Hocus Pocus

Music by:

Thijs van Leer & Jan Akkerman (Focus)

 

This great tune is from their 1971 album Moving Waves.  Don't forget to yodel.  This version is transcribed by: Jeffrey Weiss (jw@mckinsey.com)

 

   A                                   Em7 Fmaj7   Cmaj7  Bbmaj7 E7#9  

E -----------------|-----------------|-7---8-----------|-----------------|

B -----------------|-----------------|-8--10-------8---|-----6---8~~~~~~~|

G -----------------|-----------------|-7---9-------9---|-----7---7-------|

D -5^7-7-7-7---7-7-|-5^7-7-7-7---7-7-|-9--10-------9---|-----7---6-------|

A -0---0-0-0---0-0-|-0---0-0-0---0-0-|-7---8-----------|---------7-------|

E -----------------|-----------------|-------------8---|-----6-----------|

   |_|_|_| |   |_|   |_|_|_| |   |_|   |   |   }   |     |   |   !     

                                                    \___/

 

   A                                   E   F       D         B   E     

E -----------------|-----------------|-7---8-------5---|-----7---7-------|

B ~7---------------|-----------------|-9--10-------7---|-----7---9-------|

G -----------------|-----------------|-9--10-------7---|-----8---9-------|

D -5^7-7-7-7---7-7-|-5^7-7-7-7---7-7-|-9--10-------7---|-----9---9-------|

A -0---0-0-0---0-0-|-0---0-0-0---0-0-|-7---8-------5---|-----9---7-------|

E -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----7-----------|

   |_|_|_| |   |_|   |_|_|_| |   |_|   |   |   }   |     |   |   |   } 

                                                    \___/

 

   A      C    D                       D      F    G                   

E -0------3----5---|-----------------|~5------8----10--|-----------------|

B -2------5----7---|-----------------|~7-----10----12--|-----------------|

G -2------5----7---|-----------------|~7-----10----12--|-----------------|

D -2------5----7---|-----------------|~7-----10----12--|-----------------|

A -0------3----5---|-----------------|~5------8----10--|-----------------|

E -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

   |  _|. |   ]|     @                 |  _|. |   ]|     @             

    \_/    \_/  \___/                   \_/    \_/  \___/

 

   E7#9 

E -----------------|- - -

B -8---------------|- - -

G -7---------------|- - -  [As a true Focus purist, I think it would be

D -6---------------|- - -   blasphemous to transcribe yodelling for the   

A -7---------------|- - -   guitar...so I won't]

E -----------------|- - -

   |

 

Note: Yes, the E7#9 at the end of measure 4 (and elsewhere) is the dreaded "Hendrix" chord (as far as I can tell....either that, or I just use it as a surrogate for distorted-guitar-chaos).  The pinky slide from the G in this chord to the F# (added sixth) at the start of the A is, at best, a subtle effect.  I think I hear it in places, others disagree.  Anyway, I like it, and it occurs naturally with my lousy (lazy) fingers.  On the A strumming in measures 1, 2, and others, pick real hard, and shake the fretted A (D string).  The out-of-tuneness this causes is very noticable on the song.  BTW, if your amp is not capable of at least 50% total harmonic distortion, don't even bother with this song!

 

Key:

@   = whole note                    }   = quarter rest                  !    = half note

_|. = dotted eighth note            ]   = sixteenth note                \__/ = tied notes (don't re-sound)

|   = quarter note                  |_| = eighth notes                  ^    = hammer or pull (you figure which)

_|  = single eighth note            ~   = slide (you figure which way)

 





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