The Headmaster Ritual de Smiths

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The Headmaster Ritual by the Smiths
(Marr/Morrissey)
from the album "Meat is Murder"

Transcribed by: Jeff Noel [email protected]

Chords:

Mainly 1st position or closest barre except:

Cadd9
E -------------------------||
B ---3---------------------||
G ---0---------------------||
D ---2---------------------||
A ---3---------------------||
E -------------------------||

Riff 1:

Based on E13sus4, this looks deceptively simple, but get ready for a
stretch:

E ---------------------------------------||
B ---------------------------------------||
G ---------2-1--------2-1----------------|| middle to index
D -------0----------0--------------------||
A -----4------------4--------------------|| pinky
E -0-------------0-----------------------||


Intro: (also used in the chorus)

Cadd9  A E (x2)

Cadd9  D G

Cadd9  A

Riff 1 (x4)

Cadd9  A Riff 1

Verse:

A              B      E         Cm
Belligerent ghouls..

A          B                    Riff 1
Spineless swine...

B                 A     E       Cm
Sir leads the troops...

B                 Abm
He does the military...

Pre-Chorus:

Cm               B      Abm      A
I want to go home..

AM7          DM7      Abm        A
Give up education...

Cm               B      Abm      A
Midweek on the    playing...

AM7                      DM7              Abm
Knees you in the groin, Elbow in the...

A            Abm
I want to go home...

Chorus:

Same as intro....

The rest of the arrangement, you'll figure out. It's the same elements.

Notes: This is just the most prominent guitar track. As usual, Marr layers
numerous tracks, in this case at least one acoustic and at least three
electric. Over Riff1, the acoustic plays this, coming in at the third
repeat:

E                          1 measure + 1 beat
E ---12-------------------||
B ---12-------------------||
G ---13-------------------||
D ---14-------------------||
A ------------------------||
E ------------------------||

D                              3 beats
E ---10-------------------||
B ---10-------------------||
G ---11-------------------||
D ---12-------------------||
A ------------------------||
E ------------------------||

Also, in the pre-chorus, Marr embellishes the Cm, B, and A chords with sus2
and sus4 hammers and pulloffs, which adds to the richness. Hit those A and
D major 7s hard for maximum effect.

Sounds best drenched in reverb, with a touch of chorus.

Corrections and embellishments are welcome.