| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | May 22, 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | The classical influences in this almost Middle Eastern fiction, which is similar in tale to Aladdin’s lamp, are felt the clearest in the intro. Cat was having fun with lyrics and storylines at the time; that he lived right around the corner of the British Museum certainly had some influence here. The song is very upbeat and has the prescribed Decca big band sound en vogue at the time, but Cat’s composition and, to an extend, the song structure are actually more complex beneath the surface. The key change in the second chorus heightens suspense, and the song ends on a drawn-out outro. We have tried to adapt the song to a guitar playing style that would mirror Cat’s in theory. | ||
| 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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"Moonstone"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
NEW MASTERS (1967)
Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO
Eb/G D/F#
E|-------|-3----------------|-2----------------|
B|-------|-4----------------|-3----------------|
G|-5-3---|-3----------------|-2----------------|
D|-----5-|-5----------------|-4----------------|
A|-------|------------------|------------------|
E|-------|------------------|------------------|
G Em C D G Em C D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 1
G Em C D
Well, first I have to tell you that I'm not in-sane,
(D) Am Em/B Em
And that once I was a famous archae-ologist name. During
G Em C D
A recent expe-dition in a distant land
(D) Am Em/B Em
I just happened to be passing my hand in the sand.
LINK
G! D! C D
And then I stopped, looked, and then I was hooked.
CHORUS 1
Em Em+7 Em7 A
I saw a flash, then a sparkle from a moon-stone,
C D B/A
Then the mist started, started to clear.
Em Em+7 Em7 A
I saw a face, a face in the moon-stone,
C D Em Em/B
Then it started to disap-pear.
VERSE 2
G Em C D
Well, I walked and walked and never talked for many days,
(D) Am Em/B Em
And with-out a friend the desert is a lonely place.
G Em C D
I was just about to turn around and make way home when
(D) Am Em/B Em
Something told me that I had to see it a-gain.
REPEAT LINK & CHORUS 1.
BRIDGE
Em A Em
A vu ray,___________
Em A Em
a vu ray,___________
G C/G G C/G B/A
a vu ray.___________________
INSTRUMENTAL
Em Em+7 Em7 A C D B/A
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Em Em+7 Em7 A C D Em C7
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
CHORUS 2
Fm Fm+7 Fm7 Bb/F
I saw a flash, then a sparkle from a moon-stone,
Db/F Eb/G C7
Then the mist started, started to clear.
Fm Fm+7 Fm7 Bb/F
I saw a face, a face in the moon-stone,
Db/F Eb/G Fm
Then it started to disap-pear.
OUTRO
Db/F Eb/G C7
And then it started to disap-pear,
Db/F C7 Fm Bbm/F Fm
And then it started to disap-pear.
CHORDS
======
Eb/G D/F# G D Am
xx5343 xx4232 3x0003 xx0232 x02210
--RIMI --RIMI R----L ---IMR --MRI-
Em Em/B Em+7 Em7 B/A
022000 x22000 021000 020000 x0444x
-MR--- -MR--- -MI--- -M---- --RRR-
A C C/G C7
x02220 332010 3x2013 x32310
--IMR- RLM-I- R-M-IL -RMLI-
Fm Fm+7 Fm7 Bb/F Db/F Bbm/F
133111 132111 131111 xx333x xx3121 xx3321
TRLIII TRMIII TRIIII --RRR- --RIMI --RLMI
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, or hold chord
[ ] = natural harmonic (Harm.)
/ = legato slide (gliss) up the fret
\ = legato slide (gliss) down the fret
! = accentuate part with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
Playing Cat Stevens 