| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | March 17, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | For recording this song Cat used an Ovation acoustic/electric. Its electric pickup signal was used on the left channel and the acoustic microphone signal on the right, lending it this sticky swamp guitar sound so typical for Cat’s music. The song is rife with fantastic guitar riffs, which is a great exercise for any player. The chord progression in the verse, as played by Cat, is actually a descending bass line for the rhythm guitar, indicated as such in the guitar tabulature. This would have been difficult to find out if it were not for the video tapes of live concerts. As indicated in the tablature (F-RIFF*), Cat skips a beat in the chorus in the latter part of the song so as to add a pause where all the music stops—a recurring theme in his work on Tea for the Tillerman. | ||
| 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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"Wild World"
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
Am/E D/F# G
La la la la la la la la la la
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
La la la la la la la la la la
Dm/F [Dm+11] E E4
La la la la la la la la la la la la
VERSE 1
Am/E D/F# G
Now that I've lost everything to you
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
You say you wanna start something new
Dm/F [Dm+11] E E4
And it's breakin' my heart your leavin', baby, I'm griev-in'
Am/E D/F# G
But if you wanna leave, take good care
Cmaj7/G F
I hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
Dm/F [Dm+11] E G G-RIFF
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there
CHORUS 1
C/G G F F-RIFF
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G C-RIFF
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
C/G G F F-RIFF
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G Dm E7
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
VERSE 2
Am/E D/F# G
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
And it's breakin' my heart in two
Dm/F [Dm+11] E E4
Because I never wanna see you sad, girl, don't be a bad girl
Am/E D/F# G
But if you wanna leave, take good care
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
I hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
Dm/F [Dm+11] E G G-RIFF
But just remember there's a lot of bad and be-ware
CHORUS 2
C/G G F F-RIFF
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G C-RIFF
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
C/G G F F-RIFF*
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G Dm E7
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
VERSE 3
Am/E D/F# G
(La la la la la la la la la la)
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
La la la la la la la la la la
Dm/F [Dm+11] E E4
La la la la la la la la la la la la, baby, I love you
Am/E D/F# G
But if you wanna leave, take good care.
Cmaj7/G F [F2]
I hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
Dm/F [Dm+11] E G G-RIFF
But just remember there's a lot of bad and be-ware.
REPEAT CHORUS 2.
CHORUS 3
C/G G F F-RIFF
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G C-RIFF
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
C/G G F F-RIFF*
Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world
G F C/G
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
RIFFS
=====
G-RIFF
G /F /E /D
E|-------------------------------|
B|----0--------------------------|
G|--------0---0---0---0---0---0--|
D|--0---3---3---2---2---0---0----|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
↑ ↑
pinky index
F-RIFF F-RIFF*
F G F (G)
d u d u d u d u d d u d u d u d u x!
E|--------------------------|--3-- E|--------------------------|--x--
B|--1--0--------------------|--0-- B|--1--0--------------------|--x--
G|--------2--0-----0-----0--|--0-- G|--------2--0-----0-----0--|--x--
D|--------------3-----2-----|--0-- D|--------------3-----2-----|--x--
A|--------------------------|--x-- A|--------------------------|--x--
E|--------------------------|--3-- E|--------------------------|--x--
↑ palm-mute to
skip 1st beat
C-RIFF - fast bass-driven riff
C/G Am7 C/G Am7 C/G
d d d d d d d d d
E|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|--3-3-3--0--3-3-3--0--3-------|
E|--3-3-3--0--3-3-3--0--3-------|
CHORDS
======
Note: Chords set in square brackets ("[F2]") are passing chords
and played only intermittently when, for instance, shift-
ing from one chord to the next or when oscillating back
and forth between it and the preceding chord.
Am/E D/F# G Cmaj7/G C/G
002210 200232 3x0003 332000 332010
--MRI- T--IRM R----L RLM--- RLM-I-
F [F2] Dm/F [Dm+11]
133211 133011 100231 xx0031
TRLMII TRL-II T--MRI ----RI
E E4 Am7 E7
022100 022200 x02010 022130
-MRI-- -MRL-- --M-I- -MRIL-
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
x = mute strings with palm
Playing Cat Stevens 