| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | March 17, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Even for Cat and Paul Samwell-Smith, this piece is a hidden gem. It conclusively sealed Cat’s audition with his producer Chris Blackwell at Island Records. Thematically dealing with a troubadour’s lost love, the song’s haunting lyrics and madrigal melody fit the album and its breakout hit ‘My Lady D’Arbanville‘ perfectly. The song is linked with ‘Time‘, which was too short to stand on its own, and is actually one of the more difficult pieces to play on guitar. You really have to get a feel for the riff and chord changes. In climactic Chorus 2, the intro riff is somewhat transposed to E and A major. | ||
| Each guitar tab is the author’s own work and represents his or her own interpretation of the song. Visitors may use the guitar tabs offered here only for private study, scholarship, or research. |
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"Fill My Eyes"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
MONA BONE JAKON (1970)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time (mostly)
INTRO
RIFF_________________________________________________________________
D D5 D D4 D4+11 D D+11 D5 D D4 D4+11 D D+11
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
d u u d u d u d d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u
E| |-2-5---2-3-3-0-0-|-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-|-5-5-5-2-3-3-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| |
B| |-3-3---3-3-3-3-3-|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-| |
G|.|-2-2---2-2-2-0-0-|-2---2-2-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-|.| Play
D|.|-0-------0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|.| twice.
A| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |
E| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |
VERSE 1
D D2/C Em7/B Em7*/B Em7/F#
And in the morning when you filled my eyes
A F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
I knew that day I couldn't do, ahh
A D RIFF
No wrong, I couldn't do
VERSE 2
D D2/C Em7/B Em7*/B Em7/F#
And so my mind begins to memorize
A F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
'Cos time will never seem the same, ahh
A D
No more, never a-gain
FILL___________________________________________
D5 D D4 D4+11 D D+11 D D/F# D
/ / / / / / / / / / /
d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u
E|-5-5-5-2-3-3-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-3-3-|
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---4---0---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-------------|
CHORUS 1
G A D F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't go
A F#/C# B/F#
My legs are weak, my heels are low
G A D F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't roll
RIFFx2
Can't make no headway on this road
VERSE 3
D D2/C Em7/B Em7*/B Em7/F#
There's an empty space in-side me now
A F#/C# Bm/F# A G
A wasteland deep beneath the snow, so cold
A D FILL
Nothing'll grow
CHORUS 2
G A D F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't go
A F#/C# B/F#
My legs are weak, my heels are low
G A D F#/C# Bm/F# A* G
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't roll
E E4 E2 E | E E4 E2 E E A A4 A2 A | A4 A2 A
Can't make no headway on this road | / / | What road?
D (D) G Bm/F# Em!... Em A7 RIFFx2
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
END ON VERSE 1.
CHORDS (somewhat in order of appearance)
======
Note #1: Some chord names have been simplified so as
to keep the tablature more readable.
Note #2: Having said that, the climax in Chorus 2,
with its spiel on the E and A major chords
analagous to the intro riff, has also been
somewhat simplified.
D D5 D4 D4+11 D+11 D2/C D/F#
xx0232 xx0235 xx0233 xx0030 xx0032 x30230 xx4232
---IRM ---IRL ---IRL ----R- ----RM -M-IR- --LIRM
Em Em7 Em7* Em7/F# Note: Watch Cat's fingering of
022000 x22030 x22033 x24000 the Em chord shapes here.
-MR--- -IM--- -IM-RL -IM---
A A* F#/C# Bm/F# G B/F#
x02220 x0222x x44322 xx4432 3x0003 xx444x
--IMR- --III- -RLMI- --RLMI R----L --RRR-
E E4 E2 A4 A2 A7
022100 022200 024100 x02230 x02200 x02223
-MRI-- -MRL-- -MLI-- --IML- --IM-- --IMRL
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
/ = legato slide (gliss) up the fret
\ = legato slide (gliss) down the fret
! = accentuate part with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
LYRICS ONLY
===========
And in the morning when you filled my eyes
I knew that day I couldn't do, ahh
No wrong, I couldn't do
And so my mind begins to memorize
'Cos time will never seem the same, ahh
No more, never a-gain
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't go
My legs are weak, my heels are low
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't roll
Can't make no headway on this road
There's an empty space inside me now
A wasteland deep beneath the snow, so cold
Nothing'll grow
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't go
My legs are weak, my heels are low
I'm just a coaster but my wheels won't roll
Can't make no headway on this road, what road?
And in the morning when you filled my eyes...
Playing Cat Stevens 