Esther

"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#

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

It was late one fall night at a fairground near town

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

When Esther first saw the Armenian man

Am7 Dm

Who groveled toward her and stood by her side

Gm7 C7

With a bucket that swung in his hand (Bass joins in here)

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

His grin stretched the folds of his pasty white cheeks

BbMaj7 BbmMaj7 F/A

And his lips hurled a dollop of murk on the curb

Am7 Dm

And the lights from the rides showed a mischievous sparkle

Gm7 C7

That flashed in his hollow eyed stare

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

He said "Little girl, you can chop off my legs

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

And then peel off my socks if you want to.

Am7 Dm

But I'd rather you took this old puppet from me

Gm7 C7

That I hold in my pail as we speak."

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

And he stood looking down at the innocent girl

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

And she stared at the bucket bewildered

Am7 Dm

Till he lifted the doll for the young girl to see

Gm7 Gm7b5/Db Eb <--transition chords

And a giant smile grew on his face

Ab Aº Bbm Eb

She saw the doll's eyes and she couldn't resist

Dº Db Bbm Eb

And she thanked the man quickly and ran to the church

Ab Aº Bbm Eb

And she burst through the door with puppet held high

Dº Db Bbm

And a hush filled the chapel, and the people looked mean

C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C

Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab Ab

F E Eb E F E Eb E

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B C# C#

G G G G G G G G G G G G G G A A

E Eb D Eb E Eb D D

D A/C# C G/B

Esther tried in vain to pacify the mob

Bb D/A E7/G# Gm

Quibble grew to spat, to wrangle, then to brawl

D/F# G E7/G# A

The frenzied congregation struggled desperately to fetch

A7 A6 A Dm7 *** with arpeggio

The pretty puppet snugly nestled deep in Esther's leather sack

Dm7 arpeggiation on guitar/piano:

F D F A C F A C D A C D F C D F A D F A C F A C D

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

Through the window of the church a storm began to rage

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

And Esther knew the time had come to flee

Am7 Dm

She scurried down the aisle toward the doorway in the distance (ooh/ahh)

Gm7 C7

And out into the rainstorm where she felt she would be free (ahh’s)

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

But the wind was blowing harder and her skirt began to billow

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

Until finally her feet began to lift

Am7 Dm

And she rose above the houses and the people and the chimneys (ooh/ahh)

Gm7 Gm7b5/Db Eb

And Esther and the doll were set adrift (ooh/ahh)

Ab Aº Bbm Eb Dº Db

Floating higher over the hills, and the valleys and treetops

Bbm Eb

They’d flutter and glide

Ab Aº Bbm Eb

Soaring and turning suspended on air

Dº Db Bbm

With the earth far below them they'd tumble

Eb E

And dive through the clouds

"Flying jam" chord progression: 2x on piano: E Em F#m7 F# B

Walk up >>> Guitar Solo over 2 verses + Ab bridge part

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 (“ooh/ahh” part. Bass goes E Eb D Eb and repeats)

She glanced about the village sure to find the evil men

Who rob and pillage in the darkest hour of night

Ebm

Nervously she fumbled for the pouch that held the

Puppet on her 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

D A/C# C G/B

When the morning came, she wandered through the streets

Bb D/A E7/G# Gm

Along the chilly lake, that lay beside the town

D/F# G E7/G# A

At last a peaceful moment, but she thought she heard a sound

A7 A6 A Dm7 *** with arpeggio

It was an angry mob of joggers coming up to knock her down

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

As Esther stood and shook her head, the joggers were approaching

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

And she knew she had no choice left but to swim

Am7 Dm

As the frosty water sank its bitter teeth into her hide (ooh/ahh’s)

Gm7 C7

She tried to slide the heavy clothing from her skin (ahh/ooh’s)

F/C F+/C# Dm F7/Eb

Naked now she made her way toward the shore, when suddenly

BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db F/A

She felt a tiny tugging at her toe.

Am7 Dm

And the puppet she'd forgotten wrapped its tiny little arms (ooh/ahh’s)

Gm7 Gm7b5/Db Eb

Around her ankle and wouldn't let her go. (ahh)

Ab Aº Bbm Eb

The waves seemed to open and swallow her whole

Dº Db Bbm Eb

As the doll pulled her down through the eerie green deep

Ab Aº Bbm Eb

And the sound of the laughing old man filled her ears

Dº Db Bbm

As she drifted away to a tranquil

Eb E (flying jam)

And motionless sleep.

Solo over flying jam: (piano 2x, then guitar 2x)

E Em F#m F# B

(Dm7 arpegiation on guitar/piano:)

F D F A C F A C D A C D F C D F A D F A C F A C D

E----------------------------------5-----5-8---5-8-10--

B--------------------------6-----6-----6-----6---------

G----------5-----5-7---5-7---5-7-----7-----------------

D--------7-----7-----7---------------------------------

A--8-5-8-----8-----------------------------------------

E------------------------------------------------------

"Flying jam" chord progression: 2x on piano, then guitar solo over verse 2x

Piano solo over: E Em F#m7 F# B

16th notes eighth notes

F/C F+/C#

|----------------------------------------|--------------8--9--10----------|

|-------------------7-8-9-10-11-10-9-8-7-|----------10--------------------|

|----------7-8-9-10----------------------|--10--------------------10------|

|--9-10-11-------------------------------|------10--------------------10--|

|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------|

Dm F7/Eb BbMaj7/D BbmMaj7/Db

|--------------10--11--------------|-------------10--9-------------|

|----------10--10--10--10----------|---------11---------11---------|

|------10------------------10------|-----10-----------------10-----|

|--10--------------------------10--|--8-------------------------8--|

|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|

F/A

|-----------6--8-----------|

|--------6--------------6--|

|-----5--------------5-----|

|--7--------------7--------|

|--------------------------|

Am7 Dm

|--------------5------12--15--|----------------------------------|

|--5--------5-----13----------|--15------15--13------------------|

|--------5--------------------|------14----------14------12--14--|

|-----7-----------------------|----------------------15----------|

|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|

Gm7

|----------------------------------|

|--15--12--------------------------|

|----------15--12----------12--15--|

|------------------13--------------|

|----------------------15----------|

C7 *

|--------------------------------|--------------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--------------

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----------------------------------------

End Solo over flying jam: (piano 2x, then guitar 2x)

E Em F#m F# B

E Em

E|-------------|-15-12-12----------------|

B|-12-14-------|----------12-12-------12-|

G|-------13-13-|----------------12-14----|

D|-------------|-------------------------|

A|-------------|-------------------------|

E|-------------|-------------------------|

F#m F#

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#

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|-----|--------|----|

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

F F F F F F F F

C C# D C# ....

Find a good Hammond patch to play it with and your all set...