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# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
# song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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Phish - Esther
Eric Berman (ericbe@microsoft.com)
(Music and Lyrics - Trey Anastasio)
Click here for the lyrics page for this song.
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 Db C F E
D
(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 other two notes twice. For example,
the intro starts like this:
F/C F+/C# Dm F+/C#
----- ------ ----- ------
A A A A A A A A
F F F F F F F F
C C# D C# ....
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/p/phish/esther_tab.html ]
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#
=====================================
VERSE I = II
C7 transition to guitar solo, then chords from the verses under the solo,
then back to the flying jam chords. At the end of this, hold the B chord and
play the following B arpeggio on the guitar:
B D# F# D# (repeat)
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|-----|--------|----|
