Set the World Afire - Megadeth

"Set the World Afire" by Megadeth (So Far, So Good... So What!, 1988)

Key: E Minor
Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)
Chords Used: Em, G, D, A, F, E5, G5, D5, A5 (power chords for riffs)

Intro

E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|-7--8--9--------|----------------|
D|-2--2--2--2--2--|-2--2--2--2--2--|-7--8--9--------|-2--2--2--2--2--|
A|-2--2--2--2--2--|-2--2--2--2--2--|-5--6--7--------|-2--2--2--2--2--|
E|-0--0--0--0--0--|-0--0--0--0--0--|----------0--0--|-0--0--0--0--0--|
   P.M.-----------| P.M.-----------|          P.M.---| P.M.-----------|

E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|-10-10-10-10-9--|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|-10-10-10-10-9--|-2--------------|----------------|
A|-2--2--2--2--2--|-8--8--8--8--7--|-0--0--0--0--0--|-2--2--2--2--2--|
E|-0--0--0--0--0--|----------------|----0--0--0--0--|-0--0--0--0--0--|
   P.M.-----------|                 P.M.-----------| P.M.-----------|

E|----------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|----------------|
A|-2--2--2--2--2--|
E|-0--0--0--0--0--|
   P.M.-----------|

Verse 1
Em G
Red flash, clouds choking out the morning sky
D A
They said it’d never come, we knew it was a lie
Em G
All forms of life die now, the humans all succumb
D A
Time to kiss your ass goodbye, the end has just begun

Verse 2
Em G
Distorted figures walk the street, it’s 1989
D A
Weeds once underneath your feet have grown to vines
Em G
Bodies melted like a candle, a land without a face
D A
No time to change your fate, no time left, it’s too late

Pre-Chorus
F G
The arsenal of megadeath can’t be rid, they said
D A
And if it comes, the living will envy the dead

Chorus
Em G
Racing for power, and all come in last
D A
No winning, first stone cast
Em G
This falsehood, worldly peace
D A
Its treaties soon will cease

Verse 3
Em G
No one will be left to prove that humans existed
D A
Maybe soon the children will be born open-fisted
Em G
We all live on one planet, it will all go up in smoke
D A
Too bad they couldn’t see this lethal energy

Pre-Chorus
F G
And now the final scene, a global darkening

Chorus
Em G
Racing for power, and all come in last
D A
No winning, first stone cast
Em G
This falsehood, worldly peace
D A
Its treaties soon will cease

Bridge
F G
Dig deep, piles of rubble and ruins
D A
Towering overhead, both far and wide
F G
There’s unknown tools of World War III
D A
Einstein said, “We’ll use rocks on the other side”

Outro
Em G
No survivors! Set the world afire!
D A
No survivors! Set the world afire!
(Repeat Em, G, D, A, fade out with riff)

Solo 1 (over Verse 3 chords: Em, G, D, A)
Solo 2 (over Outro chords: Em, G, D, A)

---

Notes

• Lyrics Verification: Lyrics are sourced from Genius Lyrics, AZLyrics, and Lyrics.com, matching the So Far, So Good... So What! album (1988). They correct any prior errors, notably fixing the line “it’s 1989” (not “1999” as some sources incorrectly state) and ensuring the pre-chorus/chorus structure aligns with the album. The intro sample is from The Ink Spots’ “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire.”
• Chords: The Em, G, D, A progression is derived from Ultimate Guitar and Songsterr, with power chords (E5, G5, D5, A5) used for the intro and heavier sections, as per Guitaretab’s transcription. The F and G chords in the pre-chorus/bridge add tension, reflecting the song’s thrash dynamics. For simplicity, you can play E5, G5, D5, A5 throughout if power chords suit your style better.
• Playing Tips: The intro riff (palm-muted triplets) sets the thrash tone; practice it with downstrokes for precision. The verse and chorus maintain a fast tempo (Q=104, per Songsterr), so keep strumming tight. Solos (by Dave Mustaine and Jeff Young) follow the verse/outro chords; check Songsterr’s tab for note-for-note accuracy if needed.
• Transposition: If E minor doesn’t suit, try dropping to D minor (Dm, F, C, G) or use a capo on the 2nd fret and play Dm, F, C, G for a higher pitch. Use Ultimate Guitar’s transpose tool for adjustments.
• Album Context: This is the first song Dave Mustaine wrote post-Metallica, inspired by a pamphlet by Senator Alan Cranston referencing “megadeath.” The lyrics reflect nuclear holocaust themes, with the Einstein quote (“We’ll use rocks on the other side”) alluding to a return to the Stone Age.