| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | December 26, 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Clocking in at fourty hours, the time spent on the recording of this one album track was enormous. Co-guitarist Alun Davies went even so far to say, “It hung like a cloud over us for ages. I nearly went mad. I’d go out of the studio, pace up and down and end up banging my head against the coffee machine out of sheer frustration. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the first take, but I was really impressed that, after all that time we spent on it, Steve could still make it better.” Guitars and vocals were recorded in the upstairs studio at Morgan Studios, London, while for some reason for the recording of Gerry Conway’s drums the musicians had to transfer to the downstairs studio. For the metallic sound at end of the song, Steve threw a miked up metal tea tray from the canteen at the floor, the timing of which was so difficult to get down that the effect alone took a couple of takes to get right. The style in which the verses are written, in which the last word of a train of thought matches the beginning of the next one, is noticably Tolstoyian. The song makes use of palm-muting in a percussive rhythm style and also chord-muting (upon forming the chord you shortly and repeatedly lift all the fingers of the fretting hand just to put it down again). | ||
| 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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"Can't Keep It In"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
CATCH BULL AT FOUR (1972)
Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO
A A2 A A A2 A
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . Note: Continue INTRO as such.
d u d u u d u d u d u u d u
E||--0-0-0-0---0-0-0--|--0-0-0-0---0-0-0--|
B||--2-2-2-0---0-2-2--|--2-2-2-0---0-2-2--|
G||--2-2-2-2---2-2-2--|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2--|
D||--2-2-2-2---2-2-2--|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2--|
A||--0---0-------0----|--0---0-------0----|
E||-------------------|-------------------|
E E+9 E E E+9 E
| / . / . / . / . | / . / . / . / . |
D D2 D E
| / . / . / . / . | / . / . / . / . | / . / . / . / . |
(E)
/ . / . / . / .
E|--------------7--9/(10-12)-|
B|-----7--9-/10--------------|
G|--9------------------------|
D|---------------------------|
A|---------------------------|
E|---------------------------|
Oh, I...
VERSE 1 Note: Use palm-muting w/ percussive feel from here on out.
(E) A E RIFF
... can't keep it in, I can't keep it in, I've gotta let it out.
D
I've got to show the world, world's got to see,
E E4 E
See all the love, love that's in me.
A E RIFF
I said, "Why walk alone, why worry when it's warm over here?"
D
You've got so much to say, say what you mean,
E E7
Mean what you're thinking, and think an-y-thing.
CHORUS 1
A F#m
Oh why, why must you waste your life away?
| / / / / |
A B/A E G#m B/A
You've got to live for to-day, then let it go, oh______.
A F#m
Lover, I want to spend this time with you,
A B/A E G#m | G#m E
There's nothing I wouldn't do if you let me know, oh____. And I...
VERSE 2
(E) A E RIFF
... can't keep it in, I can't hide it and I can't lock it away.
D
I'm up for your love, love heats my blood,
E E4 E
Blood spins my head and my head falls in love, oh.
A E
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
E F/C G/D
| / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 3
C F/C C (C) F/C C G C/G G | G C/G G
No, I can't keep it in, I can't keep it in, I've gotta let it out.
F/C C F/C (F/C) C F/C
I've gotta show the world, world’s got to know,
G G4 G
Know of the love, love that lies low, so
C F/C C (C) F/C C G C/G G | G C/G G
Why can't you say, if you know, then why can't you say?
F/C C F/C (F/C) C F/C
You've got too much de-ceit, deceit kills the light,
G D E7
Light has to shine, I said, "Shine light, shine light!"
CHORUS 2
A F#m
Love, that's no way to live your life,
A B/A E G#m B/A
You allow too much to go by, and that won't do – no_____!
A F#m
Lover, I want to have you here by my side.
A B/A E G#m E
Now don't you run, don't you hide, while I'm with you.
REPEAT VERSE 1
OUTRO
A4 A A4 A
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . Note: Continue OUTRO as such.
d u d u u u d u d u d u d u
E|--0-0-0-0---0---0--|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
B|--3-3-3-2---2---2--|--3-3-3-2-2-2-2-2--|
G|--2-2-2-2---2---2--|--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|
D|--2-2-2-2---2---2--|--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|
A|--0---0------------|--0---0---0---0----|
E|-------------------|-------------------|
Now why,
E4 E E4 E
| / . / . / . / . | / . / . / . / . |
why, why not?
D4 D D4 D
| / . / . / . / . | / . / . / . / . |
C4 C
| / . / . / . / . |
(C) E4 E
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d u d u u u
E|-------------------|--0-0-0-0---0---0--|
B|-------------------|--0-0-0-0---0---0--|
G|-------------------|--2-2-2-1---1---1--|
D|--2-0--------------|--2-2-2-2---2---2--|
A|--------3---2---0--|--2---2------------|
E|-------------------|--0---0------------|
(E) !
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d d u d u d
E|-------------------|--0----------------|--0-0-0-0-0---x------------------||
B|-------------------|--0----------------|--0-0-0-0-0---x------------------||
G|--1----------------|--1----------------|--1-1-1-1-1---x------------------||
D|----4---2----------|--2----------------|--2-2-2-2-2---x------------------||
A|------------4---2--|--2----------------|--2-2-2-2-2---x------------------||
E|-------------------|--0----------------|--0-0-0-0-0---x------------------||
x = palm-mute
RIFF
====
E/G# D/F# E
E|--4----2----0--|
B|--5----3----0--|
G|--4----2----1--|
D|--6----4----2--|
A|------------2--|
E|------------0--|
CHORDS
======
A A2 A4 E E+9 E4 E7
x02220 x02200 x02230 022100 024100 022200 022130
--IMR- --IM-- --IML- -MRI-- -MLI-- -MRL-- -MRIL-
D D2 D4 E/G# D/F#
xx0232 xx0230 xx0233 xx6454 xx4232
---IRM ---IR- ---IRL --RIMI --RIMI
F#m B/A G#m F/C G/D
244222 x0444x 466444 x33211 x55433
TRLIII --RRR- TRLIII -RLMII -RLMII
--III-
C C4 C/G G G4 F
x32010 x33011 3x2013 3x0003 3x0013 133211
-RM-I- -RL-II R-M-IL R----L R---IL 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
/ = slide up
x = palm-mute
! = emphasize with great intensity
Playing Cat Stevens 