| 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. |
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"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
Playing Cat Stevens 