Melissa

Transcribed by Michael Fassbender


Greetings, all,

In honor of the occasion, I've decided finally to get around to posting the song Melissa by the legendary Mercyful Fate. This was the first song that I ever tabbed (I completed it before I even heard Danzig's song Let It Be Captured), so please bear with any irregularities.

A few notes by way of acknowledgements: this was tabbed on the program QuickTab, created by Keith MacDonald and announced previously on the net. Please contact the creator if you have any questions. The material that follows represents my interpretation of the song from the 1983 album of the same name, adapted from the assistance given me by my guitar teacher, Frank Dawson, in 1989. Only the first solo is included, adapted from the pointers I received from a fellow guitarist, Chris Carlson.

If anyone can write up the other solos of the song, please feel free to contact me. Similarly, if anyone else knows other Mercyful Fate songs, I'm sure that there are many of us who would love to see them.

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Michael Fassbender

Legend:
-------
x mute
b bend
r release
h hammer on
p pull off
~ tremolo
/ slide up
\ slide down
^^ tremolo

 with distortion -- volume knob low (moderately)
|------0-------------0-----------|------0-------------0-----------|
|----3---3---------3---3---------|---3---3----------3---3---------|
|---2------2--2--2-------2--2----|--2------2---2---2-----2----2---|
|-0----------0--0---------0------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-3--------3----3---------3------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

                                end riff A                        |
|--------0-------------0---------|-------0--------------0---------|
|-----3----3---------3---3-------|-----3--3----------3----3-------|
|----2-------2--2--2-------2---2-|---2------2---2---2-------2--2--|
|--3-----------3-3-----------3---|-2---------2---2------------2---|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

 solo
|-13--/-17-15--13--12--13--------|--12-h-13-p12-------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------15---13---15------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|------12-13-12-----12---13---15-|-13-12-12h13--p-12--------------|
|--15------------15--------------|-------------------1513---------|
|--------------------------------|------------------------14-12\--|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-9------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----------------14--14--14-h--15|-15--15--14-h-15-h17-17-p15p-14-|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|------------15------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------14---12-14------------|
|--14-15-14-15-14-~---1211-12-11~|-1212-12------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|------15--17-18-17-15-----------|--------------------------------|
|--14------------------17-15-14-h|-15-p14-------1414-1414-h-15----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-14h-15p-14---------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------------17-15----14------|--14-h-15-p14---12-h14-p-12---11|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-12------------\--------------0-|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

 riff A
|------0-------------0-----------|------0-------------0-----------|
|----3---3---------3---3---------|---3---3----------3---3---------|
|---2------2--2--2-------2--2----|--2------2---2---2-----2----2---|
|-0----------0--0---------0------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-3--------3----3---------3------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
I'm kneeling                     In front of the altar

                                                      end riff A
|--------0-------------0---------|-------0--------------0---------|
|-----3----3---------3---3-------|-----3--3----------3----3-------|
|----2-------2--2--2-------2---2-|---2------2---2---2-------2--2--|
|--3-----------3-3-----------3---|-2---------2---2------------2---|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
              Satan's cross upon the wall

 bridge
|--------2--------------2--------|--------------------------------|
|------3--3----------3---3-------|--------------------------------|
|----2------2---2---2------2---2-|------2------------2------------|
|--0----------0---0----------0---|----3--3---------3---3----------|
|--------------------------------|--3-----3--3---3------3--3------|
|--------------------------------|-1--------1--1----------1-------|
Strange emptiness                A crystal ball....

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------5-----------------------|--------------------------------|
|------5--5-------------4------6-|---------------6----------------|
|---5-------5--5-----5-------7---|-7-----------7---7--------------|
|-3----------3-----5--------7----|---7---7--7--------7---7--------|
|----------------3--------5------|-----5--5-------------5---------|
                  between          	 two candles

|--------2--------------2--------|--------------------------------|
|------3--3----------3---3-------|--------------------------------|
|----2------2---2---2------2---2-|------2------------2------------|
|--0----------0---0----------0---|----3--3---------3---3----------|
|--------------------------------|--3-----3--3---3------3--3------|
|--------------------------------|-1--------1--1----------1-------|
Melissa                          has entered a.....

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------5-----------------------|--------------------------------|
|------5--5-------------4------6-|---------------6----------------|
|---5-------5--5-----5-------7---|-7-----------7---7--------------|
|-3----------3-----5--------7----|---7---7--7--------7---7--------|
|----------------3--------5------|-----5--5-------------5---------|
a.................nother life.

 builds up
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|------5-------7-----------------|-------1------------5-------7---|
|-----5-----7---------4----------|------2-2----------5-------7----|
|---5------7--------5-----5------|----2-----2------5-------7------|
|-3------5--------5-----3---3-2--|--0---------02-3-------5--------|
|---------------3----------------|--------------------------------|
Oooooo....

                                                    swell distortion
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----------------5--------4-----|--------------------------------|
|-------4-------5-------4--------|--------------------------------|
|----5-------5--------4----------|--------------------------------|
|--5------3---------2------------|--------------------------------|
|-3------------------------------|--------------------------------|

 chorus           mute.....|                        mute.....|
|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----5--------------------5-----|-----5--------------------5-----|
|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|
|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|
|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|
      Melissa                          You were mine

                  mute.....|                        let ring
|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|-x --x ----x --x ---------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----5--------------------5-----|-----5--------------------------|
|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|-7---5-----7--45----------------|
|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|-7---3--32-7-4-5----------------|
|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|-5---------5-2-3----------------|
      Melissa                          You were my light

riff B                           |
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|
|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|
|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|
|-----3---------3----------------|-----3---------3----------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

 (start drums and bass)
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|
|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|
|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|
|-----3---------3----------------|-----3---------3----------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
                                 Ooooh, she was a witch.....

                                   (begin solo over riff repetitions)
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|
|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|
|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|
|-----3---------3----------------|-----3---------3----------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Ooooh, why did they take you?!

                  mute.....|                        mute.....|
|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----5--------------------5-----|-----5--------------------5-----|
|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|
|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|
|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|
      Melissa                        You were the Queen of the Night

                  mute.....|                        let ring
|-x --x ----x --x -x x -x -x ----|-x --x ----x --x ---------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----5--------------------5-----|-----5--------------------------|
|-7---5-----7--45-45-6--7--5-----|-7---5-----7--45----------------|
|-7---3--32-7-4-5-45-6--7--3-----|-7---3--32-7-4-5----------------|
|-5---------5-2-3-23-4--5--------|-5---------5-2-3----------------|
      Melissa                          You were my light!

 faster
|-xx ----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-99-----------------------------|--7-7----77---------------5-5---|
|-99-------------11-11-----------|--7-7----77------12-12----5-5---|
|-77-xxx-x-------9--9--x-x-x-x---|--5-5----55------10-10----3-3---|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|-xx ----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-99-----------------------------|--7-7----77---------------5-5---|
|-99-------------11-11-----------|--7-7----77------12-12----5-5---|
|-77-xxx-x-------9--9--x-x-x-x---|--5-5----55------10-10----3-3---|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   I..........                     I swear             revenge
   Revenge....                     I swear revenge on the priest
   Oh the priest must die         He must die in the name of Hell

 bridge                            solo
|--3--2--------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------5--3---------------------|--------------------------------|
|------------55-44-22----2---4---|--------------------------------|
|---------------------5----------|----------------------2---------|
|--------------------------------|-2-----------2---45-------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--2-----------------------------|------------------------------2-|
|----54--------------------------|-----------2----2----4---5------|
|---------5-----5----3---2-------|--2--3--5-----------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--2-----------------------------|----------------4---------------|
|----5--4------------------------|----------------------5----2----|
|----------5----3---5--3--2------|-1------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----------------------2---------|--2-----------------------------|
|-------------2---45-------------|----54--------------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------5-----5----3---2-------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|------------------------------2-|--2-----------------------------|
|-----------2----2----4---5------|----5--4------------------------|
|--2--3--5-----------------------|----------5----3---5--3--2------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----------------4---------------|------------2--4--2--4---2------|
|----------------------5----2----|--2---4--5----------------------|
|-1------------------------------|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--4--2-------------4---2--------|--------------------------------|
|--------5---2-----2------5---2--|--5-4---------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-------5-3-----5----3--2-----0--|

 let ring                          riff B                         |
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|
|--------------------------------|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|
|--------------------------------|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|
|--------------------------------|-----3---------3----------------|
|-(0-)---------------------------|--------------------------------|

 begin solo over repetitions    |  let ring
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|----3--3---3--3---3--3---3------|--------------------------------|
|--2----2-2---2--2---2---2-------|--------------------------------|
|-0-------3-2-------3---2-0-3-2--|-0------------------------------|
|-----3---------3----------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

with solo: Melissa (echo:Melissa, Melissa Melissa) Can you hear me
(echo: can you hear me, can you hear me)?  Melissa (Melissa, Melissa, Melissa)
are you there (are you there, are you there, are you there)?

conclusion

|-------0-----------0------------|-------0-----------0------------|
|-----1--1---------1-1-----------|-----1--1---------1-1-----------|
|---2------2--2--2----2----------|---2------2--2--2----2----2-----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--0---------0--0--------3---2---|--0---------0--0--------0-------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
                                  Nothing is left

|--------------------------------|-------0-----------0------------|
|-------5-----------5------------|-----1--1---------1-1-----------|
|------5-5--------5--5-----------|---2------2--2--2----2-----2----|
|----3-----3-3--3------3---3-----|--------------------------------|
|--0--------0--0----------0------|--0---------0--0--------0-------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
 Outside  at the stake            They've taken her away from

                  let ring        whispered
|-------0---------0--------------|--------------------------------|
|----0-----0------0--------------|--------------------------------|
|---2-------2--2--2--------------|--------------------------------|
|-----------------2--------------|--------------------------------|
|--0---------0----0--------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
 me...............               I think Melissa's still with us!

Paweł Więcek <coven@vmh.net>
All rights reserved.
This page's URL: http://mercyful-fate.coven.vmh.net/tabs/melissa.html