| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | April 16, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Cat gave the song the Roman numeral “IV” not because it was his fourth attempt in the studio or something, but because “there were lots of other songs called ‘Changes’, so I gave it a number.” The song is so rhythm-driven and up-beat that it would fire up Cat’s audience for the rest of the set, falling for clapping to the song which was always bound to fail due to the song’s irregular rhythm parts. The album version was recorded with Gerry Conway playing live drums. Those background claps on the album recording were actually Cat’s ingenious idea. When doing the quick strums on guitar it helps to (i) hold the pick lightly between your thumb and index finger, (ii) to angle it ever so slightly (i.e., don’t hold it absolutely perpendicular to the strings) and (iii) to aim for only two, three strings at a time, with short-distance strums, mostly on the bass strings. | ||
| 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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"Changes IV"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEASER & THE FIRECAT
(1971)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time, mostly
INTRO
G G+9 G G+9 F ! G Re- G G+9 G G+9 F ! G!!!
/ / / / / / / / peat / / / / / / / / /
d u u d u d u d u d u 3x d u u d u d u d u d d u d u d
E| |-3-3---3-3---3---|-1-x-x-x-1---3---| |--3-3---3-3---3---|-1-x-x-x-1---3-3-3-3-3---|
B| |-0-0---0-0---0---|-1-x-x-x-1---0---| |--0-0---0-0---0---|-1-x-x-x-1---0-0-0-0-0---|
G|.|-0-2---2-0---2---|-2-x-x-x-2---0---|.|--0-2---2-0---2---|-2-x-x-x-2---0-0-0-0-0---|
D|.|-0-0---0-0---0---|-3-x-x-x-3---0---|.|--0-0---0-0---0---|-3-x-x-x-3---0-0-0-0-0---|
A| |-x-x---x-x---x---|-3-x-x-x-3---x---| |--x-x---x-x---x---|-3-x-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---|
E| |-3-3---3-3---3---|-------------3---| |--3-3---3-3---3---|-------------3-3-3-3-3---|
G F ! G!!! (G) F ! G!!!
| / / / / | / / / / / | / / / / | / / / / / |
G F ! G!!! (G) F !
| / / / / | / / / / / | / / / / | / / / |
VERSE 1
(F) G! G! G!!! C G C/G
Don't you feel a change a-comin' from a-nother side of time
C G C/G F C
Breaking down the walls of silence lifting shadows from your mind
G! G! G!!! C G C/G
Placing back the missing mirrors that be-fore you couldn't find
C G C/G D G G7
Filling mysteries of emptiness that yesterday left be-hind
CHORUS 1
C G C/G C G C/G
And we all know it's better yesterday has past
F C F C G
Now let's all start livin' for the one that's going to last
C G C/G Am C D G D
Yes, we all know it's better yester-day has past
(G) F C F C G G!!!
Now let's all start livin' for the one that's going to last
LINK 1
G F ! G!!! (G) F ! G!!!
| / / / / | / / / / / | / / / / | / / / / / |
G F ! G!!! (G) F !
| / / / / | / / / / / | / / / / | / / / |
VERSE 2
(F) G! G! G!!! C G C/G
Don't you feel a day is comin' that will stay and re-main
C G C/G F C
When your children see the an-swers that you saw the same
G! G! G!!! C G C/G
When the clouds have all gone, there will be no more rain
C G C/G D G G7
And the beauty of all things is un-covered again
REPEAT CHORUS 1.
REPEAT INTRO (But without the 3x-repeat instruction there.)
VERSE 3
(F) G! G! G!!! C G C/G
Don't you feel the day is comin' and it won't be too soon
C G C/G F C
When the people of the world can all live in one room?
G! G! G!!! C G C/G
When we shake off the an-cient, shake off the ancient chains of our tomb
C G C/G D G G7
We will all be born a-gain of the eternal womb
REPEAT CHORUS 1.
OUTRO
G F C G! (G) F C G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Let's all start livin'
(G) F C G F C G
Let's all start livin, livin', livin', livin' for the one that's going to last
(G) F C G (G) F C G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
(G) F C G (G) F C G!
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
CHORDS
======
Note #1: Palm-mute chords after strumming that have an exclamation
mark in their chord name (e.g., "F!" or "G!").
Note #2: Chords with three exclamation marks (e.g., "G!!!") indicate
a rapid strumming sequence as indicated in the INTRO
tabulature.
G G+9 G7
3x0003 3x0203 3x0001
R----L R--I-L R----I
C C/G Note: As indicated, Cat plays "C" major
332010 3x2013 with the note "G" in the bass.
RLM-I- R-M-IL
F D Am Note: Likewise, F major is played with
x33211 xx0232 x02210 the note "C" in the bass here.
-RLMII ---IRM --MRI-
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 part with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
LYRICS ONLY
===========
Don't you feel a change a-comin' from another side of time?
Breaking down the walls of silence lifting shadows from your mind
Placing back the missing mirrors that before you couldn't find
Filling mysteries of emptiness that yesterday left behind
And we all know it's better yesterday has past
Now let's all start livin' for the one that's going to last
Yes, we all know it's better yesterday has past
Now let's all start livin' for the one that's going to last
Don't you feel a day is comin' that will stay and remain
When your children see the answers that you saw the same?
When the clouds have all gone, there will be no more rain
And the beauty of all things is uncovered again
And we all...
Don't you feel the day is comin' and it won't be too soon
When the people of the world can all live in one room?
When we shake off the ancient, shake off the ancient chains of our tomb
We will all be born again of the eternal womb
And we all...
Let's all start livin'
Let's all start livin, livin', livin', livin' for the one that's going to last
Playing Cat Stevens 