Mercyful Fate: The Bell Witch

transcribed by:  Russ Elton      :  mercyfuldiamond@yahoo.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 (Play twice)
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|----------------------7--6--5-|
D|------------------------------|
A|-2--4--4--2--4--4--x--5--4--3-|
E|-0--2--2--0--2--2--x----------|

e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|---4---2--4---6~--7--6--4--/9--7----|
A|-----4------4--------------------6~-|
E|-2----------------------------------|


Riff 2
e|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------|
D|---7-6---5-4-------6-7----5-4---3-2-----|
A|-5-----7-----5-4~------3------5-----3~--|
E|----------------------------------------|
            
When vocals start, play this:
Riff 1a
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|-----------------------7--6--5--|
D|--------------------------------|
A|-2--4--4--2---------x--5--4--3--|
E|-0--2--2--0--2^r~~--x-----------|
   "Back in Tennessee......"                  

e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|---4---2--4---6--7--6--4--/9--7---|
A|-----4------4-------------------6-|
E|-2--------------------------------|
   "I saw a family......"

Next time, guitar 2 plays this, guitar 1 plays riff 1
e|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|--------------[slow slide]-|
A|-2--4--4--2--4-4~///-------|
E|-0--2--2--0--2-2~///-------|
  "Yeah yeah yeah....." 

Play Riff 2   "Oh...they never would know...."

Riff 3
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------|
D|-2-4--5--4--5-7-5-4-------------2-1----------|
A|-0-2--3--2--3-5-3-2--2-3-5-2-3------4--2--4~-|
E|---------------------------------------------|
  "Little Betsy......"

RIFF 4
Guitar 1 (this lasts for four bars of guitar 2)
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|
D|--4-------5-------7------10-----|
A|--2-------3-------5-------8-----|
E|--------------------------------|

Guitar 2
e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5----------------------/7-| ----|
A|-------------3---3----------------3--------|     |
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5------3h5-5-5-5-5---5-3----|     |
       * * * *              * * * *                |
   "Ohhhh....."                                    | 
   "Invisible hands...."                           |--- Play 2x
e|-----------------------------------------|       |
B|-----------------------------------------|       |
G|-----------------------------------------|   ----|
D|-----------------5-----------------------|
A|-------------3---3-----------------7-6-5-|
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5----3h5-5-5-5-5--5-------|
       * * * *            * * * * 
   "Ohhhh....."
   "...leaving their mark in the dark..."


Riff 4a (Solo Rhythm)
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5---------------------/7-|
A|-------------3---3---------------3--------|
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5-----3h5-5-5-5-5---5-3----|
       * * * *   *         * * * *           

e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5------------------------|
A|-------------3---3-----------------7-6-5--|
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5----3h5-5-5-5-5--5--------|
       * * * *   *        * * * * 

e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5------------------------|
A|-------------3---3---------------3-----7--|
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5-----3h5-5-5-5-5---5-3----|
       * * * *   *         * * * *           

e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-----------------5-----------------------|
A|-------------3---3---------------------7-|
E|-3h5-5-5-5-5---5----3h5-5-5-5-5--5-3-0---|
       * * * *   *        * * * * 


Solo (wah pedal)
e|------3--------------------------------------------------|
B|-6^-----6^p0---------------------------------------------|
G|-------------5~~----\4-4h5p4----4---------7--5p4---4-5p4-|
D|------------------------------7---5-7-7-5---------7------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------13----12-13-15-15-15^-|
G|---4--------------------14-16----14-----------------|
D|-7---5-7^~~~\--4/-15/17-----------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------12-15-15^~~~~-|
B|-(15)p13h15-13-15-15^~~----15---------------|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|

End Solo



Riff 5
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------3-------------------------------------|
A|-3h5--5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-5--3h5--5-5-5-5-6-5-3-5-3---|
E|--------------------------------------------------5-|
  "Night after night...."

Guitar 2 plays this over the above bar in 2 last times
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------6-------------------------------------|
G|-5h7--7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7--5h7--7-7-7-7-8-7-5-7-5---|
D|--------------------------------------------------7-|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
   "...torturing Betsy..."

RIFF 6                           
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------6-|
A|---------------------333-666---|
E|--4-4444-4-444-0h444-----------|
    * **** * ***  
  "Tell us who you are....."

Play Riff 5
Play Riff 6   "Please tell us......"


Riff 7 (Chorus, guitar 2 plays notes in () )
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------(7)~~~--------------------------|
D|-9-----------9-8------7------------------------------|
A|-7------10-7-7-6------5------------------------------|
E|---0000--8-5-----0000----0-0000-0-0000-0-0000-0-0000-|
     ****          ****    * **** * **** * **** * ****
   "I am the air..."

e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------(11)~~~--------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-9-----------9-8-------------------------------------|
A|-7------10-7-7-6------8------------------------------|
E|---0000--8-5-----0000-6--0-0000-0-0000-0-0000-0-0000-|
     ****          ****    * **** * **** * **** * ****
   "I am the bell...witch!"


Riff 8 (solo rhythm)
e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-----------------8-----------------------|
A|-------------6---6---------------6-----8-|
E|-6h8-8-8-8-8---8-----6h8-8-8-8-8---8-6---|
       * * * *   *         * * * * 
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|-----------------8---------------------|
A|-------------6---6---------------6-----|
E|-6h8-8-8-8-8---8-----6h8-8-8-8-8---8-6-|
       * * * *   *         * * * * 
e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-----------------8-----------------------|
A|-------------6---6---------------6-----8-|
E|-6h8-8-8-8-8---8-----6h8-8-8-8-8---8-6---|
       * * * *   *         * * * * 
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------8--------------------------|
A|-------------6---6-------------------10-9-8-|
E|-6h8-8-8-8-8---8-----6h8-8-8-8-8-8--8-------|
       * * * *   *         * * * * 


Solo
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|-16^-16^~~----13^-13^~~----11^-11^~~----8^--8^~~--|
G|-18^-18^~~----15^-15^~~----13^-13^~~---10^-10^~~--|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----8-11p8----8-11p8-8-11p8----8-11p8-10p8----8-11-8---|
G|-10^---------x---------------10-------------10----------|
D|-----------x------------------------------------------8-|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-8-12p8-10p8----8----8-------8-------8-----------|
G|-------------12---11---10h11---10h11---10p0-10p0-|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----8-10p8----------8h10p8--------------------------|
G|-10--------11-10h11--------11-10-8^---------8-10-8^-|
D|------------------------------------10p8h10---------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-10-8-------------------|
A|------10p9p8----8-------|
E|-------------11---11-8\-|

End Solo


Play Riff 5   "The bell witch..."
Play Riff 6   "Tell us who..."
Play Riff 5
Play Riff 6   "Please tell us..."
Play Riff 7   "I am the air...

Riff 9 (4 times)
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|--------------2h4-2---------------------4-|
D|--------------2h4-2---------------4p2---4-|
A|-2h4-----------------2h4--------------4---|
E|-0h2--2-2-2-2--------0h2--2-2-2-2---------|
        * * * *             * * * *      
   "Goodnight John ..."

Play Riff 9   Solo Rhythm    x4

Riff 10 (Solo Rhythm)
e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------|
D|------------------9--------------------/11-|
A|--------------7---7--------------7---------|
E|--7h9-9-9-9-9---9----7h9-9-9-9-9---9-7-----|
        * * * *   *        * * * * 

e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|-----------------7--------------------|
A|-------------5---5--------------9-8-7-|
E|-5h7-7-7-7-7---7----5h7-7-7-7-7-------|
       * * * *   *        * * * 


Play Riff 9    End of the solo rhythm


Solo over the above riffs
e|-19^-----17^~~~------------------------|
B|-------x----------17^-(whammy release)-|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|

e|-17-15-14-15-17p16p14-16-14----14-|
B|----------------------------17----|
G|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|

*use whammy to dive to 14 and rise to 17*
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|-17^-(14-17-14-17-14-17-14-17-14-17-14)-----|
G|----------------------------------------14^-|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|

*Use whammy bar again for this stuff*
e|--------------------------------|
B|------14----14~-----------------|
G|-14---14----14~-----------------|
D|-14---14----14~----16^r--14-----|
A|----------------------------16~-|
E|--------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|-14----------------------19----------------16-18-19-|
E|----14-16-17-19-16-17-19----19-17p16-16-17----------|

e|----------------------------0------17-19-16-14-|
B|------------------------------(14)-------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------|
D|----------16-------16-18~~---------------------|
A|-16-18-19----18-19-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------|

e|-19-17-15-19-17-15-19-15-19-15-19-16-14-17-14-16-12-15-|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|

e|-11-14-10-13-9-12-9-12-8-10-7-10------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------7~~---2tm-4~~-|
D|----------------------------------0---------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------|
B|-----14-17-17-17p14-17-17p14-17-|
G|--------------------------------|
D|-/16----------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-17171717-17-17-17-17p14-17p14-17p14-------|
G|-------------------------------------16^~~-|
D|-------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|

End Solo


Riff 11 
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------5-|
A|----------------------------3-3-3-6-6-6---|
E|-0h2-2-2-2-0-0h2-2-3--5-5-5---------------|

Riff 12 
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------10--------8--9-10---------7-----10-------8--9-10-----------|
A|-2---------8--------6--7--8---------5------8-------6--7--8------8--7-|
E|-0--0-0-0-----0-0-0---------0-0-0-0---0-0----0-0-0---------0-0--6--5-|
      * * *     * * *         * * * *   * *    * * *         * * 
  "That night John he died....."

e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----10--------8--9-10---------7-----10------10--9--8---12-|
A|------8--------6--7--8---------5------8-------8--7--6---10-|
E|-0-0-----0-0-0---------0-0-0-0---0-0----0-0-0--------------|
   * *     * * *         * * * *   * *    * * *        
  "Soon, they realized....."


Riff 13 (Solo rhythm)
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|-------------------------10--9--7-|
A|-7-----5-------7---5------8--7--5-|
E|---0-0---0-0-0---0---0-0----------|
     * *   * * *   *   * *

Riff 14 (Solo Rhythm)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2-----------------4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-----|
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0--5-5-5-5-5-5-5--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|
E|------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------------------------3~-|
     * * * * *      * * * * * * *    * * * * *     

RIFF 13a (Solo Rhythm)
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|-------------------------10--9--7-|
A|-7-----5-------7---5------8--7--5-|
E|-7-0-0-5-0-0-0-7-0-5-0-0--8--7--5-|
     * *   * * *   *   * * 


Solo over the above riffs
e|-12h16p12----12-------------------------------------|
B|----------15----12h15p12----12----------------------|
G|-------------------------14----14-13h14p13----12----|
D|-------------------------------------------14----14-|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|-12h14p12----12---------------|
A|----------14----14-12-11-11~~-|
E|------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------12-15-----|
G|-------------------------------------------13-14-------14^-|
D|-------------------------------------12-14-----------------|
A|-12-11h12p11----11----------11-12/14-----------------------|
E|-------------12----12-10-12--------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------|
B|-12-15----12-15----12-15-12--12----12--------|
G|-------14-------14--------------14----14^r~~-|
D|---------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----14^rp12h14-12h14p12----12-----------------------|
G|-14---------------------15----15-15^rp13h16-13------|
D|-----------------------------------------------15~~-|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

[guitar 2 plays top notes]
e|-2--3--2-----2-------------------------|
B|----5-----5-----5^-(5)p3--5--3--2--3~~-|
G|-7-----7--6--7--6^-(6)p4--6--4-----4~~-|
D|--------------------------------7------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-6h7p6---6-----6-7-9-7-6----6-7-6---6------|
D|-------9---7-9-----------9--------9---9----|
A|----------------------------------------9\-|
E|-------------------------------------------|

[guitar 2 plays top notes]
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|----12--10-------------10--8-----------------------------|
G|-11h12--11---9/12--11--11--9--11--9-------9-11--9--------|
D|-------------------12---------12-11-9/12-11-12-11-9/12~~-|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------12-------12-14----12-14-16-|
A|-12-14-16-12-14-16----14-16-------16----------|
E|----------------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------12------15^r-15^r-15^r^r~~-|
G|----------12----------------12-14----14^---------------------|
D|-12-14-16----14-16-12-14-16----------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-12h15p12----12-------12-14p12----12-------12h15p12-|
B|----------15----14h15----------15----14h15----------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|-14p12----12-------12-14p12----12-------|
B|-------15----14h15----------15----14h15-|
G|----------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|

e|-12h15p12-14p12----12--------------|
B|----------------15----15^r^r~~-----|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------X\\-|

End Solo


Ending
Guitar 1
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|----7--6-----5--4--------6--7-----5--4-----3--2----|
A|-5--------7--------5--4--------3--------5--------3-|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

Guitar 2
e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----14-13----12-11---------13-14-----12-11-----10-9----|
D|-12--------14-------12-11~--------10--------12-------10-|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 1
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-2--4--5--4--5--7--5--4-|
A|-0--2--3--2--3--5--3--2-|
E|------------------------|

Guitar 2
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|----------------7-------|
D|-7--9-10--9-10----10--9-|
A|------------------------|
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