Mercyful Fate - Legend Of The Headless Rider Chords & Tabs

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...."

[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/mercyful_fate/legend_of_the_headless_rider_tab.html ]
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