| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | Nov. 23, 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Another iconic song and Cat’s first released single. Seven takes of the song require most of the 3-hour recording session, set up together with the solo song “Portobello Road”, which takes a mere 20 minutes to cut. Producer Mike Hurst allies “Dog” with a staccato, tympani-and-viola arrangement unlike anything on the pop charts at the time. “I Love My Dog” is an instant success and makes young Cat Stevens a star over night. Cat later admitted that the song was heavily inspired by Yusef Lateef’s rather obscure jazz piece “Plum Bossom” from the album Eastern Sounds (1961), and started paying him royalties. As to “I Love My Dog” itself, especially beautiful is the Emaj7 chord, as played by Cat in the verses, though the chord might require a little practice to get down. Cat’s 1971 BBC Theatre Concert has a fantastic live performance of the song; the video reels helped greatly with transcribing. | ||
| 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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"I Love My Dog"
by Cat Stevens
and
Yusef Lateef
released as his first single (1966)
as well as on the debut album
MATTHEW AND SON (1967)
Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO
E Esus4 E Esus4
E|------------------------------------|-------------------0--------------|
B|------------------------------------|-------------------0--------------|
G|--------1-----1h2--------1--2p1-----|--------1-----1h2-----------------|
D|--2------------------------------2--|--2----------------------2--2-----|
A|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|-----0-----0-------0--0-------------|-----0-----0----------0--------0--|
E Esus4 Esus4 E
E|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G|--------1-----1h2--------1--2p1-----|--2-----1--------1--------------|
D|--2------------------------------2--|--------------2-----2--2--2-----|
A|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|-----0-----0-------0--0-------------|-----0-----0-----------------0--|
CHORUS 1 (riff as INTRO)
E Esus4 E Esus4
I love my dog as much as I love you.
E Esus4 (Esus4) E
But you may fade, my dog will always come through.
VERSE 1
Emaj7 A
All he asks from me is the food to give him strength.
Emaj7 A B/A
All he ever needs is love and that he knows he'll get. So...
PLAY CHORUS 1.
VERSE 2
Emaj7 A
All the pay I need comes a shining through his eyes.
Emaj7 A B/A
I don't need no cold water to make me real-ize that...
PLAY CHORUS 1.
BRIDGE 1
A Asus4 A Asus2 A Asus2 A Asus2
Na na na na na na na na._________
A Asus4 A Asus2 A Asus2 A Asus2
Na na na na na na na na._____________________________
CHORUS 2
E Esus4 E Esus4
E|------------------------------------|-------------------(0)------------|
B|------------------------------------|-------------------(0)------------|
G|--------1-----1h2--------1--2p1-----|--------1-----1h2-----------------|
D|--2------------------------------2--|--2----------------------2--2-----|
A|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|-----0-----0-------0--0-------------|-----0-----0----------0--------0--|
E Esus4 E Esus4
So I love my dog as much as I love you.
E Esus4 (Esus4) E
But you may fade, my dog will always come through.
BRIDGE 2
G Gsus4 G Gsus4
E|------------------------------------|-------------------3--------------|
B|--------0-----0h1--------0--1p0-----|--------0-----0h1--1--------------|
G|--0------------------------------0--|--0----------------------0--0-----|
D|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|-----3-----3-------3--3-------------|-----3-----3----------3--------3--|
G Gsus4 Gsus4 G
E|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|--------0-----0h1--------0--1p0-----|--1-----0--------0--------------|
G|--0------------------------------0--|--------------0-----0--0--0-----|
D|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|-----3-----3-------3--3-------------|-----3-----3-----------------3--|
A Asus4 A Asus2 A Asus2 A Asus2
Na na na na na na na na._________
A Asus4 A Asus2 A Asus2 A Asus2
Na na na na na na na na._____________________________
OUTRO
E Esus4 E Esus4
E|------------------------------------|-------------------(0)------------|
B|------------------------------------|-------------------(0)------------|
G|--------1-----1h2--------1--2p1-----|--------1-----1h2-----------------|
D|--2------------------------------2--|--2----------------------2--2-----|
A|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|-----0-----0-------0--0-------------|-----0-----0----------0--------0--|
E Esus4 E Esus4 E Esus4
I love my dog, baby, I love my dog. Na na na-na, na na-na na na.
E Esus4 E Esus4 E Esus4 REPEAT UNTIL FADE.
I love my dog, baby, I love my dog, baby, I love my dog...
CHORDS
======
Note #1: In the BRIDGE parts once Asus2 sets in Steve
oscillates back and fro between it and the
A major chord until the shift to E major again.
E Esus4 Emaj7 B/A
022100 022200 022444 x0444x
-MRI-- -MRL-- -MRLLL --RRR-
A Asus4 Asus2
x02220 x02230 x02200
--IMR- --IML- --IM--
G Gsus4
3x0003 3x0013
R----L R---IL
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
~ = vibrato
[ ] = natural harmonic (Harm.)
/ = legato slide (gliss) up the fret
\ = legato slide (gliss) down the fret
! = accentuate chord with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
Playing Cat Stevens 