firehouse lesson(s) available — Start learning today!
Frequently Asked Questions
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