Colonel Forbin's Ascent
From Emil's Tablature
COLONEL FORBIN'S ASCENT
This transcription is pretty close. The two chords at the end of the verse are tough to hear. I feel like the melody notes are D and C#, that's why I called it C#7b9--F#7.
I don't think Trey plays Gmaj7 during the choruses, but I like the way they sound. (Page might play the major 7ths there) The verses are very unique in that Trey sings
a straight-forward melody, but with very non-traditional chords behind it. The instrumental bridge is another example of Trey taking a line and modulating it around
almost seamlessly. (Golgi, Bowie, Horn are other examples)
INTRO
Ab Intro Riff Adim7 Ab Cdim7
e--4-------|-------5---------------------------11---------------------------------------------------
B--4-------|-------4----------------4----------10---------------------------------------------------
G--5-------|-------5----------------5----------11---------------------------------------------------
D--6-------|-------4----------------6----------10---------------------------------------------------
A--6-------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--4-------|----------------4-----------------------------------------------------------------------
C#m7 F#m9
Colonel Forbin stared up at the mountain
Ebdim7 Emin(maj7)
and wiped away the beads of sweat that glistened on his brow
F#7 C#7b9--F#7 (not sure)
his tired feet were buried in the Quagmyre
Am7 Intro
and his bloodshot eyes saw all the lay between him and fulfillment of his vow
C#m7 F#m9
And he felt his fingers wrap around a knotted root
Ebdim7 Emin(maj7)
and pulled his body upwards to a seagreen mossy boulder
F#7 C#7b9---F#7
and he dragged weary shitass up the mountain
F#m7 Gmaj7 F#m7 Gmaj7
And he climbed so slowly.. he climbed so slowly
A F F#m7 Gmaj7
Ahead
Noise---Emin(maj7) Form 2
A C#
Suddenly he heard the crack of thunder
D G
and the rocks began to crumble overhead
A C#
and tumbled down the mountain to the dismal swamp that lay beneath
D G
the jagged cliffs through which his path had led
A C#
and the earth began to quake beneath his feet
D G
and the mighty mountain changed before his eyes
A C#
and he stood amidst a sea of dust and rocks and stones
D G (Ab) A
cascading down the mountain and a thousand birds were headed for the sky
C#m7 Bm7 G
Ohhh...... the sacred creed will be yours....
Chords for this section
A C#m7 Bm7 G
e---0------0------0------0--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---5------5------3------3--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---6------4------2------4--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---7------6------4------5--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A C#m7 Bm7 G
and if you wait until tomorrow ... the sacred creed/greed
F#m7 Gmaj7 F#m7 Gmaj7 A F F#m7 Gmaj7
will be yours to devour, yours to seize, and to obey.....
Then---C#m7
BRIDGE (Trey bends the E to F# and the G# to A. I just didn't know how to write in bends)
D A/C# Bm7 F#m E D Ebm7
e---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---7-------5-------3-------------9------10-----9-------7--------HOLD-------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E B/D# C#m7 G#m F# E
e---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--5---7-----9------7------5-----------11-----12-----11------9-----HOLD NOTE BACK INTO THE INTRO------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C#m7 F#m9
When the dust had cleared the colonel lifted up his head
Ebdim7 Emin(maj7)
and was driven to his knees by a blazing beam of light
F#7 C#7b9--F#7
and he saw the silhouette that stood before him
Am7 Intro
and he bowed in reverence, trembling, in the shadow of the mighty legend's form.
C#m7 F#m9
Icculus, the prophet, stood before his eyes
Ebdim7 Emin(maj7) F#7
looking down on Colonel Forbin as he shuddered in the puddles and the muck
C#7b9----F#7
and he quietly addressed him
F#m7 Gmaj7 F#m7 Gmaj7
and he spoke so slowly ... he spoke so slowly..
A F F#m7 Gmaj7 (x2)
he said.........................
Noise----Emin(maj7) form 2
A C# D
Colonel Forbin I know why you've come here, and I'll help you in your quest to
G
gain the knowledge that you lack.
A C# D
I call upon my faithful friend the Mockingbird, to fly and seize the
G
Helping Book and bring it to your shack.
A C# D
And a tree of knowledge in your soul will grow, and the Helping Friendly
G
Book will plant a seed
A C#
But I warn you that all knowledge seeming innocent and pure becomes a
D G (Ab) A
deadly weapon in the hands of avarice and greed..
C#m7 Bm7 G A C#m7 Bm7 G
Oh... the sacred creed/greed will be yours...
A C#m7 Bm7 G F#m7
And if you wait until tomorrow ........ the sacred creed/greed will be yours,
Gmaj7 F#m7 Gmaj7 A F F#m7 Gmaj7 (x2)
to devour, yours to seize, and to obey..
Then C#m7
NARRATION JAM
D A/C# Bm7 E-----A C#m7 D A/C# Bm7 E etc.....
CHORD FORMS
C#m7 F#m9 Ebdim7 Emin(maj7) F#7 Emin(maj7) Form 2
e----9------9--------------------------------------0------------------------------------------------
B----9------9--------------------------------------0------------------------------------------------
G----9------9------11------12--------15------------0------------------------------------------------
D----9------7------10------13--------14------------1------------------------------------------------
A----x------9------x-------x---------x-------------2---------------------------------------------
E----9------------ -11------12--------14------------0------------------------------------------------
Colonel Forbin's Ascent
by Phish
Transcribed by Emil Hedaya ( emil@liii.com )
There is one part that Trey plays (Oh, the sacred Creed will be yours . . ) which he picks
with the open E string:
A Dbm D G
E-0--------0---------0----------0--
B-5--------5---------3----------3--
G-6--------4---------2----------4--
D-7--------6---------4----------5--
A----------------------------------
E----------------------------------
Intro:
Ab7 > Adim (repeat)
Dbm7 Gbm7
Colonel Forbin stared up at the mountain
B E
and wiped away the beads of sweat that glistened on his brow
Gbm ???
his tired feet were buried in the Quagmyre
Am Ab7 > Adim
and his bloodshot eyes saw all the lay between him and fulfillment of his vow
Db7 Gbm7
And he felt his fingers wrap around a knotted root
B E
and pulled his body upwards to a seagreen mossy boulder
Gbm ????
and he dragged weary shitass up the mountain
Gbm G Gbm G
And he climbed so slowly.. he climbed so slowly
A F Gbm D (this part I'm not sure about, but it sounds right played to a recording)
A-Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
[Funky Chords, sounds like Em]
A Db
Suddenly he heard the crack of thunder
D G
and the rocks began to crumble overhead
A Db
and tumbled down the mountain to the dismal swamp that lay beneath
D G
the jagged cliffs through which his path had led
A Db
and the earth began to quake beneath his feet
D G
and the mighty mountain changed before his eyes
A Db
and he stood amidst a sea of dust and rocks and stones
D G (Ab) A
cascading down the mountain and a thousand birds were headed for the sky
Dbm7 D G A Dbm7 D G
Ohhh...... the sacred creed will be yours....
A Dbm7 D G
and if you wait until tomorrow ... the sacred creed/greed
Gbm G Gbm G A F Gbm D
will be yours to devour, yours to seize, and to obey.....
Dbm7 ...
[Funky Chords, sounds like Em]
Dbm7 Gbm7
When the dust had cleared the colonel lifted up his head
B E
and was driven to his knees by a blazing beam of light
Gbm7 ????
and he saw the silhouette that stood before him
Am Ab A>Ab
and he bowed in reverence, trembling, in the shadow of the mighty legend's form.
Dbm7 Gbm7
Icculus, the prophet, stood before his eyes
B E ??
looking down on Colonel Forbin as he shuddered in the puddles and the muck
?? ??
and he quietly addressed him
Gbm G Gbm G
and he spoke so slowly ... he spoke so slowly..
A F Gbm D (x2)
he said.........................
[Funky Chords, sounds like Em]
A Db D G
Colonel Forbin I know why you've come here, and I'll help you in your quest to gain the knowledge that you lack.
A Db D G
I call upon my faithful friend the Mockingbird, to fly and seize the Helping Book and bring it to your shack.
A Db D G
And a tree of knowledge in your soul will grow, and the Helping Friendly Book will plant a seed
A Db D G (Ab) A
But I warn you that all knowledge seeming innocent and pure becomes a deadly weapon in the hands of avarice and greed..
A Dbm7 D G A Dbm7 D G
Oh... the sacred creed/greed will be yours...
A Dbm7 D G Gbm G Gbm G A F Gbm D (x2)
And if you wait until tomorrow ........ the sacred creed/greed will be yours, to devour, yours to seize, and to obey..
Dbm ....
Chords underlying the "story"
D Dbm Bm E A Dbm (segue into Mockingbird)
