The Great Pretender

The Great Pretender

Version covered by Freddie Mercury

Transcribed by Shane McDonald : (shanemcd@shanemcdonald.org)

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This is as transcribed from the Freddie Mercury album, the key is Ab and there are some notes at the end which the violin plays on the outro which may help also - if you listen to the song you can see what I mean in the outro.

Intro:	Ab	Db/Ab	Eb  (Bass note varys between Eb and F)

Verses:

   Ab	       Db/Ab  Eb/Ab  Ab
Oh yes, I'm the Great   	  Pretender,

   Db		    Ab
Pretending I'm doing well.

   Db	  Eb      Ab     Ab/C Db  Ddim
My need is such, I pretend too  much,

    Ab/Eb	      Eb        Ab/C  Ab
I'm lonely but no one can tell

   Ab	       Db/Ab  Eb/Ab  Ab
Oh yes, I'm the great         Pretender,

   Db		       Ab
Adrift in a world  of my own

   Db	  Eb          Ab Ab/C Db  Ddim
I play the game, but to my real shame

      Ab/Eb	      Eb        Ab/C   Ab
You've left me to dream all alone.

    Db			  Ab
Too real is this feeling of make believe,

    Db	   		   Ab	       Eb   
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal


   Ab	       Db/Ab  Eb/Ab   Ab
Oh yes, I'm the great        pretender

     Db		        Ab
Just lauging and gay like a clown

  Db      Eb           Ab  Ab/C Db  Ddim
I seem to be, what I'm not, you see,

      Ab/Eb	      Eb        Ab/C   Ab
I'm wearing my heart like a crown,

Ddmin Eb           Ab/Eb        Ab
  Pre-tending that you're still around

Above chords should do for the remainder of the song, the last "Pretending ..." bit is as follows

Ddmin Eb           Ab/Eb        Ab
  Pre-tending that you're still around

Ab/Eb                  Db        Ab
  Pre-tending that you're still around

Outro:

Violin : (NOTES) Trill notes, working down through the keybord : 
(Eb F)x3  (Db Eb)x3  (C Db)x3  (Bb C)x3 

Outro Chords: Ab   Abdim   Db   Ddim   Ab  (trill the notes Ab and Bb 4 times on the Ddim chord)

Chords Shapes used above : 

Ddim = D F and Ab

Abdim = Ab B D