Here's how to play the main riff chords in the song. The chords are shown in the
inversion that you should use, top note on top and bottom note on bottom:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F7/Eb] [BbMaj7/D] [BbmMaj7/Db][Am7][Gm7][C7]
--- --- --- ---- --- --- --- --- ---
[A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A][G][Bb][Bb]
[F] [F] [F] [F] [F] [F][E][G][G]
[C] [C#] [D] [Eb] [D] [C#][C][D][E]
E-------------------------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------(3)--------(3)--------------------|
G---2-----2------2----2------2----------2----------0----3---3-|
D---3-----3------3----3------3----------3----------2----5---5-|
A---3-----4------5----6------5----------4----------3----5---7-|
E-------------------------------------------------------------|
(Notice that in the BbMaj7 and BbmMaj7/Db, the Bb is implied. When Mike comes in
on the bass, the bass plays the Bb, but the organ doesn't. Likewise, the A isn't
stated in the Am7 until Mike plays it on the bass.)
There are other chords in the song, but the fingering on them isn't as important
as for these, so you can use whatever is comfortable.
Most of the song, especially at the start, has an "oom-pah-pah" feel (which kind
of makes sense, since the song is in 3/4.) To play the chords correctly, play the
bass note, then the othertwo notes twice. For example, the intro starts like this:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#]
----- ------ ----- ------
[A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A]
C[F] [F] C#[F] [F] D[F] [F] C#[F] [F] ....
Find a good Hammond patch to play it with and your all set...
"Circus theme" Intro:
[F] [E] [Eb] [E] [Eb] [D] [C#] [C] [B] [C]
Intro:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#] [F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#]
It was[F/C] late one fall[F+/C#] night at a[Dm] fairground near[F7/Eb] town
When[BbMaj7/D] Esther first[BbmMaj7/Db] saw the A[F/A]rmenian man
Who[Am7] grovelled toward her and[Dm] stood by her side
With a[Gm7] bucket that swung in his[C7] hand (Bass joins in here)
His[F/C] grin stretched the[F+/C#] folds of his[Dm] pasty white[F7/Eb] cheeks
And his[BbMaj7] lips hurled a[BbmMaj7] dollop of[F/A] murk on the curb
And the[Am7] lights from the rides showed a[Dm] mischievous sparkle
That[Gm7] flashed in his hollow eyed[C7] stare
(same)
He said "Little girl, you can chop off my legs
And then peel off my socks if you want to.
But I'd rather you took this old puppet from me
That I hold in my pail as we speak."
(same except transition chords at end of verse)
And he stood looking down at the innocent girl
And she stared at the bucket bewildered
Til he lifted the doll for the young girl to see
Gm7b5/Db Eb Em->F#m7->F#->B
16th notes eighth notes
|----------------------------------------|--------------8--9--10----------|
|-------------------7-8-9-10-11-10-9-8-7-|----------10--------------------|
|----------7-8-9-10----------------------|--10--------------------10------|
|--9-10-11-------------------------------|------10--------------------10--|
|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------10--11--------------|-------------10--9-------------|
|----------10--10--10--10----------|---------11---------11---------|
|------10------------------10------|-----10-----------------10-----|
|--10--------------------------10--|--8-------------------------8--|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------6--8-----------|
|--------6--------------6--|
|-----5--------------5-----|
|--7--------------7--------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------5------12--15--|----------------------------------|
|--5--------5-----13----------|--15------15--13------------------|
|--------5--------------------|------14----------14------12--14--|
|-----7-----------------------|----------------------15----------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|--15--12--------------------------|
|----------15--12----------12--15--|
|------------------13--------------|
|----------------------15----------|
|--------------------------------|--------------8--9--10----------|
|--------------------------------|----------10--------------------|
|--------15--12--------------12--|--10--------------------10------|
|--14------------14------14------|------10--------------------10--|
|--------------------15----------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------10--11--------------|-------------10--9-------------|
|----------10--10--10--10----------|---------11---------11---------|
|------10------------------10------|-----10-----------------10-----|
|--10--------------------------10--|--8-------------------------8--|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------6--8-----------|
|--------6--------------6--|
|-----5--------------5-----|
|--7--------------7--------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------5------12--15--|----------------------------------|
|--5--------5-----13----------|--15------15--13------------------|
|--------5--------------------|------14----------14------12--14--|
|-----7-----------------------|----------------------15----------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|--15--12--------------------------|
|----------15--12----------12--15--|
|------------------13--------------|
|----------------------15----------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|------13--------------13----------|
|--------15--12----------11--12--|--13------13--12----------13--14--|
|--14------------14--15----------|------------------15--------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------15--14--|--13----------------------13------|
|------14--------------16----------|----------------------14------14--|
|--15------15--12------------------|------13--------------------------|
|------------------13--------------|----------13--14--15--------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|------16----------15------15--18--|--16------------------------------|
|--16------18--19------16----------|------16--------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------17----------17----------|
|----------------------------------|--------------18--16------18--19--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------15--14--|--13----------------------13------|
|------14--------------16----------|----------------------14------14--|
|--15------15----------------------|------13--------------------------|
|--------------17--13--------------|----------13--14--15--------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--13--16--13--14--15------15--18--|--16----16--14----12--------|
|----------------------16----------|------------------------14--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--12----------------------|
|--------13----11----------|
|--------------------14----|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
Quiet volume pedal section starts here
|--16----16--14----12--------|--------------------------|
|------------------------14--|--12----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------13----11----------|
|----------------------------|--------------------14----|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------12----15------|------------------------|------------------17----|
|--12------14------------12--|------------------14----|--16------14------------|
|----------------------------|--12------14------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|--14--------------------|
|--14------------------|----------17------------|----------16------14----|
|----------14----------|--15--------------15----|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|--14------16--14----16----|--16------12--14----12-|
|-----------------------(16)-|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|--16----------13----16------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------16----------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|--14----12----------------|--------------------------|--15--------------------|
|--------------13----11----|--12----------------12----|--------------12---13---|
|--------------------------|----------12--14----------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------14----|
|----------17------14----|--------------------------|----------------------|
|--14--------------------|--16----------------14----|--15------------------|
|------------------------|-------14---16------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--16----14----------------|-----|
|--------------15----13----|--16-|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--------------------------|-----|
|: :|
E----11-14-11--
B--12----------
G--------------
D--------------
A--------------
E--------------
Hold the B chord
and play the above B arpeggio on the guitar:
(B arpeggiation)
And she began to plummet earthward till she
Landed in the nasty part of town
Em (Bass goes E->Eb->D->Eb and repeats)
Trey plays : (repeat each as necessary, listen to a song)
|: :| |: :| |: :| Slide down after this one back to the start
E----------------------------------------
B--12------13------16------17------------
G----------------------------------------
D---9------10------13------14------------
A----------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------
She glanced about the village sure to find the evil men
Who rob and[Fm] pillage in the darkest hour of night
[Ebm]Nervously she fumbled for the pouch that held the
Puppet on her[Em] rump.
(Same)
Feeling quite outnumbered Esther hid behind
A nearby pile of lumber, where she waited
Till the dawn
Cause it would have been a blunder to
Succumb to a hoodlum on the prowl
When the[D] morning[A/C#] came, she[C] wandered through the[G/B] streets
[Bb]Along the chilly [D/A]lake that [E7/G#]lay beside the [Gm]town
At[D/F#] last a peaceful[G] moment, but she[E7/G#] thought she heard a[A] sound
A7 A6 A Dm7 (arpeggiation)
It was an angry mob of joggers coming up to knock her down
(same chords as verses)
As Esther stood and shook her head
The joggers were approaching
And she knew she had no choice left but to swim
As the frosty water sank its bitter teeth into her hide
She tried to slide the heavy clothing from her skin
Naked now she made her way toward the shore
When suddenly she felt a tiny tugging at her toe.
And the puppet she'd fogotten wrapped its tiny
Little arms around her ankle and wouldn't let her[Gm7b5/Db] go.[Eb]
Ab etc...
The waves seemed to open and swallow her whole
As the doll pulled her down through the eerie green deep
And the sound of the laughing old man filled her ears
As she drifted away to a tranquil
E (flying jam)
And motionless sleep.
Cool guitar solo over flying jam:
[E] [Em]
E|-------------|-15-12-12----------------|
B|-12-14-------|----------12-12-------12-|
G|-------13-13-|----------------12-14----|
D|-------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------|-------------------------|
[F#m] [F#]
[/2]
E|-17-14-14--17-(17)-14-14--------|-18-14-14---18-14-14--|
B|--------------------------------|----------------------|
G|--------------------------------|----------------------|
D|--------------------------------|----------------------|
A|--------------------------------|----------------------|
E|--------------------------------|----------------------|
[B] [E] [Em]
E|-19-|-------------|-15-12-12----------------|
B|----|-12-14-------|----------12-12-------12-|
G|----|-------13-13-|----------------12-14----|
D|----|-------------|-------------------------|
A|----|-------------|-------------------------|
E|----|-------------|-------------------------|
[F#m] [F#]
[/2]
E|-17-14-14--17-(17)-14-14--------|-18-14-14---18-14-14--|
B|--------------------------------|----------------------|
G|--------------------------------|----------------------|
D|--------------------------------|----------------------|
A|--------------------------------|----------------------|
E|--------------------------------|----------------------|
[B] [E]
E|-19--|-21-23--|-12-|
B|-----|--------|----|
G|-----|--------|----|
D|-----|--------|----| Strike and hold an E chord to end.
A|-----|--------|----|
E|-----|--------|----|
inversion that you should use, top note on top and bottom note on bottom:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F7/Eb] [BbMaj7/D] [BbmMaj7/Db][Am7][Gm7][C7]
--- --- --- ---- --- --- --- --- ---
[A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A][G][Bb][Bb]
[F] [F] [F] [F] [F] [F][E][G][G]
[C] [C#] [D] [Eb] [D] [C#][C][D][E]
E-------------------------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------(3)--------(3)--------------------|
G---2-----2------2----2------2----------2----------0----3---3-|
D---3-----3------3----3------3----------3----------2----5---5-|
A---3-----4------5----6------5----------4----------3----5---7-|
E-------------------------------------------------------------|
(Notice that in the BbMaj7 and BbmMaj7/Db, the Bb is implied. When Mike comes in
on the bass, the bass plays the Bb, but the organ doesn't. Likewise, the A isn't
stated in the Am7 until Mike plays it on the bass.)
There are other chords in the song, but the fingering on them isn't as important
as for these, so you can use whatever is comfortable.
Most of the song, especially at the start, has an "oom-pah-pah" feel (which kind
of makes sense, since the song is in 3/4.) To play the chords correctly, play the
bass note, then the othertwo notes twice. For example, the intro starts like this:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#]
----- ------ ----- ------
[A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A] [A]
C[F] [F] C#[F] [F] D[F] [F] C#[F] [F] ....
Find a good Hammond patch to play it with and your all set...
"Circus theme" Intro:
[F] [E] [Eb] [E] [Eb] [D] [C#] [C] [B] [C]
Intro:
[F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#] [F/C] [F+/C#] [Dm] [F+/C#]
It was[F/C] late one fall[F+/C#] night at a[Dm] fairground near[F7/Eb] town
When[BbMaj7/D] Esther first[BbmMaj7/Db] saw the A[F/A]rmenian man
Who[Am7] grovelled toward her and[Dm] stood by her side
With a[Gm7] bucket that swung in his[C7] hand (Bass joins in here)
His[F/C] grin stretched the[F+/C#] folds of his[Dm] pasty white[F7/Eb] cheeks
And his[BbMaj7] lips hurled a[BbmMaj7] dollop of[F/A] murk on the curb
And the[Am7] lights from the rides showed a[Dm] mischievous sparkle
That[Gm7] flashed in his hollow eyed[C7] stare
(same)
He said "Little girl, you can chop off my legs
And then peel off my socks if you want to.
But I'd rather you took this old puppet from me
That I hold in my pail as we speak."
(same except transition chords at end of verse)
And he stood looking down at the innocent girl
And she stared at the bucket bewildered
Til he lifted the doll for the young girl to see
Gm7b5/Db Eb Em->F#m7->F#->B
16th notes eighth notes
|----------------------------------------|--------------8--9--10----------|
|-------------------7-8-9-10-11-10-9-8-7-|----------10--------------------|
|----------7-8-9-10----------------------|--10--------------------10------|
|--9-10-11-------------------------------|------10--------------------10--|
|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------10--11--------------|-------------10--9-------------|
|----------10--10--10--10----------|---------11---------11---------|
|------10------------------10------|-----10-----------------10-----|
|--10--------------------------10--|--8-------------------------8--|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------6--8-----------|
|--------6--------------6--|
|-----5--------------5-----|
|--7--------------7--------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------5------12--15--|----------------------------------|
|--5--------5-----13----------|--15------15--13------------------|
|--------5--------------------|------14----------14------12--14--|
|-----7-----------------------|----------------------15----------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|--15--12--------------------------|
|----------15--12----------12--15--|
|------------------13--------------|
|----------------------15----------|
|--------------------------------|--------------8--9--10----------|
|--------------------------------|----------10--------------------|
|--------15--12--------------12--|--10--------------------10------|
|--14------------14------14------|------10--------------------10--|
|--------------------15----------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------10--11--------------|-------------10--9-------------|
|----------10--10--10--10----------|---------11---------11---------|
|------10------------------10------|-----10-----------------10-----|
|--10--------------------------10--|--8-------------------------8--|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------6--8-----------|
|--------6--------------6--|
|-----5--------------5-----|
|--7--------------7--------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------5------12--15--|----------------------------------|
|--5--------5-----13----------|--15------15--13------------------|
|--------5--------------------|------14----------14------12--14--|
|-----7-----------------------|----------------------15----------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|--15--12--------------------------|
|----------15--12----------12--15--|
|------------------13--------------|
|----------------------15----------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|------13--------------13----------|
|--------15--12----------11--12--|--13------13--12----------13--14--|
|--14------------14--15----------|------------------15--------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------15--14--|--13----------------------13------|
|------14--------------16----------|----------------------14------14--|
|--15------15--12------------------|------13--------------------------|
|------------------13--------------|----------13--14--15--------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|------16----------15------15--18--|--16------------------------------|
|--16------18--19------16----------|------16--------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------17----------17----------|
|----------------------------------|--------------18--16------18--19--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------15--14--|--13----------------------13------|
|------14--------------16----------|----------------------14------14--|
|--15------15----------------------|------13--------------------------|
|--------------17--13--------------|----------13--14--15--------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--13--16--13--14--15------15--18--|--16----16--14----12--------|
|----------------------16----------|------------------------14--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--12----------------------|
|--------13----11----------|
|--------------------14----|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
Quiet volume pedal section starts here
|--16----16--14----12--------|--------------------------|
|------------------------14--|--12----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------13----11----------|
|----------------------------|--------------------14----|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------12----15------|------------------------|------------------17----|
|--12------14------------12--|------------------14----|--16------14------------|
|----------------------------|--12------14------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|--14--------------------|
|--14------------------|----------17------------|----------16------14----|
|----------14----------|--15--------------15----|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|----------------------------|--14------16--14----16----|--16------12--14----12-|
|-----------------------(16)-|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|--16----------13----16------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------16----------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|--14----12----------------|--------------------------|--15--------------------|
|--------------13----11----|--12----------------12----|--------------12---13---|
|--------------------------|----------12--14----------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------14----|
|----------17------14----|--------------------------|----------------------|
|--14--------------------|--16----------------14----|--15------------------|
|------------------------|-------14---16------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--16----14----------------|-----|
|--------------15----13----|--16-|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--------------------------|-----|
|--------------------------|-----|
|: :|
E----11-14-11--
B--12----------
G--------------
D--------------
A--------------
E--------------
Hold the B chord
and play the above B arpeggio on the guitar:
(B arpeggiation)
And she began to plummet earthward till she
Landed in the nasty part of town
Em (Bass goes E->Eb->D->Eb and repeats)
Trey plays : (repeat each as necessary, listen to a song)
|: :| |: :| |: :| Slide down after this one back to the start
E----------------------------------------
B--12------13------16------17------------
G----------------------------------------
D---9------10------13------14------------
A----------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------
She glanced about the village sure to find the evil men
Who rob and[Fm] pillage in the darkest hour of night
[Ebm]Nervously she fumbled for the pouch that held the
Puppet on her[Em] rump.
(Same)
Feeling quite outnumbered Esther hid behind
A nearby pile of lumber, where she waited
Till the dawn
Cause it would have been a blunder to
Succumb to a hoodlum on the prowl
When the[D] morning[A/C#] came, she[C] wandered through the[G/B] streets
[Bb]Along the chilly [D/A]lake that [E7/G#]lay beside the [Gm]town
At[D/F#] last a peaceful[G] moment, but she[E7/G#] thought she heard a[A] sound
A7 A6 A Dm7 (arpeggiation)
It was an angry mob of joggers coming up to knock her down
(same chords as verses)
As Esther stood and shook her head
The joggers were approaching
And she knew she had no choice left but to swim
As the frosty water sank its bitter teeth into her hide
She tried to slide the heavy clothing from her skin
Naked now she made her way toward the shore
When suddenly she felt a tiny tugging at her toe.
And the puppet she'd fogotten wrapped its tiny
Little arms around her ankle and wouldn't let her[Gm7b5/Db] go.[Eb]
Ab etc...
The waves seemed to open and swallow her whole
As the doll pulled her down through the eerie green deep
And the sound of the laughing old man filled her ears
As she drifted away to a tranquil
E (flying jam)
And motionless sleep.
Cool guitar solo over flying jam:
[E] [Em]
E|-------------|-15-12-12----------------|
B|-12-14-------|----------12-12-------12-|
G|-------13-13-|----------------12-14----|
D|-------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------|-------------------------|
[F#m] [F#]
[/2]
E|-17-14-14--17-(17)-14-14--------|-18-14-14---18-14-14--|
B|--------------------------------|----------------------|
G|--------------------------------|----------------------|
D|--------------------------------|----------------------|
A|--------------------------------|----------------------|
E|--------------------------------|----------------------|
[B] [E] [Em]
E|-19-|-------------|-15-12-12----------------|
B|----|-12-14-------|----------12-12-------12-|
G|----|-------13-13-|----------------12-14----|
D|----|-------------|-------------------------|
A|----|-------------|-------------------------|
E|----|-------------|-------------------------|
[F#m] [F#]
[/2]
E|-17-14-14--17-(17)-14-14--------|-18-14-14---18-14-14--|
B|--------------------------------|----------------------|
G|--------------------------------|----------------------|
D|--------------------------------|----------------------|
A|--------------------------------|----------------------|
E|--------------------------------|----------------------|
[B] [E]
E|-19--|-21-23--|-12-|
B|-----|--------|----|
G|-----|--------|----|
D|-----|--------|----| Strike and hold an E chord to end.
A|-----|--------|----|
E|-----|--------|----|
