| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | December 27, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | In a 1970 BBC interview Cat glossed over the time he suffered from “an illness [he] had” as having afforded him to take holidays whenever he could. In fact, he had been at death’s doorstep at just 21 years old when a lung of his collapsed having contracted an advanced strain of pleurisy, also known as tuberculosis, as a result of overwork, heavy smoking and drinking. In this song Cat restates his conviction that, after having overcome tuberculosis effectively ending his first career in the music business, he “would not lose control this time around.” There are no video reels of this song being performed live from the 1970s, though some audio recordings survive. Alun Davies on the second guitar provides most of the guitar riffs, which we transcribed for solo guitar below. Cat probably recorded this song in the studio with the capo at the second fret. As notated in the guitar tablature, some chord changes in the verses are cut short (a staple of Cat’s), so watch out for those irregularities when playing. | ||
| 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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"Trouble"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
MONA BONE JAKON (1970)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
Capo at 2nd fret
in 4/4 time
INTRO
A B/F# E A B/F#
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
u d d u d d u d u d u d d u
E|-↓---------|-0-------0-----0-|-0-0-0---↓---------|
B|-2-4---4-0-|-0-------0-----0-|-0-0-0---2-4---4-0-|
G|-2-4---4-0-|-1-------1-----1-|-1-1-1---2-4---4-0-|
D|-2-4---4-0-|-2-------2-----2-|-2-2-2---2-4---4-0-|
A|-↓---------|-2-------2-----2-|-2-2-2---↓---------|
E|-↓---------|-----------------|---------↓---------|
(↓ = played as grace notes)
VERSE 1
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble, set me free
A F#m A RIFF-2 Note: In the verses Cat changes
I have seen your face and it's too much, too much for me chords early to A major here.
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble, can't you see
A F#m A RIFF-3
You're eatin' my heart away and there's nothing much left of me
CHORUS 1
(C#/G#) F# E B/F# E B/F#
I've drunk your wine, you have made your world mine
F#m F#m! A
So won't you be fair, so won't you be fair
C#/G# F# E B/F# E B/F#
I don't want no more of you, so won't you be kind to me
F#m F#m! A RIFF-2
Just let me go where... I have to go there
VERSE 2
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble, move away
A F#m A RIFF-2
I have seen your face and it's too much for me today
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble, can't you see
A F#m A RIFF-3
You have made me a wreck, now won't you leave me in my misery
CHORUS 2
(C#/G#) F# E B/F# E B/F#
I've seen your eyes, and I can see death's dis-guise
F#m F#m! A
Hanging on me... hanging on me
C#/G# F# E B/F# E B/F#
I'm beat, I'm torn, shattered and tossed I'm worn
F#m F#m! A RIFF-2
Too shocking to see... too shocking to see
VERSE 3
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble move from me
A F#m A RIFF-2
I have paid my debt, now won't you leave me in my misery
E B/F# RIFF-1 F#m
Trouble, oh trouble, please be kind
A F#m A
I don't want no fight and I haven't got a lot of time
RIFFS
=====
RIFF-1 (2nd guitar) RIFF-2 (2nd guitar) RIFF-3
B/F# B/F# F#m A E F#/C# D B/F# C#/G#
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d d d u d u d u d d d
E|---------7---4---|-2- E|-----------------|-0- E|-2---2-------|---
B|---------7---4---|-2- B|-----4-2-2-2-2-0-|-0- B|-2---3---4---|-6-
G|---------8---4---|-2- G|-----2-2-2-2-4-0-|-1- G|-3---2---4---|-6-
D|-----------------|-4- D|-----2-2-2-2-2-0-|-2- D|-4---0---4---|-6-
A|-----------------|-4- A|---------0-------|-2- A|-4-----------|---
E|-----------------|-2- E|-----------------|-0- E|-------------|---
CHORDS (in order of appearance and relative to capo position)
======
A B/F# E F#m F#m/C#
x0222x xx444x 022100 244222 x44222
--III- --RRR- -MRI-- TRLIII -RLIII
D C#/G# F#
xx0232 xx666x 244322
---IRM --RRR- TRLMII
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
↓ = play as grace note(s)
LYRICS ONLY
===========
Trouble, oh trouble, set me free
I have seen your face and it's too much, too much for me
Trouble, oh trouble, can't you see
You're eatin' my heart away and there's nothing much left of me
I've drunk your wine, you have made your world mine
So won't you be fair, so won't you be fair
I don't want no more of you, so won't you be kind to me
Just let me go where... I have to go there
Trouble, oh trouble, move away
I have seen your face and it's too much for me today
Trouble, oh trouble, can't you see
You have made me a wreck, now won't you leave me in my misery
I've seen your eyes, and I can see death's disguise
Hanging on me... hanging on me
I'm beat, I'm torn, shattered and tossed I'm worn
Too shocking to see... too shocking to see
Trouble, oh trouble move from me
I have paid my debt, now won't you leave me in my misery
Trouble, oh trouble, please be kind
I don't want no fight and I haven't got a lot of time
Playing Cat Stevens 