Mark Eitzel, “Helium”
by: Peter Mosinskis
date: Oct. 24, 1997

This transcription is from the album _West_ on Warner Bros., released early
1997.
Peter Buck of R.E.M. plays great acoustic guitar on this song and
throughout this beautiful, haunting album. This is Track 3, my favorite song.

Chords

——

Strings Frets (in parentheses are optional)
1 (hi) (0) 0 0 0 0 0
2 (0) 0 1 3 1 0
3 (4) or open 0 0 0 2 0
5 2 2 3 5 x 3
6 (low) X 0 X X x x

Chord B5 Em C D(add G) F7 C7

Intro: B5 to E repeated

Note: For verse, pick high open-E followed by open-B at end of each line

Verse 1:
Life is short in the laughing gallery
A secret handshake gets you ice cream and a key
To a brand new car that only drives into walls
They’ll cut their eyes, All they want…

Pattern 1 for chorus (approximate arpeggiations):

1———————————–2——–0———————-|
2———————–3———–3————3——-3———-|
3——————-0———0—–2—-2———–2————–|
4———–2———————–0——————————-|
5——-2———————————————————–|
6—0———–2———-3—————————————-|

(Em) (G/F#) (G) (D) –> these are the chords being outlined

Chorus:
[D(add]Is you[G)]r silence

[D(add]Is you[G)]r silence

[D(add]Is you[G)]r silence

(Pattern 1)
Breathing helium

(Pattern 1)
Throw away the key

(Pattern 1)
Dissolve in the air

Never free

Verse 2: same music as verse 1
Chorus: same music

Bridge: F7 to C (with feedbacky guitar solo)
end with 2x Pattern 1

Verse 3: same music as verse 1

Have fun!!