Firth of Fifth


Written by Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford
From the Genesis album: Selling England By The Pound, 1973


NOTES:
Throughout this song, Steve Hackett plays an electric guitar, while Mike
Rutherford alternates from bass to a standard tuned (I think) 12-string.

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

Piano Intro

1:08
Hackett on electric guitar (Mike on bass)

   B        A6/9(002222)     E/G#    B/F#    Em/G           A     Bsus4 B7
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------4--6------
--|
|--7~---------5~~-------------4~~------2~~-----3~~----------2~----------7~-7
~-|
 The path is clear Though no eyes can see The course laid down long before.


   E              A/F#m            Bm/G         Cmaj7/A
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|-\0~~------------12~~--------------10~~----------10~~-----|
      And so with gods and men The sheep remain inside their pen,


        G                 E/G#                   F#/Bb
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----12\3~~-----------3----4~~------------------4--6~~---6-7-9-9-7-6--|
Though many times they've seen the way to leave.


   B          A6/9(002222)  E/G#    B/F#    Em/G          A    Bsus4 B7
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|----------------------------------------------------------------4-6--------
|
|--7~------------5~~---------4~~------2~~-----3~~---------2~---------7~-7~--
|
     He rides majestic Past homes of men Who care not or gaze with joy,


   E              A/F#m            Bm/G              Cmaj7/A
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--0~~------------12~~--------------10~~---------------10~~-----|
       To see reflected there The trees, the sky, the lily fair,


      G               E/G#         F#/Bb
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|--12\3~~-----------3--4~~--------4--6~~---|
The scene of death is lying just below.


2:07
Hackett on electric, Mike on 12-string

     E         F#m           Emaj7     F#m
Mike
|----0----0----2-----00-----0-----00---0-------|
|----0---0-0-0-2------------0----0-0---0----2--|
|----1--1---1--2----2-------1---1---1--2---2---|
|----2---------4---4--------1--1-------4--4----|
|----2---------4--4---------2----------4-------|
|----0---------2------------0------------------|
The mountains cuts off the town from view,


        Bbm     Ebm        Bb7       Eb
Hackett
|--------<------<----------<--------<----|
|--------6~-----7~---------9~-------11~--|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
| Mike                                   |
|--------6------6-9-6--------6-----------|
|--------6------7----9-7---9---9----8----|
|--------6------8----------7-----7--8----|
|--------8-----------------6--------8----|
|--------8-----------------8--------6----|
|--------6-----------------6-------------|
Like a cancer growth is removed by skill.


      Eb/F F  G
Hackett
|-----<---<---<--------------------|
|-----11--13--15~------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|-------------17~------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
| Mike                             |
|----------------------------------|
|-----8---10--12---12----10--------|
|-----8---10--12-------12------12--|
|-----8---10--12-----12------12----|
|-----8---8---10-------------------|
|----------------------------------|
Let it be revealed.


 Gm/Bb           Cm             E6             B
Mike
|--3--------------8-------------9--------------7----|
|--3--------------8-------------9--------------7----|
|--3--------------8-------------9--------------8----|
|--5-------------10-------------9--------------9----|
|--5-------------10-------------7--------------9----|
|--6--------------8-------------7--------------7----|
A waterfall, his madrigal. An inland sea, his symphony.


   E6               B                F#
Mike
|-----------------------7-------7----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|
|------9-------9---------7-------7---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|
|-----9-9-----9-9-----8---8---8---8--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|
|----9---9---9---9---9-9---9-9-9---9-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--|
|---7-----7-7-----7-9-------9--------4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--|
|--7-------7-------------------------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|


Steve on electric guitar (Mike on bass)

  B        A6/9            E/G#  B/F#   Em/G   Asus4 A E   D/E   C     Em/C
|----------------------------------------------------12\\0-12\\0-16\\3------
-|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------7\\0-
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------gliding-"cries"---
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------in-a-distant-mix--
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|-7~~-------5~~-------------4~~---2~~-----3~~------5~-----------------------
-|
   Undinal songs Urge the sailors on Til lured by sirens' cry.


3:19
No guitar on this part
   B            Em
|--------8-11-----------9----------9--|
|------9--------------9----------9----|
|----9--------------7----------7------|
|--7------------0-7--------0-7--------|

              Am       Em         Am
|----------9--------9----------9--------9--|
|--------9--------7----------9--------7----|
|------7--------7----------7--------7------|
|--0-7--------5--------0-7--------5--------|

   Em         Bm          Am         B
|----------9--------7-11--------5-9-------------------|
|--------9--------9-----------7------------1-4-1------|
|------7--------9-----------7--------?---2-------2-0--|
|--0-7--------7-----------5----------0-2--------------|

   Em         Am     Em    Am    Em       Am    Em           F7
|----------9---------9-----------9--------------9--------9------------|
|--------9--------7---9--------7---9----------7---9--------9----------|
|------7--------7------7-----7--------------7----------------8-8-8-8--|
|--0-7--------5---------0--5---------7-0--5---------7-0---------------|

4:09
   Cm       F7        Cm        F7           Cm        F7
|---------------------------------------------------5---------------|
|-------------------------------------------------5-----------3-----|
|------------------01-3-3-3-3----------001/3-3-3-3-3-3------3---01--|
|--8-8-8-8\-1-1-1-1----------4\-1-1-1-1----------------1-1-1-1-1----|
   * * * *  * * * *   * * * *   * * * *      * * * *   * * * *

   Cm       F7
|---------5------------------|
|-------5--------3-3---------|
|--3-3-3-3----------3--------|
|-----------1-1-1-1--1-1-1/--|
   * * * *  * * * *    * *

4:34 (piano intro repeated on synth)
|---------------------------------------------|
|*--------------------------5-3-----------8--*|
|*-----8----5-6-65-54-43-353----6-4-3-6-6----*|
|---6-6-6-8-----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------|
|--8-88--8-8-8-88888-8-8-88888-8-8-88888-8-8-88888\--|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------6-7--------------------------------|
|--6-5-----3-5-6-------4-6-----44-----------------------------|
|------4-6-------77-44------------55-5-4-2---------2/4-2------|
|------------------------------------------3-333/5-------4-4--|

Steve
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9--7-6--7-6----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------8~--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mike                                                                  |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----4-----4---------4-----4--4-4----4-----4---------4-6-/8------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------6-8-6-8----|
|--2-2---2-2---2-2-2-2---2-2-------2-2---2-2---2-2-2-2---------------6--|

|------8---7---6---5---5-------------------------8---7---6------------------
|
|------------------------3-----------8-----8--------------------------------
|
|----6---5---4---3---3-----6-4-3-6-6----------56---5---4---------------7--9-
|
|-668----------------------------------6--6-68-------------7-6-5-6--7-------
|

5:43
Guitar solo, Steve on electric, Mike on both bass and 12-string

   Em         D/E     Em                        D/E
|--14~~----------------------10/12-10/12-10/12-10/12-------|
|--------12--(8)7-------8p7--------------------------10\7--|
|-----------------7---9------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|


                     Em                           D/E                 Em
|-----------------------------10/12-10/12-10/12-10/12-----------------------
-|
|-10/12-10/12-10/12-10/12-----------------------------10\7-10/12-------7/8-0
~|
|-------------------------9\7------------------------------------9\7-9------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|



   D/E          Em              D/E               Em  D/E   Em  D/E
|---------------------------------------------10-12~~~/14~~~~--|
|--0tr3-0h3~/5---7h8h10-/12-12--(13)12-10-12-------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|


   Em            Am               Em                Am
|--14(15)-14(15)-14----------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------12(13)---------------------12-12-13--13--13--13--|
|*-----------------------------11(12)~-------------------14--12--11----|
|*---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mike, 2nd time only                                                  |
|--0---0-------------5--------5--------3---2---0--------8---7---5------|
|--0---0------------5-5-----5--5-----0--0-0-0-0-0-0---5--5-5-5-5-5-5---|
|--0---0-----------5---5-5-5-5--5---0-0--0---0---0---5-5--5---5---5----|
|--2---2----------7-----7-7------7-2----------------7------------------|
|--2---2---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--0---0---------------------------------------------------------------|



___________________________
 Em                 Bm              Am            |1. B
|-------12-11------------------------------------------------------------12-
-|
|-----12------12p10-12------------------------------------------12-13-15----
-|
|---12--------------------------------------------------11-12-14------------
*|
|-14-------------------12-14-14(16)-14~--10-12-14-13-14---------------------
*|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
| Mike, 2nd time only                               |
|-----3---2---0--------22---20---------0-30-0-0-0---|
|---0--0-0-0-0-0-0----3--3-3--30-0----1-1--1--------|
|--0-0--0---0---0----4----4-----2----2-------2-2-2--|
|-2-----------------4-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|


__________
|2. B     Em          Am             Em                   Am
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------8--7---10------12\10-10-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------7-4-0---------------9-11/12-14-14/16--|
|--13~---------------10-------------------7-4-0-7~--9---------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mike                                                                    |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-44444444----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-44444444----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-44444444----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-22222222----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|


   Em          Bm       Am          B
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|--15-(17)15~\--------------------------------------------13h15h17-15h17h19-
-|
|-------------------------------------------------12h14h16------------------
-|
|--------------7-(9)7~--9-7-7----7--13~---13h14h16--------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|


   Em            Am               Em                Am
|--14(15)-14(15)-14----------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------12(13)---------------------12-12-13--13--13--13--|
|------------------------------11(12)~-------------------14--12--11----|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mike                                                                 |
|--0---0--------------8---7---5--------3---2---0--------8---7---5------|
|--0---0------------5--5-5-5-5-5-5---0--0-0-0-0-0-0---5--5-5-5-5-5-5---|
|--0---0-----------5-5--5---5---5---0-0--0---0---0---5-5--5---5---5----|
|--2---2----------7----------------2----------------7------------------|
|--2---2---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--0---0---------------------------------------------------------------|


 Em                 Bm              Am              B
|-------12-11-------------------------------------------|
|-----12------12p10-12----------------------------------|
|---12--------------------------------------------------|
|-14-------------------12-14-14(16)-14~---10-12-14-13~--|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Mike                                                  |
|-----3---2---0--------2----20--2-------0---30----------|
|---0--0-0-0-0-0-0----3-3-----3--3-----1-1----1---------|
|--0-0--0---0---0----4---4-4---4--4---2---2----2-2------|
|-2-----------------4-----4--------4-2-----2----2-2-----|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|


    E         F#m7/E    E   F#m7/E      E     F#m7/E    E7           Em
|-------------------------------------------------------12~------14\-12~-|
|-------------------------------------------------12-12------------------|
|-----------------------------------------9-11-13~-----13p11-13----------|
|--(14)---(14)\-6-7-7/9~---(14)\-6-7-/9~---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|


G  E/G#  F#/Bb


   B            A6/9     E/G#      B/F#   Em/G           A      Bsus4 B7
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|
|----------------------------------------------------------------4--6-------
-|
|--7~------------5~~------4~~-------2~~-----3~~----------2~------------7~-7~
-|
     Now as the river dissolves in sea, So Neptune has claimed another soul.


   E             A/F#m             Bm/G         Cmaj7/A
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|-\0~~------------12~~--------------10~~----------10~~-----|
     And so with gods and men The sheep remain inside their pen,


      G                E/G#            F#/Bb
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|--12\3~--~----------3--4~~-----------4--6~~---6-7-9-9-7-6--|
   Until the Shepherd leads his flock away.


   B               A6/9       E/G#  B/F#  Em/G      A          B
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------4--6------|
|--7~---------------5~~--------4~~---2~~----3~~------2~--------7~--|
      The sands of time were eroded by The river of constant change.

Piano outro fade out

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
7~     hold (longer than other notes)
7h9    hammer-on
9p7    pull-off
7(9)   bend
(9)7   release
(9)r   release
7/9    slide up
9\7    slide down
<7>    natural harmonics
7tr9   trill
T      right hand tap
*      marks beat
<      swelled note, with volume knob or pedal


Back