Mercyful Fate: Legend Of The Headless Rider
transcribed by: Russ Elton : mercyfuldiamond@yahoo.com
edited by: Mika Ristiranta : m_ristiranta@hotmail.com
FIND EVERY MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND SONG AND
THE MOST UPDATED VERSION OF THIS SONG AT:
The Tab Crypt
http://republika.pl/tlange/
Date last modified: 31-10-01
PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS TAB TO ANOTHER SITE
WITHOUT AUTHORS' PERMISSION. THANK YOU.
Tuning: Standard
Riff 1
Guitar 1
e|----------------------------|
B|------------------------11--|
G|-----------------9----------|
D|----------8-----------------|
A|---7------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
Guitar 2
e|----------------------------|
B|------------------------14--|
G|----------------12----------|
D|---------11-----------------|
A|--10------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
Riff 2
e|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|---------------9-8-------------9-8-|
A|--7-8----------7-6-------------7-6-|
E|--5-6--3-5-3-0-----5-6-3-5-3-0-----|
* * * * * * * * * *
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|---------------9-8-------------|
A|--7-8----------7-6-------------|
E|--5-6--3-5-3-0-----5-6-3-5-3-0-|
* * * * * * * * * *
Riff 3
e|-------------------------------------|
B|--------------------7----------------|
G|--7--9-10--------6--6--------5-------|
D|--7--9-10-10--8--6--4--7--6--5--3--6-|
A|--5--7--8-10--8--4-----7--6--3--3--6-|
E|-----------8--6--------5--4-----1--4-|
Play Riff 2
Play Riff 3
Riff 4
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------7-|
D|----------------------------5-7-8---|
A|---7-6----------5----7-6------------|
E|-5------7-3-5-6----5------7---------|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|
A|---7-6----------5----7-------5-6~-|
E|-5------7-3-5-6----5---5-7-8------|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Riff 5
Guitar 1
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------8--9-|
A|-------7-6--------5--7---------7-6tr7--------6--7-|
E|-0-5-6------8-7-6-3--5---0-5-6---------8-7-6------|
* * * * * * * * * * *
Guitar 2 (comes in the second time)
e|---------------------------------13-12tr13----------------|
B|-------5-4-----------------10-11-----------13-12-11-------|
G|---2-3------5-4-3-0-2----9---------------------------8--9-|
D|-2--------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
Lead into verse:
Guitar 1
e|-----|
B|-----|
G|--2--|
D|--2--|
A|--0--|
E|-----|
Guitar 2
e|-----|
B|-----|
G|-14~-|
D|-----|
A|-----|
E|-----|
Guitar 3
e|-----|
B|-13~-|
G|-----|
D|-----|
A|-----|
E|-----|
Riff 6
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----3------7--------------5------3------7--------------6\-|
D|-----3------7--------------5------3------7--------------6\-|
A|-0-0-1--0-0-5--0-0-----6-5-3--0-0-1--0-0-5--0-0-----6-5-4\-|
E|-------------------3-6--------------------------3-6--------|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm an undertaker...."
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-3------7--------------5------3------7--------------6\-|
D|-3------7--------------5------3------7--------------6\-|
A|-1--0-0-5--0-0-----6-5-3--0-0-1--0-0-5--0-0-----6-5-4\-|
E|---------------3-6--------------------------3-6--------|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm a coffin shaker...."
Riff 7
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|--------------3-------------------|
A|-5---3-5-6--6----5---3-5-6--6-5-3-|
E|-3---------------3----------------|
"Take a look at the sky...."
Riff 8
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------4-3-----------------|
D|--------5------3---------4--3--2--------5-4--4-5-----|
A|----5-4----4------4---2--2--1---------3----------5---|
E|-3-----------5------5-0----------------------------6-|
"....ice." "Oh yeah........cold as ice....."
Play Riff 6 "There's a black horse waiting....."
Play Riff 7 "Take a look at the sky....."
Riff 9
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------5----|
A|----7------8------7-8-6--6-5--5-6-6--5----------3--3-|
E|-5----5-6----6-7---------4-3------4--3--3-5-6-5----1-|
* * * * * * * * *
"....rides!" "Midnight....let the church bell.."
Riff 10
e|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-2--------------------5---7--7-7/9-|
A|-2--------------8-7-------5--5-5/7-|
E|-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-----8---6----------|
* * * * * * * * * *
"....ring!"
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|------------------3--------7--10--9-|
A|---------------------------5---8--7-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0--3-6---6-5-3-----------|
* * * * * *
"All hallow's eve....."
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|
D|-------------------5---7--7-7/9-|
A|-------------8-7-------5--5-5/7-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-----8---6----------|
* * * * * * * * * *
"It's midnight...."
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|------------------3--------7--10--8-|
A|---------------------------5---8--6-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0--3-6---6-5-3-----------|
* * * * * *
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8---------7-/9-|
A|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-10---9--5-/7-|
E|------------------------8---7-------|
* * * * * * * * * *
"I see him rising...."
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|--------------------------7-/10-8-|
A|--------------------------5-/-8-6-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----------|
* * * * * * * * * * * *
e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--8-8-10-8--7----9-|
A|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--6-6--8-6--5----7-|
E|---------------------------------------5-|
* * * * * * * * * * *
"I see him rising......."
Lead into next part:
Guitar 1
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------|
A|-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-|
E|------------------------------------|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"On All Hallows Eve...."
Guitar 2
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|----8--------8--------8-------11-|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-/6-6-----/6-6-----/6-6-----/9-9-|
E|---------------------------------|
Riff 11
e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|-----------7-5------8-7------------------------|
D|-----5-----7-5------8-7-----6h7p6--------------|
A|-5h7----00-----0000----0000-------------3h5-3~-|
E|----------------------------------00-3h5-------|
** **** **** **
"My God...."
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0000000000-6h7p6--000000--8-8-8-|
E|---------------------------6-6-6-|
********** ******
"He's so grotesque..."
Riff 12
e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|
D|--------3----5------3-5-6-|
A|--------1----3------1-3-4-|
E|-000000---00---0000-------|
****** ** ****
"He's coming...."
Riff 13
Guitar 1
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|-3333333333333333-4444444444444444-2222222222222222-|
**************** **************** ****************
"Deep inside..."
Guitar 2 (Let chords ring)
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|-8----------------5----------------7----------------|
A|-6----------------3----------------5----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
Play Riff 12 "He's coming....."
Play Riff 13 "Deep inside....."
Riff 12a
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|--------3----5------3-5-6--66666-|
A|--------1----3------1-3-4--44444-|
E|-000000---00---0000--------------|
****** ** ****
"Help me, I'm falling down......"
Riff 14 (Solo Rhythm)
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|-------------1--------1-----------1-|
A|-3-3-3-3-3-3----3-1-3---3-3-3-3-3---|
E|------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|-------1-----------1----3-5------|
A|-3-1-3---3-3-3-3-3---3--1-3--4-3-|
E|-----------------------------2-1-|
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|-2--------2-----------2--------2-----------2------|
E|----4-2-4---4-4-4-4-4----4-2-4---4-4-4-4-4----4-2-|
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|---2-----------2--------------------------|
A|-4---4-4-4-4-4----4-2-4-2-----------2-----|
E|--------------------------4-4-4-4-4---4-2-|
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|---2-----------2--------------------------|
A|-4---4-4-4-4-4----4-2-4-2-----------2-----|
E|--------------------------4-4-4-4-4---4-2-|
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------5------5------6-|
D|--------7---------7--6----------------------|
A|-4--6---5---5--7--5--4--3-4----3-4----3-4---|
E|-2--4-------3--5----------------------------|
* * * * * *
"I'm falling down......"
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------5------5------6-------------|
D|-------7--6-----------------------------7--6-|
A|-5--7--5--4--3-4----3-4----3-4----5--7--5--4-|
E|-3--5-----------------------------3--5-------|
* * * * * *
"I'm looking up...."
Solo over the above riffs:
[go crazy with the whammy bar on this solo]
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|--16---11----16~-16~-16~-16~-16~-16~-16~-16~-------|
G|----\-/------------[bar vibrato]-------------------|
D|-[bar dive]----------------------------------0h1p0-|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|
e|-[hold bend while playing these]---------------------|
B|-6^--[6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6]-(6)p4-----|
G|-------------------------------------------------5~~-|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-6tm--6tm--6tm--6tm--6tm--6tm--4h6~~-|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|
e|-4-----------4-------4-----------4-------4-----------4-------|
B|---7p4-7p4-----7p4-----7p4-7p4-----7p4-----7p4-7p4-----7p4---|
G|-----------6-------6-----------6-------6-----------6-------6-|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-4h7p4h7p4---4--7p4-4---4--6p4---4-4-4-6p4---4-4-6p4---------4-4-4-|
G|-----------7----------6--------7-----------7---------7-(0)h7-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-4-4-----4-------------4-------------|
G|------7----4h6p4---------6p4-------4-|
D|-----------------6p4h6-------6p4h6---|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------|
B|--[hold bend while playing these]-|
G|--6^--[6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6~~~]----|
D|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|
End Solo
Riff 15
e|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------6----5-------------------6----5--------------------|
D|-6--5----------4--5-------6--5----------4--5--------------|
A|-4----------------3---2---4----------------3--------------|
E|----------------------0-----------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-|
* * * * * *
Riff 15a x2
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-------6----5--------------------|
D|----5----------4-----------------|
A|-4----------------3--------------|
E|---------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-|
* * * * * *
"In this hollow grave...."
x2
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-------9----8--------------------|
D|----8----------7-----------------|
A|-7----------------6--------------|
E|---------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-|
* * * * * *
"Will I ever ever make it......."
Riff 16
Guitar 1
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------5~-----------------------|
A|-6~---3~---5~---2--3--5------6~---8~---10-11-10~-|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
"Oh, it's strange...."
Guitar 2
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------5-3~---1~------------------|
E|-3~---4~---2~---3~----------------5~----------3~-|
Play Riff 15a "In this hollow grave...."
Play Riff 16 "Oh it's strange....."
Lead into solo rhythm
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|-6-5---4----------------|
D|-----6-----5------5-----|
A|-------------4-7--------|
E|--------------------7-5-|
Riff 17 (Solo Rhythm)
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|-6\4-----------6-\4-------4-|
D|----------------------------|
A|-4\2--------2--4-\2-------2-|
E|-----0-2-3~---------0-2-3---|
* * * * *
Riff 18 (Solo Rhythm)
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------4---------|
D|-2--4--5--4--7-5-4--2--4--5--2---------|
A|-0--2--3--2--5-3-2--0--2--3------------|
E|-------------------------------3-2-1-0-|
* * * *
Play Riff 17 Solo Rhythm
Solo
e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15^---15^-15^-----12---------------------------------|
G|----------------------12~~----------11h12p11----------|
D|-----------------------------14~~~-----------14-12-14-|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------12-12h13p12-12--------------12-15-13-12-------|
G|-11-12-14----------------14^~~~----14-------------14-12-|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12----------------------------------------12h13p12----12----|
G|----14-12-11-------11----11-------11-12-14----------14----12-|
D|-------------14--x----14----12-14----------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-12----------12----------12----------12----------12----------|
B|----15p12-------15p12-------15p12-------15p12-------12-------|
G|----------14----------14----------14----------14-------14^~~-|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------12h15p12-14p12--14p12-------------|
B|-15p12----12-15^~~--15^~~------------------------15-13p12----|
G|-------15-------------------------------------------------14-|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12h13p12----12--------------------------------------------|
G|----------14----14^~~~----12-14-12h14p12p11-12-14-12p11----|
D|--------------------------------------------------------14-|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------12-----|
B|--------------------------------12-13----12-------12-13-15----15^-|
G|-11-12p11----11--------11-12-14-------14----13-14-----------------|
D|----------14----12--14--------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-12-14-15-14-15-18----18-22^~~-|
B|-------------------20----------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-16-12----12----------------------------------------------|
B|-------15----15-12----12----------------------------------|
G|-------------------14----14-13-14-13----13----------------|
D|-------------------------------------14----14-12-14-12----|
A|-------------------------------------------------------14-|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------5~~---7-9-9^r--7-9-7h9p7---7---------------------|
G|----------7-7^---------------------------9---9-7-----------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------9-7-6-7-6-------|
A|-12-11~\---------------------------------------------------7-5~~-|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
End Solo
Riff 15b
Guitar 1 x2
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-------6----5--------------------|
D|----5----------4-----------------|
A|-4----------------3--------------|
E|---------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-|
* * * * * *
Guitar 2 (harmony on the second time of above)
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-------9----8--------------------|
D|----8----------7-----------------|
A|-7----------------6--------------|
E|---------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-|
* * * * * *
Play Riff 16 "Oh it's strange....."
Riff 19
Guitar 1 x4
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-8-7-----5-4---8-7-----5-4---|
E|-----5-6-----6-----5-6-----6-|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Guitar 2
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0-|
Riff 20 (the harmony guitars come in after awhile)
Gutiar 1 x7
e|-----------------|---|
B|-----------------|---|
G|-----------------|---|
D|-----------------|-2-|
A|-8-7-----5-4-----|-2-|
E|-----5-6-----5-6-|-0-|
* * * * * * * *
Guitar 2 x3
e|------------------|---|
B|------------------|---|
G|-10-9-----7-6-----|-9-|
D|------7-8-----7-8-|---|
A|------------------|---|
E|------------------|---|
Guitar 2 x2
e|------------------------|---|
B|------------------------|---|
G|-13-12-------10-9-------|-9-|
D|-------10-11------10-11-|---|
A|------------------------|---|
E|------------------------|---|
Ending:
Riff 21
Guitar 1 (clean with reverb)
x4 x4
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|-0---0---0---|-----0---0---|
G|---0-------0-|---0-------0-|
D|-------------|-8-----------|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
Guitar 2 (clean with reverb)
x4 x4
e|-------0-----|-9-----9-----|
B|-0---0---0---|-------------|
G|---0-------0-|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
"The mind in my headless body...."
This fades in, then back out
e|--------|
B|--------|
G|--7--6--|
D|--7--6--|
A|--5--4--|
E|--------|
Riff 22
Guitar 1 (clean)
e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------6------5-------------6------5-------|
D|-----5---5------4---------5---5------4-----|
A|---4-------4------3-----4-------4------3-2-|
E|-0--------------------0--------------------|
"And as he rides away......"
Guitar 2
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|--12h13-12~~-----12h13-12~~--------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|
Guitar 3
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|--12h13-12~~-----8h10-8~~---/12h13-12--8h10-8--5h6-5-|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|
Play Riff 21 "Does this mean......"
Ending:
e|--------|
B|--------|
G|-12--11-|
D|-12--11-|
A|-10---9-|
E|--------|
notation:
^ = bend [ ^ = half, ^^ = whole, etc. ]
^r = bend and release
x = mute with fret-hand
* = mute with palm-hand
X\\ = pick slide
h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
~ = vibrato
t = tap-on
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
h. = harmonics
ah = artificial harmonic
(9) = ghost note
tm = trem picking
tr = trill
