| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | April 18, 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | “The palette that painted Tea for the Tillerman” (Alun’s words), “Into White” is another song that was recorded with just two guitars with all else including vocals being added later. A valuable lesson in fingerpicking as well, especially concerning the tricky intro, and simply a beautiful song to sing. Even though Alun plays the prominent guitar part on the record (capoed up two frets), we chose to transcribe Cat’s guitar here substituting missing bits from the record with his outstanding 1970 BBC Theatre Concert performance to give you the full picture. | ||
| 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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"Into White"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN (1970)
Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 3/4 time
Note: This transcription follows Cat Stevens' guitar part.
INTRO
D A/E E
/ / / / / /
E|--------| |--0h2-----0-----------|-----0-----0------------| |
B|--------| |-------3-----3--2-----|--0-----0-----0--0h2/3--| |
G|--------|.|-------------------2--|------------------------|.| Play four
D|--------|.|--0-------------2-----|--2---------------------|.| times.
A|--2--4--| |----------------------|------------------------| |
E|--------| |----------------------|------------------------| |
(slide w/ ring finger)
VERSE 1
D A/E E
/ / / / / /
E|--0h2-----0-----------|-----0-----0--------|
B|-------3-----3--2-----|--0-----0-----0-----|
G|-------------------2--|-----------------1--|
D|--0-------------2-----|--2-----------------|
A|----------------------|--------------------|
E|----------------------|--------------------|
I built my house from
D A/E E
/ / / / / /
E|--0h2-----0-----------|-----0-----0--------|
B|-------3-----3--2-----|--0-----0-----0-----|
G|-------------------2--|-----------------1--|
D|--0-------------2-----|--2-----------------|
A|----------------------|--------------------|
E|----------------------|--------------------|
bar- ley rice.
D A/E E
/ / / / / /
E|--0h2-----0-----------|-----0-----0--------|
B|-------3-----3--2-----|--0-----0-----0-----|
G|-------------------2--|-----------------1--|
D|--0-------------2-----|--2-----------------|
A|----------------------|--------------------|
E|----------------------|--------------------|
Green pep- per walls and
D A/E E
/ / / / / /
E|--0h2-----0-----------|-----0-----0--------|
B|-------3-----3--2-----|--0-----0-----0-----|
G|-------------------2--|-----------------1--|
D|--0-------------2-----|--0-----------------|
A|----------------------|--------------------|
E|----------------------|--------------------|
wa- ter ice.
A D E
/ / / / / / / / /
E|-----------0--------|-----------2--------|-----------0--------|
B|-----2--------2-----|-----3--------3-----|-----0--------0-----|
G|--------2--------2--|--------2--------2--|--------1--------1--|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|
A|--0-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
Ta-bles of pa-per wood,___ win-dows of
Gadd9 D/F# >>> louder >>>>>>>
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
E|--x----------|--x--x--x--x--x--x--|--------------------|--2--2--2--2--------|
B|--3----------|--3--3--3--3--3--3--|--------------------|--3--3--3--3--------|
G|--2----------|--2--2--2--2--2--2--|--------------------|--2--2--2--2--------|
D|--0----------|--0--0--0--0--0--0--|--4--4--4--4--4--4--|--4--4--4--4--------|
A|--x----------|--x--x--x--x--x--x--|--0--0--0--0--0--0--|--0--0--0--0--2--4--|
E|--3----------|--3--3--3--3--3--3--|--2--2--2--2--2--2--|--------------------|
light. And
D A RIFF
/ / / / / / / /
E|-----------2--------|--------------------|--------------|
B|-----3--------3-----|--2--------2--------|--------------|
G|--------2--------2--|-----2--------2-----|--------------|
D|--0--------0--------|--------2--------2--|--------------|
A|--------------------|--0--------0--------|--2--0--------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|--------4--0--|
ev - 'ry - thing's emp-ty-ing in- to
F#sus4 F#
/ / / / / /
E|-----------2--------|-----------2--------|
B|-----2--------2-----|-----2--------2-----|
G|--------4--------4--|--------3--------3--|
D|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--2--------2--------|--2--------2--------|
white._________________
INTRO REPRISE
D A/E E D A/E E
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
D A/E E D A/E E
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
VERSE 2
D A/E E D A/E E
A sim-ple garden with acres of sky,
D A/E E D A/E E
A brown-haired dog-mouse if one dropped by.
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
A D E Gadd9 D/F#
Yellow De-laney would sleep well at night.
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
D A RIFF F#sus4 F#
With everything emptying into white.____
INSTRUMENTAL
D A/E E D A/E E
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
D A/E E D A/E E
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
A D E Gadd9 D/F#
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
Ah.__________________________________
D A RIFF F#sus4 F#
| / / / | / / / | / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
VERSE 3
D A/E E D A/E E
A sad blue-eyed drummer re-hearses out-side,
D A/E E D A/E E
A black spider dan-cing on top of his eye.
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
A D E Gadd9 D/F#
Red-legged chicken stands ready to strike.
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
D A RIFF F#sus4 F#
And everything emptying into white.____
VERSE 4
D A/E E D A/E E
I built my house from bar-ley rice.
D A/E E D A/E E
Green pep-per walls and wa-ter ice.
| / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / | / / / |
A D E Gadd9 D/F#
| / / / | / / / | / / | / |
D A RIFF F#sus4 RIFF F#*
And everything emptying into white.____
CHORDS
======
RIFF
/ /
E|--------------|
B|--------------|
G|--------------|
D|--------------|
A|--2--0--------|
E|--------4--0--|
D A/E A E
xx0232 x0222x x02220 022100
---IMR --III- --IMR- -MRI--
Gadd9 D/F#
3x023x 204232
R--IL- T-RIMI
F# F#sus4 F#*
2x4322 2x4422 244322
T-RMII T-RLII TRLMII
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 