| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | August 28, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes: | Long before Cat managed to record a satisfactory version of the song in the studio, he used to test the song on the road before concert audiences. Even back then Cat credited this song, which, funny enough, he had actually written on the train, not to himself but rather as having been given to him by some higher power. First recording attempts were unsatisfactory, which is why the song was scrapped for release on Tea for the Tillerman. It was not until Teaser and the Firecat, with its first use of a 24-track recording tape for “Peace Train”, that the mix felt right. Paul Samwell Smith later recalled “Cat standing on a chair in the back of the studio shouting “Autoharp”, “Reverb on guitar!” and trying to conduct as we mixed it”. Cat always felt that his performances of the song before a large audience, usually as a show-closer following “Father and Son“, were even more energetic still. The intro sequence and riffs of this world hit are, of course, unforgettable, but it is perhaps the song’s often-overlooked outro, transcribed here for the first time, that deserves more time in the spotlight for its musicality. There are other neat tricks hidden in the song apart from the locomotion-like rhythm with the palm-muting, such as the triplet-strumming in the fourth verse (mind the exlamation mark there!) that discharges into one greatly accentuated downwards strum in the same verse line afterwards. | ||
| 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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"Peace Train"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEASER AND THE FIRECAT (1971)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 and 6/8 time
INTRO Note: Chord names in brackets only
represent intended harmonies.
RIFF-1_________ RIFF-2________________
[C G C F C F G Am Am4 F G F]
E|-----------------|-----1-----3-----5--3/5------|-5-7--8--8-10-7--|-5-7--5---5-5-5--|
B|-1--3--3/5-5-3-1-|-----------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-1/2---2/3---3/5----3/5----5-|---7--9--9--9-7--|-5-7--5---5-5-5--|
D|-2--3--3/5-5-3-2-|-----------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
VERSE 1
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
Now I've been happy lately thinking a-bout the good things to come
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
And I be-lieve it could be some-thing good has begun
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
Oh I've been smil-ing lately dreaming a-bout the world as one
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
And I be-lieve it could be some day it's go-ing to come
VERSE 2
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
'Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
Oh peace train, take this coun-try, come take me home again
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
Now I've been smil-ing lately thinking a-bout the good things to come
F/C G7 Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
And I believe it could be some-thing good has begun
CHORUS 1
RIFF-1_____________________ RIFF-2__________________
Oh peace train sounding louder, glide on the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
| / / / / | come on the peace train
RIFF-1__________________ RIFF-2____________________________
Yes peace train, holy roller, everyone jump upon the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
| / / / / | come on the peace train
VERSE 3
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
'Cause it's getting near-er, it soon will be with you
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
And come and join the living, it's not so far from you
F/C G7 Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
And it's get-ting near-er, soon it will all be true
CHORUS 2
RIFF-1_____________________ RIFF-2__________________
Oh peace train sounding louder, glide on the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
| / / / / | come on the peace train, peace train
C* G* C** C* F* C*** F** Note: Cat plays major third
| / / / / | / / / / | dyads here up the neck.
F/C G7 Am A4 Am F/C G7 F/C F2/C
| / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 4
C G C C! F/C C/G F/C F/C!
Now I've been crying lately thinking a-bout the world as it is
F/C G7 Am A4 Am F/C G7 F/C F2/C
Why must we go on ha-ting, why can't we live in bliss?
C G C C2 F/C C/G F/C F2/C
'Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
F/C G7 Am A4 Am F/C G7 F/C F2/C
Oh peace train, take this coun-try, come take me home again
CHORUS 3
RIFF-1_____________________ RIFF-2__________________
Oh peace train sounding louder, glide on the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
| / / / / | come on the peace train
RIFF-1__________________ RIFF-2____________________________
Yes peace train, holy roller, everyone jump upon the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G7 F/C F2/C
| / / / / | come on, come on, come on
F/C G7 Am Am4 Am F/C G7 RIFF-1 RIFF-2
Come on, peace train, yes it's the peace train
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G F/C F2/C
| / / / / | Come on the peace train, peace train
C* G* C** C* F* C*** F** Note: Cat plays major third
| / / / / | / / / / | dyads here again.
F/C G Am A4 Am F/C G7 F/C
| / / / / | / / / / / / / / |
OUTRO (6/8 time.)
F/C Play 3 times. Note: Cat plays F2/C here
|:| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / |:| with each upstroke.
C C2 C G F/C G
| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / |
C Am Am4 Am Em F/C G
|:| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / |:| Play twice.
C C4 G F/C G
|:| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / |:| Repeat until fade.
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
Note: Cat uses hammer-ons from C2 to C major and
F2/C to F major throughout playing. On the
open G string, simply hammer onto the 2nd
fret with your middle finger whenever you
see these chords show up in the tablature.
C G C2 F/C C/G
x32013 3x0003 x30013 x33211 332010
-RM-IL R----L -R--IL -RLMII RLM-I-
F2/C Am A4 G7
x33011 x02210 x02230 3x0001
-RL-II --MRI- --MRL- R----I
C* G* C** F* C*** F**
xxx(0)53 xxx(0)31 xxx(0)10 xxx(0)10.8 xxx(0)86 xxx(0)65
------RI ------RI ------I- ------R .I ------RI ------MI
Em C4
022000 x33010
-MR--- -RL-I-
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
===========
Now I've been happy lately thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be something good has begun
Oh I've been smiling lately dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be some day it's going to come
'Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
Oh peace train, take this country, come take me home again
Now I've been smiling lately thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be something good has begun
Oh peace train sounding louder, glide on the peace train
Come on the peace train
Yes peace train, holy roller, everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on the peace train
Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
'Cause it's getting nearer, it soon will be with you
And come and join the living, it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer, soon it will all be true
Oh peace train...
Now I've been crying lately thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why can't we live in bliss?
'Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
Oh peace train, take this country, come take me home again
Oh peace train...
Playing Cat Stevens 
at the very very end of song peace train , there is an instramental lick that eventually fades out. could you transcribe that part note for note?
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It’s definitely on our to-do list. The problem is that two guitars make up the part which varies from bar to bar until the fade out.
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