| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | April 16, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes: | This song together with ‘Don’t Be Shy‘ was recorded for Hal Ashby’s 1971 black-comedy-drama, Harold and Maude, but did not see an album release until the mid-eighties. As with most film scores, the production was a rush job. Cat did not deem both these film songs good enough for a dedicated album release. Cat later said, “These were songs I had floating around, and probably could’ve worked longer on and come out with more of a refined composition, but it was very much the mood at the time to be melodic and simple at the same time. And that’s all they wanted, was something new and melodic. And they suited the film.” The song looks a whole lot easier to play and transcribe than it really is. The intro, riff sections and especially the outro, with all its intricacies, take some study and practice. There is a demo version of the song on the official soundtrack to the film, which is played with a capo at the 3rd fret, in the key of Eb major. In the demo version of the song, in contrast to the release, the piano is the main instrument, with the guitar playing along but rather subdued. | ||
| 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 You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out"
by Cat Stevens
from the original film
HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO
C* G6* Fmaj7 G6* C* G6* Fmaj7 G
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d d u d u d d d u d u d d u d u d d d u d u
E|-0---0-0-0-0---0-|-----0---0-0-0-0-|-0---0-0-0-0---0-|-----0---0-0-3-3-|
B|-8---8-8-3-3---1-|-----1---1-1-3-3-|-8---8-8-3-3---1-|-----1---1-1-0-0-|
G|-9---9-9-4-4---2-|-----0---2-2-4-4-|-9---9-9-4-4---2-|-----0---2-2-0-0-|
D|10--10---5-5---3-|-----3---3-3-5-5-|10--10---5-5---3-|-----3---3-3-0-0-|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------x---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------3---|
Well, if you...
VERSE 1
(G) C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G Am
Well, if you want to sing out, sing out, and if you want to be free, be free
Dm Am A4 Am G C/G G FILL-1
'Cause there's a million thi-ngs to be, you know that there are
(G) C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G Am
And if you want to live high, live high, and if you want to live low, live low
Dm Am A4 Am G C/G G FILL-2 RIFF
'Cause there's a million wa-ys to go, you know that there are
CHORUS
C F/C RIFF G C RIFF
You can do what you want, the opportunity's on
C F/C RIFF G C RIFF
And if you find a new way, you can do it to-day
C F/C RIFF G C Am Em
You can make it all true, and you can make it un-do, you see......
Am Em Am Em G FILL-1
Ah, it's easy... ah, you only need to know
VERSE 2
(G) C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G Am
Well, if you want to say yes, say yes, and if you want to say no, say no
Dm Am A4 Am G C/G G FILL-1
'Cause there's a million wa-ys to go, you know that there are
(G) C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G Am
And if you want to be me, be me, and if you want to be you, be you
Dm Am A4 Am G C/G G FILL-2 RIFF
'Cause there's a million thi-ngs to do, you know that there are
REPEAT CHORUS.
VERSE 3
(G) C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G Am
Well, if you want to sing out, sing out, and if you want to be free, be free
Dm Am A4 Am G C/G G
'Cause there's a million thi-ngs to be — you know that there are Note: Continue hammering-ons
C/G (C/G) G similar to FILL, freely.
you know that there are, you know that there are
C/G G C G F/C F2/C F/C G C G F/C F2/C F/C G
You know that there are, you know that there are
OUTRO
C* G6* Fmaj7 ! G6* ! C
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d d u d u d d u d u d d u d u d
E|-0---0-0-0-0---0-|-----0-0-0-0-0-------0-0-0-0-|-0---------------||
B|-8---8-8-3-3---1-|-----1-1-1-0-3-------3-3-3-0-|-1---------------||
G|-9---9-9-4-4---2-|-----2-2-2-0-4-------4-4-4-0-|-0---------------||
D|10--10---5-5---3-|-----3-3-3---5-------5-5-5---|-2---------------||
A|-----------------|-----------------------------|-3---------------||
E|-----------------|-----------------------------|(3)--------------||
RIFFS
=====
FILL-1
G C/G G C/G G C/G G C/G
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d u d u d u u u d u
E |-3---3---3---3---3---3-------3-|-----3---3---3-----------------|
B |-0---0-0h1---0-0h1---0-----0h1-|-----0---0-0h1-----------------|
G |-0---0---0---0---0---0-------0-|-----0---0---0-----------------|
D |-0---0-0h2---0-0h2---0-----0h2-|-----0---0-0h2-----------------|
A |-x-------x-------x-------------|---------x---------------------|
E |-3-------3-------3-------------|---------3---------------------|
FILL-2
G C/G G C/G G !
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
d u d u d u u d
E |-3---3---3---3---3---3-------3-|-3-x---------------------------|
B |-0---0-0h1---0-0h1---0-------0-|-0-x---------------------------|
G |-0---0---0---0---0---0-------0-|-0-x--Palm---------------------|
D |-0---0-0h2---0-0h2---0-------0-|-0-x--mute---------------------|
A |-x-------x-------x-------------|-x-x---------------------------|
E |-3-------3-------3-------------|-3-x---------------------------|
RIFF
C Am7 C
E |-----------------|
B |-----------------|
G |-----------------|
D |-----------------|
A |-(3)(3)(3)-0--3--|
E |--3--3--3-(0)(3)-|
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
C* G6* Fmaj7
xx.10.980 xx5430 xx3210
----R-MI- --RMI- --RMI-
G C F/C F2/C Am
3x0003 332010 x33211 x33011 x02210
R----L RLM-I- -RLMII -RL-II --MRI-
Dm A4 C/G Am7 Em
xx0231 x02230 3x2013 002010 022000
---MRI --MRL- R-M-IL --M-I- -MR---
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
> = accentuate note
! = accentuate note or part with great intensity
h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
~ = vibrato, or hold chord
[ ] = natural harmonic (Harm.)
/ = legato slide (gliss) up the fret
\ = legato slide (gliss) down the fret
LYRICS ONLY
===========
Well, if you want to sing out, sing out, and if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be, you know that there are
And if you want to live high, live high, and if you want to live low, live low
'Cause there's a million ways to go, you know that there are
You can do what you want, the opportunity's on
And if you find a new way, you can do it today
You can make it all true, and you can make it undo, you see......
Ah, it's easy... ah, you only need to know
Well, if you want to say yes, say yes, and if you want to say no, say no
'Cause there's a million ways to go, you know that there are
And if you want to be me, be me, and if you want to be you, be you
'Cause there's a million things to do, you know that there are
Well, if you want to sing out, sing out, and if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be — you know that there are
You know that there are, you know that there are
You know that there are, you know that there are
Playing Cat Stevens 