| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | May 6, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes: | With its heavenly arpeggios and wonderfully varied motifs, this song arguably even trumps ‘Father and Son‘ in granting complete closure to the state of mind. Its wholesomeness is probably also due to the arpeggio-style playing throughout the song, with the softness of the thumb no less. Cat’s spiel on alternate bass notes and descending bass lines, as well as his special chords, also delight to play on any acoustic guitar. This is a true masterpiece of Cat’s later work. | ||
| 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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"One Day at a Time"
by Yusuf / Cat Stevens
from the original album
AN OTHER CUP (2006)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
in 4/4 time
INTRO Note: Use your thumb for
these consistent
RIFF_____________________________ arpeggio runs.
E E/A E E/A E E/A (2x)
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
E| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |
B| |---------0-------|---------0-------|---------0-------| |
G|.|-------1-------1-|-------1-------1-|-------1-------1-|.| Play
D|.|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|.| twice.
A| |---2-------0-----|---2-------0-----|---2-------0-----| |
E| |-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------| |
VERSE 1 (Continue arpeggio runs, which Cat sometimes varies with E/B.)
E E/A E E/B A2 (A2) RIFF
One day at a time we can learn to leave the past be-hind
E E/A E E/B A2 B4/A E E/A E E/B
One day at a time we can look the future in the eye
G D/F# F#m B RIFFx2
One day at a time we can learn to live
BRIDGE 1
FILL_____________________________
Am Am7 Am Am7 D D/G D/F# D/E D
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
E|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----2-------2---|-----2-----2-----|
B|---1---1---1---1-|---1---1---1---1-|---3---3---3---3-|---3-----3-----0-|
G|-2-------0-------|-2-------0-------|-2-------0-------|-----------------|
D|-2---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-4-----2-----0---|
A|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL
The gates of the garden are open, wide and trusting
Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL
Seventy thou-sand will enter of them without reckoning
VERSE 2
E E/A E E/A A2 (A2) RIFF
One day at a time we can learn to leave our fears be-hind
E E/A E E/B A2 B4/A E E/A E E/B
One day at a time we can stare our hopes in the eye
G D/F# F#m B RIFF
One day at a time we can learn to live
LINK
C A2 A C A2 A
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
C A2 A G F2 G7/D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
BRIDGE 2
Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL___________________
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL Am Am7 Am Am7 FILL RIFFx2
And if you meet the eve-ning, don't wait for the sun to rise
VERSE 3
E E/A E E/A A2 (A2) RIFF
One day at a time we can leave all treasures be-hind
E E/A E E/B A2 Am* E E/A E E/B
One day at a time we can watch the clocks un-wind
C A F C G A F
One day at a time a child is born in-to this world, eyes blind
C G G4 G A Bb F C G A F
One day he will find his sight and glimpse a-nother kind of light to live by
C* G RIFFx2
One day...
VERSE 4
E E/A E E/A A2 (A2) RIFF
One day at a time we can put ma-chines behind
E E/A E E/B A2 Am* E E/A E E/B
One day at a time we can learn how birds sur-vive
G D F#m B RIFF
One day at a time we can learn to fly
OUTRO
C A C A
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
RIFF___________________ E
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / ||
CHORDS (in order of appearance)
======
Note #1: Arpeggios are the song's recurring playing
technique. The arpeggio runs are mostly
played with the thumb only. Try to stay
consistent in your timing, hitting each
note for the duration of an eight, and not
skip ahead.
Note #2: The fingerpicking in the brige is done by
thumb and index only. In order to hit mul-
tiple strings at once with your thumb,
just roll your thumb a little upon descen-
ding upon the strings.
Note #3: The playing pattern for the various A ar-
peggios following the E major riff is al-
ways the same, no matter the chord vari-
ations, and played like so:
A2 B4/A
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|
B|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---|
G|(2)--2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
D|---2--------(2)--|---4-------------|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|
Note #4: The link, the last bits of verse 3 and the
outro share the same arpeggio-style play-
ing pattern, not unlike noted above:
C A2 A
/ . / . / . / . / . / . / . / .
E|---------0-------|(0)------0-------|
B|(1)----1-----1---|(0)----2-----2---|
G|(0)--0-------0---|(2)--2-------2---|
D|(2)2---------2---|(2)2---------2---|
A|-3---------------|-0---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|
E E/A E/B A2 B4/A G D/F#
022100 x02100 x22100 x02200 x04200 320003 200232
-MRI-- --RI-- --IMR- --IM-- --RI-- RM---L T--IRM
F#m B Am Am7 D D/G D/F# D/E
244222 x2444x x02210 x02010 xx0232 xxx032 xx4232 xx2032
TRLIII -TRRR- --MRI- --M-I- ---IRM ----RM --LIRM --I-RM
-IRRR-
C -ILLL- F2 G7/D Am* G4 Bb C*
x32010 133001 xx0001 x07500 3x0013 x1333x x32013
-RM-I- TRL--I -----I --RI-- R---IL -TRRR- -RM-IL
-IRRR-
-ILLL-
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 chord with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
LYRICS ONLY
===========
One day at a time we can learn to leave the past behind
One day at a time we can look the future in the eye
One day at a time we can learn to live
The gates of the garden are open, wide and trusting
Seventy thousand will enter of them without reckoning
One day at a time we can learn to leave our fears behind
One day at a time we can stare our hopes in the eye
One day at a time we can learn to live
And if you meet the evening, don't wait for the sun to rise
One day at a time we can leave all treasures behind
One day at a time we can watch the clocks unwind
One day at a time a child is born into this world, eyes blind
One day he will find his sight and glimpse another kind of light to live by
One day...
One day at a time we can put machines behind
One day at a time we can learn how birds survive
One day at a time we can learn to fly
Playing Cat Stevens 