Character Zero Chords

"CHARACTER ZERO" by Phish
(music by Trey Anastasio, words by Tom Marshall)
From BILLY BREATHES
 
Transcribed by Dave Biszick (KELLOGG@CENTER.COLGATE.EDU)
December 16, 1996
 
 
The Riff (usually done on bass):
p = pull off
 
e|------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------3--------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|-----2p0-5-2-0-2-5-2----------------------|
A|------------------------------------------| (let note ring as line is sung)
E|-3p0--------------------------------------|
 
e|------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------2--------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|-----2p0-5-2-0-2-5-2----------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|-3p0--------------------------------------|
 
 
[Verse 1]
E
[RIFF] I was taught a month ago
E
[RIFF] To bide my time and take it slow
E
[RIFF] But then I learned just yesterday
E
[RIFF] To rush and never waste the day
E
[RIFF] Now I'm convinced the whole day long
E
[RIFF] That all I learn is always wrong
E
[RIFF] And things are true that I forget
E
[RIFF] Well no one taught that to me yet
 
A (x6)  A G
(lightly strum an A chord, getting gradually louder, then
forcefully hit A  G)
 
[Chorus]
E                           G                    A
I-I'm off to see the man Mulcahey, I'm off to see the man
Mulcahey (x4)
 
[Verse 1]
E                   G              A
I was taught a month ago . . . .
     E                        G         A
To bide my time and take it slow . . . .
      E                  G           A
But then I learned just yesterday . . . .
     E             G                 A
To rush and never waste the day . . . .
        E                       G                   A
Now I'm convinced the whole day long . . . .
    E                G                A
That all I learn is always wrong . . . .
    E                    G
And things are true that I forget . . . .
     E                  G            A A A A A A A  G
Well no one taught that to me yet . . . .
 
[Chorus]
E                      G             A
I - I'm off to see the man Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man
Mulcahey      (x4)
E                       E
I - I . . . . Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man Mulcahey
E                       E
I - I . . . . Mulcahey,  I - 'Cahey, 'Cahey . . . .
 
[Solo]
E        G            A
 
E        G            A
I - I . . . . I - . . . .
 
E        G            A
I - I . . . . I - . . . .
E                      G              A
I - I'm off to see the man Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man Mulcahey.....  (BLAH BLAH BLAH.....)
 
 
 
That should hold you rascals for now!
(when I play this tune, I put an Asus4-A-Asus4-A quick
change at the verse ends that isn't necessary...Trey doesn't
play it, but if you're playing alone on a guitar - as I
usually do - it substitutes in for Page's piano fills.)
 
Oh, and I didn't transcribe the solo because, well... I
don't have the patience, and I can barely solo anyway.
X