| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | October 30, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes: | This is one of the most fleshed-out philosophical stories Cat has ever told in his songs. Given the scope of the piece, we had to forego some intricacies of how the song is played. Overall this tablature should give you a pretty good idea, though, and it accurately captures Cat’s fingerpicking style. Unfortunately, the video reels of this song from the 1973 ABC concert, also known as the Moon & Star concert, seem to be lost. We have added a lyrics-only section at the bottom. | ||
| 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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"Boy with a Moon and Star on His Head"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
CATCH BULL AT FOUR (1972)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time, mostly
INTRO
D
|--------RIFF--------|
E|--0h2p0---0h2--|--------0h2p0h2---0h2--|--------0h2p0---0h2--|-----------|
B|--------3------|--3-------------3------|--3-----------3------|--3-----3--|
G|--0h2p0---0h2--|----2---0h2p0h2---0h2--|----2---0h2p0---0h2--|----2------|
D|--------0------|--0---0---------0------|--0---0-------0------|--0---0----|
A|---------------|-----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
E|---------------|-----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
A...
VERSE 1
D D4 D G A
E|--2-----------2-----------|--3-----------2-----------|--------3-----------0-----|
B|-----3-----3-----3-----3--|-----3-----3-----3-----3--|-----0-----0-----2-----2--|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--0-----0-----0-----0-----|--0-----0-----0-----0-----|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------0-----------|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|--3-----------------------|
gardener's daughter stopped me on my way on the day I was___ to
D RIFFx2 |----FILL---|
E|------0h2p0---0h2--|--------0h2p0---0h2--|-------------------|
B|------------3------|--3-----------3------|--3-------3--------|
G|----2-0h2p0---0h2--|----2---0h2p0---0h2--|----2---2---2---2--|
D|--0---------0------|--0---0-------0------|--0---0---0---0----|
A|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
wed. "It is
Em G Em A
E|-------------------|-------------------|----------0--------|
B|------0-------0----|------0-------0----|----0-------2---2--|
G|----0---0---0---0--|----0---0---0---0--|--------2----------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|------0-------0----|
E|--0-------0--------|--3-------3--------|--3----------------|
you who I wish to share my body with," she
D RIFFx2 |----FILL---|
E|------0h2p0---0h2--|--------0h2p0h2---0h2--|-------------------|
B|------------3------|--3-------------3------|--3-------3--------|
G|----2-0h2p0---0h2--|----2---0h2p0h2---0h2--|----2---2---2---2--|
D|--0---------0------|--0---0---------0------|--0---0---0---0----|
A|-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
said.
D D4 D G A D RIFFx 2
"We'll find a dry place un-der the sky with a flower for a bed
Em G Em A
"And for my joy I will give you a boy with a moon and star...
Em A Em A D RIFFx3
| / / / / | ...on his head"
VERSE 2
D D4 D G A F#m Em D! RIFFx2
Her silver hair flowed in the air, laying waves a-cross the sun
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
Her hands were like the white sands, and her eyes had diamonds on
D D4 D G A D RIFFx2
We left the road and headed up to the top of the Whisper Wood
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
And we walked 'till we came to where the holy mag-no-----lia stood
D D4 D G A F#m/C# Bm/F# Em7 A RIFFx2
And there we laid cool in the shade, singing songs and making love... | / / / / |
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
With the naked earth beneath us – and the u-ni-verse a-bove
BRIDGE 1 (WHISTLE.)
D G A D D2 D D2 D G A D Bm/F# A* G A
| / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
RIFFx4_______________________________
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 3
D D4 D Bm/F# A2 A D RIFFx2
The time was late my wedding wouldn't wait; I was sad but I had to go
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
So while she was a-sleep I kissed her cheek for cheer-io
D D4 D G A
The wedding took place and people came from many miles
D A A4 A D! B/F# E A! D
a-round
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
There was plenty merriment, cider and wine a-bound
D D4 D G A D RIFFx2
But out of all that I re-call I re-membered the girl I met
Em G Em A D RIFFx4
'Cause she had given me something that my heart could not for-get
BRIDGE 2
D G A D (D4)D4+9 D G A D Bm/F# A* G A
| / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
RIFFx2___________
| / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 4
D D4 D G A F#m/C# Bm/F#
A year had passed and ev-erything was just as it was a year be-fore
G A D RIFFx2
(just) as it was a year be-fore
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
Un-til the gift that someone left, a basket by my door
D D4 D G A D RIFFx2
And in there lay the fair-est little baby crying to be fed
Em G Em A
I got down on my knees and kissed the moon and star...
Em A Em A D RIFFx4
| / / / / | woh, on his head
VERSE 5
D D4 D G A D RIFFx2
As years went by the boy grew high and the village looked on in awe
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
They'd never seen anything like the boy with the moon and star be-fore
D D4 D G A D RIFFx2
And people would ride from far and wide just to seek the word he spread
Em G Em A D RIFFx2
"I'll tell you every-thing I've learned," and "Love" is all he said
OUTRO
D G A D D4 D4+9 D G A D Bm/F# A* G A
| / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D D4 D D4+9
E|--------3p2--0h2--||
B|------------------||
G|-----2-------0h2--||
D|--0-----0---------||
A|------------------||
E|------------------||
CHORDS
======
Note: All chord shapes and fingerings are according to how
Cat Stevens himself played them at the time.
D D4(Dsus4) D4+9(Dsus4add9) G A A4(Asus4) A7 A*
xx0232 xx0233 xx0030 3x0003 x02220 x02230 x02020 x0222x
---IRM ---IRL ----R- R----L --IMR --IMR- --I-R- --III-
Em F#m Bm/F# B/F# A2(Asus2) F#m/C#
022000 244222 xx4432 xx444x x02200 x44222
-MR--- TRLIII --RLMI --RRR- --IM-- TRLIII
Note #1: The bar [D D4 D4+9 D] is played something like this:
D D4 D4+9 D
E|--------3p2--0h2--------|
B|---------------------3--|
G|-----2--2----0h2--------|
D|--0---------------0-----|
A|------------------------|
E|------------------------|
Note #2: The bar [D Bm/F# A* G ] is played something like this:
D Bm/F# A* G
/ / / /
E|--------------------------|
B|--------3--2--0-----------|
G|-----2-----------0-----0--|
D|--0-----4--2--0-----0-----|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
x = mute
~ = vibrato
[ ] = natural harmonic (Harm.)
/ = 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
===========
A gardener's daughter stopped me on my way on the day I was to wed
"It is you who I wish to share my body with," she said
"We'll find a dry place under the sky with a flower for a bed
"And for my joy I will give you a boy with a moon and star... on his head"
Her silver hair flowed in the air, laying waves across the sun
Her hands were like the white sands, and her eyes had diamonds on
We left the road and headed up to the top of the Whisper Wood
And we walked 'till we came to where the holy magnolia stood
And there we laid cool in the shade, singing songs and making love...
With the naked earth beneath us – and the universe above
The time was late my wedding wouldn't wait; I was sad but I had to go
So while she was asleep I kissed her cheek for cheerio
The wedding took place and people came from many miles around
There was plenty merriment, cider and wine abound
But out of all that I recall I remembered the girl I met
'Cause she had given me something that my heart could not forget
A year had passed and everything was just as it was a year before, (just) as it was a year before
Until the gift that someone left, a basket by my door
And in there lay the fairest little baby crying to be fed
I got down on my knees and kissed the moon and star... woh, on his head
As years went by the boy grew high and the village looked on in awe
They'd never seen anything like the boy with the moon and star before
And people would ride from far and wide just to seek the word he spread
"I'll tell you everything I've learned," and "Love" is all he said
Playing Cat Stevens 