Thinking ‘Bout You

Author: Leonard Latest revision: March 28, 2023
Notes: A gorgeously descending base line makes this song such a pleasure to listen to and to play on guitar. It is best played like Yusuf does—fingerstyle with thumb and index finger only, picking the bass note with the thumb and swinging the index like a pendulum on a string.
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.
                 
                    "Thinking 'Bout You"
                by Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens
                        
                 from the original album
                     ROADSINGER (2009)
   
  
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E

in 2/2 time


INTRO

   F/C     C/E         Dm7     F/C         G4/B    F/C    G
    /   /   /   /       /   /   /   /       /   /   /     /
E|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
B|------1-1-----1-1--|------1-1-----1-1--|------1-1---------0-0--|
G|------2-2-----0-0--|------2-2-----2-2--|------0-0---2-----0-0--|
D|--3-------2--------|--0-----------3-3--|------0-0---3-----0-0--|
A|-------------------|----------3--------|--2-------0h3-2--------|
E|-------------------|-------------------|----------------3------|


VERSE 1

  C                G   C  F/C       C    F/C   C    G         C
When I hold your hand      I could fly a zil-lion miles with you
                  G    G/F  Em  A         Bb/F        G          C
When I see your grace           I can see all God's words come true
              F/C    E7       Am       Bm7b5     E        Am
Every little bird a-bove the haze, and fish be-neath the waves
            F/C  C/E  Dm7    F/C         G4/B  F/C  G
Knows about you -          wouldn't they do


VERSE 2

  C               G   C  F/C     C   F/C  C    G      C
When I see your eyes      I can see rain-bows in the sky
            G    G/F  Em   A          Bb/F   G   C
Being with you,           all who've parted re-unite
              F/C       E7       Am        Bm7b5      E         Am
Every little pearl drop in the clouds and stones be-neath the ground
                F/C  C/E  Dm7    F/C         G4/B  F/C  G
Are waiting for you -          wouldn't they do


CHORUS 1

       C      F/C  C/E  Dm7     F/C           G4/B  F/C     G
What-ever you say            lightens up the burden of the day
       C       F  C/E  Dm7   F/C          G4/B     F/C    G
What-ever you do            makes us ever want to follow you
       C       F/C                Am         G         G7  
What-ever they say, whatever they do I'll always love you
     

VERSE 3

    RIFF______________________
    C              G              C    F/C C    F/C C  G        C              
 |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |

    G       G/F    Em    A       Bb/F   G        C
 |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |
 
               F/C   E7    Am        Bm7b5  E   Am
Every burning comet that zooms, and angels too
             F   C/E  Dm7    F/C         G4/B  F/C  G
Think about you -          wouldn't they do


CHORUS 2

    C         F/C   C/E  Dm7  F/C                G4/B   F/C      G
Thinkin' bout you,             I could climb a mountain in the dark
    C         F    C/E  Dm7    F/C   G4/B  F/C      G
Listening to you,            flowers dance in the park
       C       F/C                Am          G         G7  
What-ever they say, whatever they do we'll always love you
      C             F   C/E  Dm7    F/C           G4/B   F/C     G
The words that you say            lighten up the burdens of the day
       C      F/C  C/E  Dm7   F/C          G4/B F/C  G
What-ever you do             makes us wanna fol-low you
       C       F/C                Am         G         G7
What-ever they say, whatever they do I'll always love you


OUTRO

    F      F/E         Dm7     F/C        G4/B     F/C    G
    /   /   /   /       /   /   /   /       /   /   /     /    
E|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
B|------1-1-----1-1--|------1-1-----1-1--|------1-1--------------|
G|------2-2-----0-0--|------2-2-----2-2--|------0-0---2----------|
D|--3-------2--------|--0-----------3-3--|------0-0---3----------|
A|-------------------|----------3--------|--2-------0h3-2--------|
E|-------------------|-------------------|----------------3------|


CHORDS
======

RIFF

    C                   G
    /   /   /   /       /   /   /   /     
E|-------------------|------3-------3----|
B|----------1-3-5-1--|--3-----0-------0--|
G|-------------------|----0-------0------|
D|----------3-3-5-2--|--3----------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------|------3---3--------|


  F/C     C/E     Dm7    G4/B      G      G/D    G7      G/F 
x33211  xx201x  xx0211  x2001x  3x0003  xx0003 3x0001  1x000x
-RLMII  --M-I-  ---MII  -M--I-  R----L  -----L R----I  T-----
 
   C      Em       A     Bb/F     E7      Am     Bm7b5     E
x32013  022000  x02220  xx333x  022130  x02210  x2323x  022100
-RM-IL  -MR---  --IMR-  --RRR-  -MRIL-  --MRI-  -IRML-  -MRI--

 
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