| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | Augst 21, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | Broadly speaking, a song instructive about one’s own prejudices and one that shares direct musical DNA with the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s piano sonata Pathetique (sonata no. 8. op. 13), and as Cat has illuminated so in a 2017 interview on People.com. Cat’s love of melody is especially apparent here, and his style of playing the song on guitar ever so fascinating, as he adheres to including the vocal notes in his chords, whenever feasible, even while singing. Speaking of chords, this is quite a tour de force in terms of chord progression complexity for a pop/folk song, and the song structure does not really follow established norms. Neat little surprises pop up along the way like sliding up the neck towards a high D7/A, or the various minor chords crawling up the neck (or “cane” as Cat would say) in the chorus. The outro verse is a complete tempo and feel change, and reminds us a bit of his style-changing outro to “I Want to Live in a Wigwam“, which could be a separate song entirely in itself. We feel that in the first verse there is a missed opportunity to use the word worn instead of done in the lyrics, which would be a better fit. | ||
| 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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"Don't Blame Them"
by Yusuf Islam / Cat Stevens
from the original album
THE LAUGHING APPLE (2017)
as perfomed by Yusuf in a sittee version
of the song for "Peace Day 2020"
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K9KPMNIqlA)
Standard tuning
(low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO slide out upwards
↓
C G C G C G/B D7 D6 G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
F/A G C A Dm RIFF G5 C*
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 1 Note: On the record Cat slides up the
neck in the verses as well.
C D G G4 G5 C G/B D G
Don't blame the girl! She won't do you wrong
Dm7 G C C/B A Dm Em7/F Em7 G5 G4 G5 Gadd9
The veil she wears on her long dark hair Mary would have done
VERSE 2
C D G G4 G5 C G/B D G
Don't blame the boy! He won't do you wrong
Dm7 G C C/B A Dm Em7/F Em7 G5
The fist he shakes at the gi-ant's face David would have done
CHORUS 1
Am Bm+11/A C/A Bm+11/A Am Bm+11/A C/A Bm+11/A Am Bm+11/A C/A D+9/A
Be-ware! If you turn to face your fear
A* E A7 D G
It will dis-appear like it wasn't there
REPEAT INTRO
BREAK
C G C C2 C G C F/C C* G
Don't blame them! They're just an i-llu-sion
Dm F/C C G Dm F/C C G
Why chase the ghosts out-side? Turn, see bet-ween your eyes
Dm F/C C G
There stands the one you hide
CHORUS 2
Am Bm+11/A C/A Bm+11/A Am Bm+11/A C/A Bm+11/A Am Bm+11/A C/A D+9/A
So wait! Under-stand the one you hate
A* E A7 D G7
Anger will abate, love will mo-derate
OUTRO VERSE (Tempo & feel change.)
F/C G C F/C G C
Don't blame the child, don't blame the man, don't blame us and don't blame them
F/C E Am F/C G C
Don't blame her, and don't blame him, don't blame the world and don't blame time
F/C G C F/C E Am
Don't blame the weather if it don't shine, don't blame the sun if it makes you blind
F/C G C F/C G C
Don't blame the stars that you can't touch, don't blame the food if you gobble too much
F/C E Am F/C G C
Don't blame money if it don't grow, d't blame the river if it don't flow
F/C G C F/C G C
Don't blame the people that you don't know, don't blame people who tell you to
F/C G C
'Cause in the end they're gonna blame you!
RIFFS
=====
RIFF___
Dm
/ . / . / . / .
d d u d u
E|-1---------------|
B|-3-------3-3-3-3-|
G|-2-------0-0-0-0-|
D|-0-------0-3-2-0-|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
C G G/B D7 D6 F/A Note: D7 is played with the pinky
x32013 3x0003 x20003 xx7778 xx7777 xx7565 in the fingering due to the
-RM-IL R----L -M---L --IIIL --IIII --RIMI slide up from the G major chord.
A Dm/A Em7/F Em7 G5 C/B
x02220 x00231 xx3030 xx2030 3x003x x20013
--IMR- ---MRI --M-R- --I-R- R---L- -R--IL
D/A C* G4 D Dm7 Gadd9
x00232 x32010 3x001x xx0232 xx0211 3x0203
---IRM -RM-I- R---I- ---IRM ---MII R--I-L
Am Bm+11/A C/A D+9/A A* E
x02210 x04430 x05550 x07770 x07650 022100
--MRI- --MRI- --MRL- --MRL- --RMI- -MRI--
A7 Csus2 F/C G7
x02223 x30013 x33211 320001
--IMRL -R--IL -RLMII RM---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
~ = vibrato, or hold chord
[ ] = 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
Playing Cat Stevens 