Just Another Night

Author: Leonard Latest revision: May 15, 2022
Author’s Notes: Recorded in Copenhagen and Canada, and subsequently mixed in London, the song talks about the volatile nature of the show business—how it chews you up and spits you out. Similar to “Never“, it also poses as another farewell to Cat’s fans saying that if they really needed him, he would be around (in his songs presumably). The odd time signature lends the song a syncopated feel, yet nifty little riffs and speedy triplet strumming lighten things up. It is perhaps needless to say that Cat sings and plays this one on guitar impeccably well on the record.
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.
                 
                   "Just Another Night"
                     by Cat Stevens
                   
                 from the original album
                   BACK TO EARTH (1978)
 

Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E

in 12/8 time 


INTRO                           (Note:  ! = strum a triplet)

  D!  G        !   D        !   G        !   D        !   
| / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
      G        !   D        !
    | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |

    RIFF (Em7)                  Dmaj9
    /     /     /     /         /     /     /     /       (Note: x = palm-mute
    . . . . . . . . . . . .     . . . . . . . . . . . .              strings)
    1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a     1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   
    d   d   d   d   d           d u d   d u d     u d u
E|--0---0---0---0---0---x----|--0-2-0---0-2-0-----0-2-0--|
B|--0---0---0---0---0---x----|--2-2-2---2-2-2-----2-2-2--|
G|--0---0---0---0---0---x----|--2-2-2---2-2-2-----2-2-2--|
D|--2---4---2---0---2---x----|--0---0---0---0-------0----|
A|--2---4---2---0---2---x----|---------------------------|
E|----------------------x----|---------------------------|


VERSE 1

G                         D    G                           D
     I remember standing here     right on this very same site
G                         D             RIFF________________   Dmaj9
     I was dying but for you     it was just an-oth-er night
G                                D      G                           D
     You once rocked me in your world,     you bought me my first shoes
G                                D           RIFF_________________   Dmaj9     
     I was just another lonely child, oh and you were much a-mused

     
LINK

  G        !   D        !   G        !   D  D4 D  !   
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
  G        !   D        !   RIFF         Dmaj9
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |

 
VERSE 2

G                              D             G                           D
     So you took me and you dressed me well     all for your friends to see
G                       D                  RIFF______________   Dmaj9     
     Drained my body calmly till there was no more left in me
G                                 D           Em7                       D/F#*
     Then you walked out and you cut me cold      out on the road some-where
G                                    D        RIFF_______________   Dmaj9 
     Why it happened, well I don't know and I still have no i-dea

 
VERSE 3


F#m                Bm/F# A*  G            E                      A*    A/G# 
     But everybody needs a friend, some-times you need a little help
F#m                      Bm/F# A*   D          Em7                  A
     And who knows maybe one  day you'll seek mine, only time will tell
G                              D     G                       D
     You once held me in your arms,     you made me feel so right
G                          D         RIFF________________   Dmaj9     
     I was flying but for you it was just an-o-ther night

     
REPEAT LINK  


VERSE 4

E                    A       D/A   A      E      [E/D      E/C#      E/B]    A   D A
     But everybody needs a little help whether or not you think you real-ly do
E                A       D/A   A             C/G      C/B      G
     Everybody needs a little help, now the time has come for you
 (G)          D/F#          Em7         D/F#*
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |     
     

VERSE 5

G                                 D     G                    D
     I ain't looking to fight no wars,     no more talking trash
G                               D              RIFF_______________   Dmaj9
     I'm not seeking any more pain 'cause I've had e-nough of that
G                             D        Em7                      D/F#*
     But don't you worry it's al-right     if you should come a-round
G                      D          RIFF_____________   Dmaj9   
     Any night or any day I won't ever let you down


OUTRO

  G        !   D        !   G        !   D        !   
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
  G        !   D        !   RIFF        
| /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / | /  /  /  / |
 
    Dmaj9            
    1 & a 2 & a 3 & a       
    d u d     d               
E|--0-2-0-x---0--------||
B|--2-2-2-x---2--let --||
G|--2-2-2-x---2--ring--||
D|--0---0-x---0--------||
A|---------------------||
E|---------------------||



CHORDS
======

  Note #1:    The time signature sounds like 4/4 time, only with a
(12/8 time)   syncopated or triplet feel to it. Each main beat is
              subdivided into triplets. It looks like this:

                     1     2     3     4
              12/8 | /     /     /     /       |
                     . . . . . . . . . .  .  .   
                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
             count:  1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4  &  a
                     d u d u d u d u d u  d  u        d = downstroke, u = upstroke
 
  Note #2:    The key to injecting triplet strums (exlamation
 (triplets)   mark as indicator in the tab) at the end of a 
              chord, so that you seemlessly shift into the next
              chord, is to begin with an upstrum, like so:
             
                  D                 !
                  /     /     /     /         
                  1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a     
                  d     d     d     u d u     
              E|--2-----2-----2-----2-2-2--|
              B|--3-----3-----3-----3-3-3--|
              G|--2-----2-----2-----2-2-2--|
              D|--0-----0-----0-------0----|
              A|---------------------------|
              E|---------------------------|
          

   D     D/F#*   D/F#    Dmaj9     D4      D/A      G    
xx0232  2X4232  200232  2xx0220  xx0233  x00232  3x0003
---IRM  T-RIMI  T--IRM  ---MR-  ---IML  ---IRM   R----L
 
 F#m     Bm/F#    A*     A/G#      A      Em7   
233222  xx4432  x0222x  44222x  x02220  022030 
TRLIII  --RLMI  --III-  RLIII-  --IMR-  -MR-L- 
 
   E      E/D    E/C#     E/B     C/G     C/B
022100  xx0100  x42100  x22100  332010  x2x010  
-MRI--  ---I--  -LMI--  -MRI--  RLM-I-  -M--I-


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.)
                      ! = strum a triplet
                      d = downward stroke
                      u = upward stroke
                      x = palm-mute note

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