| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | February 1, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Together with “Rubylove” and “Fisherman Song“, this is one of the best composition for the Open E guitar tuning. Its melodic approach really showcases the richness of tuning in compositional terms. It is also a masterclass in double-tracking (vocals and guitar) and in general just a beautiful tune for a tenor voice to sing. A precise handle on using the plectrum is required here. Further condensed and updated with a lyrics-only section at the bottom. | ||
| 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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"If I Laugh"
by Cat Stevens
from the orginal album
TEASER AND THE FIRECAT (1971)
Open E tuning
(low to high) E-B-E-G#-B-E
played with a (medium) pick
in 4/4 time
INTRO
E A Aadd9 A
/ / / / / / / /
d d d d u d u d u d u d u d d d u d u d u d u d u
E |-4h5-5/7--|-7---7--7--7-7-7-7-5-4-4-4--|-5-7--5--5--5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-|
B |----------|-0---0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|-5-5--5--5--5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-|
G#|----------|-0---0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|-5-5--5--5--5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-|
E |----------|-0---0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|-5----5--5--5----5---5----5---5---|
B |----------|-0---0--0--0---0---0---0----|-x----x--x--x----x---x----x---x---|
E |----------|-0---0--0--0----------------|-5----5--5--5----5---5----5---5---|
B Badd9 B A Aadd9 A (A) E/G# Eadd9 E
/ / / / / / / / /
d d u d u d u d d u d d u d d d u d d d u d u d
E |--7--7-9--7-7-7-7--5--5-7--5--5-5--|------5-0------4-0--2-0-0-----4h5-5/7--|
B |--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|------5--------0----0-0-0--------------|
G#|--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|----5--------3------0-0-0--------------|
E |--7--7----7---7----5--5----5--5----|--5--------4--------2---0--------------|
B |--0--0----0---0----x--x----x--x----|------------------------0--------------|
E |--7--7----7---7----5--5----5--5----|---------------------------0-----------|
Yes if I...
VERSE 1
E A Aadd9 A
E |--7---7--7--7-7-7-7--5-4-4-4--|--5--5-5--5--5-5--5-7-5-5--5-5-5-5--|
B |--0---0--0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--|--5--5-5--5--5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|
G#|--0---0--0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--|--5--5-5--5--5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|
E |--0---0--0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0----|--5--5----5--5----5---5----5---5----|
B |--0---0--0--0---0----0---0----|--x--x----x--x----x---x----x---x----|
E |--0---0--0--0-----------------|--5--5----5--5----5---5----5---5----|
...laugh just a little bit
B Badd9 B A Aadd9 A G# G#addb9 G#
E |--7-7-7-9--7-7-7-7--5-5-7-5--5-5-5-5--|--4--4-5--4--4-4--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--|
B |--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|--4--4-4--4--4-4--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--|
G#|--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|--4--4-4--4--4-4--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--|
E |--7---7----7---7----5---5----5---5----|--4--4----4--4----4---4----4---4----|
B |--0---0----0---0----x---x----x---x----|--x--x----x--x----x---x----x---x----|
E |--7---7----7---7----5---5----5---5----|--4--4----4--4----4---4----4---4----|
maybe I can for-get the chance that I didn't have to know
C#m A/C# F#
E |--0--0--0-0-0-0--0--0-0--0-0-0-0--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
B |--2--2--2-2-2-2--2--2-2--2-2-2-2--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
G#|--0--0--0-0-0-0--1--1-1--1-1-1-1--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
E |--0--0--0---0----0--0----0---0----|--2--2--2---2----2---2----2---2----|
B |--2--2--2---2----2--2----2---2----|--x--x--x---x----x---x----x---x----|
E |----------------------------------|--2--2--2---2----2---2----2---2----|
you, and live in
E-RIFF 1 F#
E |--0----0----------0--0-0-0-0--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
B |--0-------0-------0--0-0-0-0--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
G#|--0--0------0-----0--0-0-0-0--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
E |--0---------------------------|--2--2--2---2----2---2----2---2----|
B |--0------------0--------------|--x--x--x---x----x---x----x---x----|
E |--0------------0--------------|--2--2--2---2----2---2----2---2----|
peace, in peace
B Badd9 B A Aadd9 A (A) E/G# Eadd9 E
E |--7--7-9--7-7-7-7--5--5-7--5--5-5--|------5-0------4-0--2-0-0-----4h5-5/7--|
B |--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|------5--------0----0-0-0--------------|
G#|--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|----5--------3------0-0-0--------------|
E |--7--7----7---7----5--5----5--5----|--5--------4--------2---0--------------|
B |--0--0----0---0----x--x----x--x----|------------------------0--------------|
E |--7--7----7---7----5--5----5--5----|---------------------------------------|
Oh_____ oh_____________ yeah Yes if I...
VERSE 2
E A
Yes if I laugh just a little bit
B Badd9 B A Aadd9 A G# G#addb9 G# C#m A/C#
Maybe I can for-get the plans that I didn't use to get you
F#
At home - with...
(second-guitar riff)
E-RIFF 2 F# F#7 F#6 F#
d d d u d d u d u d u
E |--0---7----7--5----5--4---4-4--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
B |--0---9----9--7----7--5---5-5--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-2--|
G#|--0---0-------0-------0---0-0--|--2--2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
E |--0---------------------0-0----|--2--2--2---2----2---2----2---2----|
B |--0------0-------0------0------|--x--x--x---x----------------------|
E |--0------0-------0------0------|--2--2--2---2----------------------|
...me - a- lone
B Badd9 B A Aadd9 A (A) E/G# Eadd9 E
E |--7--7-9--7-7-7-7--5--5-7--5--5-5--|------5-0------4-0--2-0-0-----4h5-5/7--|
B |--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|------5--------0----0-0-0--------------|
G#|--7--7-7--7-7-7-7--5--5-5--5--5-5--|----5--------3------0-0-0--------------|
E |--7--7----7---7----5--5----5--5----|--5--------4--------2---0--------------|
B |--0--0----0---0----x--x----x--x----|------------------------0--------------|
E |-------------------0--0----0--0----|---------------------------------------|
Oh________ oh__________ yeah__ mmh yeah
E A Add9 A Aadd9 A
| / / / / | / / / / |
If I laugh -
B Badd9 B A Add9 A A E/G# Eadd9 E
| / / / / | / / / / |
INTERLUDE
Bm6/D C#7 F#m7 Emaj7/G#
/ / / / / / / /
d d d u d d d u d d d u d d d u d d d u d d d u d d d u d d d u
E |-----------------------------------|--------0-------0-------0-------0--|
B |--------0-------0-------0-------0--|------2-------2-------4-------4----|
G#|------0-------0-------0-------0----|----1-------1-------3-------3------|
E |----2-------2-------1-------1------|--2-------2-------4-------4--------|
B |--3-------3-------2-------2--------|-----------------------------------|
E |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
La da da da la da da da la da
B6/D# E Bm6/D C#7 F#m7 Emaj7/G#
E |-----------------------------------|--------0-------0-------0-------0--|
B |------0---------0-------0-------0--|------2-------2-------4-------4----|
G#|--------0-----0-------0-------0----|----1-------1-------3-------3------|
E |----2-------0-------2-------1------|--2-------2-------4-------4--------|
B |--4---------------3-------2--------|-----------------------------------|
E |----------0------------------------|-----------------------------------|
la da da la da da la da da da la da
F#m7 Emaj7/G# F#m7 Emaj7/G#
E |--------0-------0-------0-------0--|--------0-------0-------0-------0--|
B |------2-------2-------4-------4----|------2-------2-------4-------4----|
G#|----1-------1-------3-------3------|----1-------1-------3-------3------|
E |--2-------2-------4-------4--------|--2-------2-------4-------4--------|
B |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
E |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
da la la la oh________ la da da da la da
F#5sus2 C#m7 B* A (A) E/G# Eadd9 E
E |------------------------7-------5--|------5-0-----4-0-2-0-0-----4h5-5/7--|
B |--------0-------0-----7-------5----|------5-------0---0-0-0--------------|
G#|------0-0-----0-----7-------5------|----5-------3-----0-0-0--------------|
E |--2---2-----0-----7-------5--------|--5-------4-------2---0--------------|
B |--2---2---2------------------------|----------------------0--------------|
E |--2--------------------------------|-------------------------0-----------|
la da da la da da Yes if I...
VERSE 3
E A
Yes if I laugh oh just a little bit
B Badd9 B A Add9 A G# G#addb9 G# C#m A/C#
Maybe I can re-call the way that I used to be before you
F# E-RIFF 2 F# F#7 F#6
And sleep - at night - and dream
B Badd9 B A Add9 A A E/G# Eadd9 E
| / / / / | / / / / |
Oh________ oh yeah, oh yeah
E A Add9 A Aadd9 A
| / / / / | / / / / |
Yes if I laugh, baby, if I laugh just a little bit -
B Badd9 B A Add9 A A E/G# Eadd9 E
| / / / / | / / / / |
Oh, yeah
PLAY INTERLUDE, END ON E5.
CHORDS
======
E E/G# Eadd9 A Aadd9 B Badd9 B*
000000 xx4304 xx2002 5x5555 xx5557 707777 xx7779 xx7777
------ --MI-R --M--R T-IIII --IIIR T-IIII --IIIR --RRRR
--IIIL --RRRR --IIIL
G# G#addb9 C#m A/C#
4x4444 xx4445 x20020 x20120
T-IIII --IIIM -M--R- -M-IR-
F# F#7 F#6
2-2222 xx2252 xx2242
T-IIII --IILI --IIRI
Bm6/D C#7 F#m7 Emaj7/G# B6/D#
x3200x x2100x xx2120 xx4340 -4200x
-MI--- -MI--- --MIR- --MIR- -RI---
F#sus2 C#m7 E5
2220xx x20000 0008xx
TII--- -I---- ---M--
III---
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
===========
Yes if I laugh - just a little bit
Maybe I can forget the chance that I didn't have - to know you
And live - in peace - in peace
Yes if I laugh - just a little bit
Maybe I can forget the plans that I didn't use - to get you
At home – with me – alone
La la la da...
Yes if I laugh - just a little bit
Maybe I can recall the way that I used to be - before you
And sleep - at night – and dream
Yes, if I laugh, baby if I laugh just a little bit
Oh yeah
La la la da...
Playing Cat Stevens 