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"CHARACTER ZERO" by Phish
(music by Trey Anastasio, words by Tom Marshall)

December 16, 1996

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The Riff (usually done on bass):
p = pull off    / =slide to

EE Piano Chord 
 -----------------------------------------
BB Piano Chord 
 -----------------------------------------
GG Piano Chord 
 -----------------------------------------
DD Piano Chord 
 -----------------------------------------
A -----2p0-5-2-0-2-5-2/7-(let note ring as line is sung)
E -3p0-------------------------------------

[RIFF] I was taught a month ago
[RIFF] To bide my time and take it slow
[RIFF] But then I learned just yesterday
[RIFF] To rush and never waste the day
[RIFF] Now I'm convinced the whole day long
[RIFF] That all I learn is always wrong
[RIFF] And things are true that I forget
[RIFF] Well no one taught that to me yet

[lightly strum an A chord, getting gradually louder, then
forcefully hit A  G]

EE Piano Chord 
                           GG Piano Chord 
                    AA Piano Chord 

I-I'm off to see the man Mulcahey, I'm off to see the man
Mulcahey (x4)

EE Piano Chord 
                   GG Piano Chord 
              AA Piano Chord 

I was taught a month ago . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                        GG Piano Chord 
         AA Piano Chord 

To bide my time and take it slow . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                  GG Piano Chord 
           AA Piano Chord 

But then I learned just yesterday . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
             GG Piano Chord 
                 AA Piano Chord 

To rush and never waste the day . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                       GG Piano Chord 
                   AA Piano Chord 

Now I'm convinced the whole day long . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                GG Piano Chord 
                AA Piano Chord 

That all I learn is always wrong . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                    GG Piano Chord 

And things are true that I forget . . . .
EE Piano Chord 
                  GG Piano Chord 
            A------A  GG Piano Chord 

Well no one taught that to me yet . . . .

EE Piano Chord 
                      GG Piano Chord 
             AA Piano Chord 

I - I'm off to see the man Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man
Mulcahey      (x4)
EE Piano Chord 
                       EE Piano Chord 

I - I . . . . Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man Mulcahey
EE Piano Chord 
                       EE Piano Chord 

I - I . . . . Mulcahey,  I - 'Cahey, 'Cahey . . . .

[SOLO over E  G  A (x4)]

[Continue solo and stuff along with E  G  A progression, and
fade out with refrains along the lines of:]

I - I . . . . I - . . . .

I - I . . . . I - . . . .

I - I'm off to see the man Mulcahey,  I'm off to see the man
Mulcahey.....  (BLAH BLAH BLAH.....)

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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.