Bring your Daughter

[Instrumental Intro: 154 BPM, E minor] [Em5 - D5 - C5 - B5] [16 bars: galloping bass establishes the pulse] [Twin guitars enter with haunting harmonized minor melody] [Drums build into full driving rhythm] [Verse 1: Em - D - C - B7, tight galloping rhythm] [Em] The bay of Aulis is dead and still [D] The king has lost his soldier's will [Em] A sacred deer beneath the trees [C] And not a whisper in the breeze [Am] Calchas reads the ancient stone [C] "A royal blood must pay the loan" [Em] Agamemnon seals the pact [B7] "Send the bride, no turning back" [Pre-Chorus: C - D - Em - B7, rising vocal melody] [C] She thinks she's marrying a hero bold [D] Instead of bronze and iron cold [Em] The generals gather round the pyre [B7] Their golden crowns reflect the fire [Chorus: Em - C - G - D, soaring high tenor] [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G] Let her go! [D] Let her go! [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G] Don't you know? [B7] Don't you know? [C] Gotta buy the wind, [D] gotta buy the sea [Em] A thousand ships [B7] for one to bleed [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G - D - Em] [Harmonized guitar response] [Instrumental: 8 bars, Em - D - C - B7] [Galloping bass and ascending twin-guitar harmonies] [Verse 2: Em - D - C - B7, urgent, increasingly fierce] [Em] The veil comes off, she sees the knife [D] "Father, is this my wedding night?" [Em] The bronze is raised, the soldiers cheer [C] Believing heaven wants her tears [Am] The king looks down and hides his face [C] His crown has never weighed this much [Em] The blade descends towards her neck [B7] The heavens tremble at the edge [Instrumental Break: Fmaj7 - Em - Fmaj7 - B7] [Sudden half-time, sustained dissonant guitar harmonies] [Drums fall silent for one measure] [Bridge: G - D - Em - C, majestic and rising] [G] A flash of gold! [D] A cloud of smoke! [Em] The sacred silence [C] breaks the oath [G] A frightened hind [D] upon the stone [Em] The girl is gone, [B7] the wind has blown [C] Beyond the reach [D] of mortal hands [Em] Beyond the wars [B7] of mortal men [C] Artemis takes [D] the child away [Em] And leaves the kings [B7] to have their day [Instrumental: extended melodic guitar solo] [Em - C - D - B7, 16 bars] [Harmonic minor runs, expressive sustained bends] [G - D - Em - C, 16 bars] [Ascending twin-guitar counterpoint, triumphant melody] [Am - C - B7 - B7] [Driving bass break, rapid tom fills] [Return to full galloping rhythm] [Verse 3: Em - G - D - C, soaring melodic vocals] [Em] Above the clouds, beyond the skies [G] She opens up her fiery eyes [D] No sacrifice, no crimson stain [C] She learns the stars, the wind, the rain [Am] Artemis hands her bow and quill [C] And teaches her the strength of will [Em] While armies fall on Trojan sand [B7] She walks the temples of the land [Final Chorus: Em - C - G - D, powerful layered harmonies] [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G] Let her go! [D] Let her go! [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G] Don't you know? [B7] Don't you know? [C] You thought she'd die [D] upon your stone [Em] Now she commands [B7] a world unknown [Em] Bring your daughter [C] to the slaughter! [G - D - Em] [Extended soaring vocal sustain] [Outro: Em - D - C - B7] [Instrumental reprise of opening twin-guitar melody] [Galloping rhythm intensifies] [Final soaring guitar harmony over Em] [Slow ringing Em(add9) chord]