| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | August 25, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | One of the best love songs ever written and sung. But Cat actually did not play guitar on the album recording. According to his producer Paul Samwell-Smith, the studio session was set up with “two stereo acoustic guitars put down first, Andy Roberts on one, Alun Davies on the other, [Cat] singing as an overdub later.” Cat’s original guitar part, a beautifully played rhythm guitar, can only be had from the demo tape and live performances such as Cat’s 1971 BBC Theatre concert, which this transcription is based on in the main. In terms of guitar-playing, the song is notable for its premature chord change in the intro and interlude bits and where a 4/4 bar is also stretched to 5/4 time. Breaking the tediousness, or monotony, of regular time is a staple of Cat’s. In the riff as well as intro sequence Cat is basically playing the vocal lead on his guitar on the bass strings. For Alun Davies’s lead guitar part, see Alun’s Part. Lyrically, in the third verse Cat deviates ever so slightly from the recording depending on the performance. | ||
| 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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"How Can I Tell You"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEASER & THE FIRECAT
(1971)
- Cat's Guitar Part -
based mainly on Cat's
1971 BBC Theatre Concert
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time, mostly
INTRO
Em A5 A D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Em+9 Em Em7* A A+11 D D! G! G/F#
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Em+9 Em Em7* A A+11 D D! G! G/F#
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / / |
VERSE 1
Em7 A D RIFF G G/F#
How can I tell you that I love you?
Em7 A D RIFF G G/F#
I love you, but I can't think of right words to say
Em7 A D RIFF__________ G G/F#
I long to tell you that I'm al-ways think-ing of you
Em7 A D RIFF__________ G D RIFF__________ G G/F#
I'm always thinking of you, but my words just blow away, words just blow away
Em7 A D RIFF________________ G G/F#
It always ends up to one thing, honey, and I can't think of right words to say
Em+9 Em Em7* A A+11 D D! G! G/F#
|:| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |:| (Repeat.)
VERSE 2
Em7 A D RIFF_________ G G/F#
Wherever I am girl I'm al-ways walk-ing with you
Em7 A D RIFF________________ G G/F#
I'm always walking with you, but I look and you're not there
Em7 A D RIFF____________ G G/F#
And whoever I'm with I'm always, al-ways talk-ing to you
Em7 A D RIFF__________ G D RIFF__________ G G/F#
I'm always talking to you, and I'm sad that you can't hear, sad that you can't (hear)
Em7 A D RIFF________________ G G/F#
It always ends up to one thing, honey, when I look and you're not there
INSTRUMENTAL
Em7** A7sus4 D RIFF____ G (G/F#)
|:| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |:| Play four times.
VERSE 3
Em7 A D RIFF__________ G G/F#
I need to know you, need to feel my arms around you
Em7 A D RIFF___________ G G/F#
(Yes) feel my arms surround you like the/a sea a-round a shore
Em7 A D RIFF_____________ G G/F#
Each night and day I pray in hope that I might find you
Em7 A D RIFF__________ G D RIFF____________ G G/F#
In hope that I might find you because hearts can do no more, hearts can do (no more)
Em7 A! D RIFF___________ G G/F#
It always ends up to one thing, honey, still I kneel up-on the floor
Em+9 Em Em7* A A+11 D D! G! G/F#
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
REPEAT VERSE 1. (But with more verve.)
OUTRO
Em+9 Em Em7* A A+11 D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / ||
RIFFS
=====
RIFF_______
D G
/ . / . / . / . /
d d u d u d u d
E|-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-|-3-...
B|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-|-0-...
G|-2---0-0-2-2-0-0-|-0-...
D|-0---0-0-4-4-2-0-|-0-...
A|-----------------|-x-...
E|-----------------|-3-...
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
Note #1: In the intro Cat basically follows
the lead melody in his chords.
Note #2: Breaking the monotony of regular time
is a staple of Cat's. Case in point is
the premature chord change in the intro
and interlude bits.
Em A5 A D G G/F#
022000 x02255 x02220 xx0232 3x0003 2x0003
-IR--- --IIRR --IMR- ---IRM R----L M----L
-MR--- T----L
Em+9 Em7* A+11 Em7 Em7** A7sus4 Note: The Em7 chord fingering
024000 020000 x00220 022030 022033 x02233 is unique for Cat here.
-IL--- -I---- ---MR- -IM-R- -IM-RL --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
x = mute
~ = 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
===========
How can I tell you that I love you?
I love you, but I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you, but my words just blow away, words just blow away
It always ends up to one thing, honey, and I can't think of right words to say
Wherever I am girl, I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you, but I look and you're not there
And whoever I'm with, I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you, and I'm sad that you can't hear, sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing, honey, when I look and you're not there
I need to know you, need to feel my arms around you
(Yes) feel my arms surround you like the/a sea around a shore
And each night and day I pray in hope that I might find you
In hope that I might find you because hearts can do no more, hearts can do (no more)
It always ends up to one thing, honey, still I kneel upon the floor
How can I tell you that I love you?...
Playing Cat Stevens 