| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | September 17, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Recorded at Island Basing Street Studios, the basic track is just two guitars (Cat’s and Alun’s) with live vocals and Cat overdubbing the Hammond organ later. Cat, Alun and Paul Samwell-Smith then tracked the additional voices (4 tracks w/ 3 vocals each), and drums and bass were added later. The actual meaning of the song was not clear to Cat until much later and at which point he also added a third verse (see below) for performing live. In 1972 at the Chicago Concert, when introducing the song to his audience of that night, making an effort to explain what the song actually means, he abrutly changes his mind saying “You know getting into explaining a song you take away half the potential of it.” As is so often the case with Cat’s songs, strong vocals make this one ring. The recent release of the taped 1971 Switzerland concert gave us further reference material to work with for transcribing the song. | ||
| 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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"Longer Boats"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN (1970)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO (A capella.)
Longer boats are coming to win us, they're coming to win us
They're coming to win us
Longer boats are coming to win us, hold on to the shore
Or they'll be taking the key from the door
G C/G G C/G 4x
|:| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |:| (Play 4 times.)
CHORUS
G C/G G C/G
Longer boats are coming to win us
G C/G G C/G
They're coming to win us, they're coming to win us
G C/G G C/G
Longer boats are coming to win us
G C/G G D
Hold on to the sho-re | / / / / |
C* G C/G G
Or they'll be taking the key from the door________
G C/G G C/G G C/G G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 1
G D [D4] G D G C/G G
I don't want no god on my lawn, just a flow-er I can help a - long
G D G D C Em/B A | A A2 A A2 A A2 A |
'Cause the soul of nobody knows how a flow-er grows_______________
C Em/B A | A A2 A A4 A A4 A |
Yes how a flow-er grows________________________
REPEAT CHORUS.
VERSE 2
G D [D4] G D G C/G G
Mary dropped her pants by the sand, and let a par-son come and take her hand____
G D G D C Em/B A | A A2 A A2 A A2 A |
But the soul of nobody knows where the par-son goes_______________
C Em/B A | A A2 A A4 A A4 A |
Where does the par-son go?________________________
INSTRUMENTAL CHORUS
G C/G G C/G G C/G G C/G 2x
|:| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |:| (Play twice.)
REPEAT CHORUS.
VERSE 3
G D [D4] G D G C/G G
Raise your mind up and look a-round, you may see them, yes they're looking down_____
G D G D C Em/B A | A A2 A A2 A A2 A |
On a lonely aster-oid in a va-cant void_______________
C Em/B A | A A2 A A4 A A4 A |
Dying but not des-troyed_________________________
REPEAT CHORUS.
OUTRO
G C/G G C/G 2x
|:| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |:| (Play twice.)
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
G C/G C* C
3x0003 3x2013 332010 x32013
R----L R-M-IL RLM-I- -RM-IL
D D4
xx0232 xx0233
---IRM ---IRL
Em/B A A2 A4
x22000 x02220 x02200 x02230
-MR--- --IMR- --IM-- --IMRL
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
/ = 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 