If Only Mother Could See Me Now (Studio Demo)

Author: Leonard Latest revision: August 28, 2022
Author’s Notes: This is one of those early demos Cat recorded at East London Recordings somewhen between his albums New Masters and Mona Bone Jakon, as he was transitioning from one career to the next in the music business, but which eventually ended up on the cutting floor. The lyrics are bathed in Christianity—quite beautifully so— and the unexpected chord progression makes for a very unique song. Cat fingerpicks through the whole song with his thumb and index only, picking the bass with the former and swinging the latter like a pendulum, somewhere between strumming and fingerstyle (also known as fingerstrumming).
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.

                 
               "If Only Mother Could See Me Now"
                       by Cat Stevens
                        
               previously unreleased demo (1968)
             from the four-disc compilation album
            IN SEARCH OF THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE

 
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E

in 4/4 time, mostly

played fingerpicking, thumb and index only


INTRO

 Bm/F#          
   / . / . / . / .   / . / . / . / .   / . / . / . / .   / . / . / . / . 
E|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|-2-2-2---2-2-2---|
B|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
G|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|
D|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|-4-------4-------|
A|-x-------x-------|-x-------x-------|-x-------x-------|-x-------x-------|
E|-2-----2-2-----2-|-2-----2-2-----2-|-2-----2-2-----2-|-2-----2-2-----2-|


VERSE 1 (Continue intro pattern into Verse 1, applying it up to and including F#m.)

Bm/F#                G              D/A                F#m                 A    E    A  E
     The night was long and lonely,     everything in sight was warm and tran-quil, hey
C              C/G     G        D            Bb/F                C/G   Am  A  A7s2 A
     I took a walk a-long the dark deserted stones of some old chapel,    ah


VERSE 2

Bm/F#                    G         D             F#m              A   E   A  E (E/G#)
     Didn't know quite what to do,   and what I knew was all be-hind me, hey
C                 C/G      G       D              Bb/F         C/G      Am       A   A7s2    
     So with the stars a-bove my head I let the silence set in-side me,    and guide me


CHORUS 1

D                /C#  E/B   A      G                    Note: For "/C#" see under Chords below.      
     If only Mo-ther could see me now
D                 /C#  E/B     A     G                  Note: The last chorus line features 
     On the white     horse silver cloud                      off-beat chord changes and 
D                /C# E/B   A      G                           irregular time signatures.
     If only Dad-dy could see me ride                                       
D          A      G   G4 G  •   •     A     D    G     D G     D              
     He'd be so proud  • • of this little devil boy  | / . / . / . / . |


VERSE 3

Bm/F#        G            D             F#m          A   E   A   E
     I saw seas of mirror   without a reason to re-mind me, hey 
C                 C/G     G        D                  Bb/F           C/G     Am       A    A7s2
     And all the people that I'd loved were searching high above to find me,    so kindly


REPEAT CHORUS 1.


INTERLUDE

 Bm/F#   G        D    F#m       A    C/G       G  A      
|  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  |
 

CHORUS 2

D                /C#  E/B   A      G                    
     If only Mo-ther could see me now
D                 /C#  E/B     A     G                  
     On the white     horse silver cloud                Note: The last chorus line features 
D                /C# E/B   A      G                           off-beat chord changes.
     If only Dad-dy could see me ride                          
D          A      G   G4 G  •   •     A     D    G   D G  D  G      D G  D
     He'd be so proud  • • of this little devil boy,     de-vil boy
     


CHORDS
======

   Note:  In the Chorus Cat seems to play a descending
          base line on guitar, or it is nearly indis-
          tinguishable with the actual bass part. 
          Anyways, te part is played as follows:

             D                  /C#  E/B
             /   .   /   .   /   .   /   .  
          E|-2---2-2-2---2-2-2------(0)--0-0-|
          B|-3---3-3-3---3-3-3------(0)--0-0-|
          G|-2---2-2-2---2-2-2------(1)--1-1-|
          D|-0---0-0-0---0-0-0------(2)--2-2-|
          A|---------------------4---2---2-2-|
          E|---------------------------------|


 Bm/F#     G      D/A     F#m      A       E 
2x4432  3x0003  x00232  244222  x02220  022100
T-RLMI  R----L  ---IRM  TRLIII  --IRM-  -MRI--

   C      C/G      D      Bb/F     Am     A7s2 
x32013  332010  xx0232   xx333x  x02210  x02000
-RM-IL  RLM-I-  ---IRM   --RRR-  --MRI-  --I---

 E/G#     E/B     G4
4x6454  x22100  3x0013
T-RIMI  -MRI--  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

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