The only real variation in this song is playing D, Bm7 and Bm. Rest is fairly repetitive; though it's nice, you really need the soul in your voice to carry it for the whole tune. Did my best on the backing vox on last verse - timing's pretty close I think.
FATHER AND SON (Cat Stevens, from _Tea for the Tillerman_, 1970?)
It's not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy
You're still young that's your fault,
there's so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down, if you want to, you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy
to be calm, when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot, think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
How can I try to explain? when I do he turns away again
it's always been the same, same old story
now there's a way and I know I have to go away G-CG-C and I know I have to go
[Break. Unsure of which chord of D, Bm7, or Bm is played.]
Verse: (away) (away) It's not time to make a change, just sit down and take it slowly (I) (know) (I have) You're still young, that's your fault, there's so much you have (to make this) to go through (decision) (alone) Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry (know) [no?] Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy (stay) (stay, stay) All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside (why?) (must) (you go and make this de- It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it. cision) (alone?) If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them they know, not me
Now there's a way, and I know that I have to go away. I know I have to go. (ends on single strum of G)
Someone else suggested playing C (add D), which adds the note the voice sings. In fact, there's a whole bunch of added notes not included here. This makes for a beautiful 2-guitar solo, which, since it repeats the same chords, could be really dull otherwise. If anyone can add to this, please do. The closest I come is the G-C part (intro, ends of 1st verse, chorus and break) where there's a little slide. One fairly easy way to play it is to hold the C chord, add the G on the 1st string with your pinky and slide the whole thing up, after hitting the second G:
e ---3----3s5---------------- b -1----1--------------------
or whatever...
BTW, any of you guys ever played this for your father?
Martin (Ted) Hermary Department of Sociology McGill University 855 Shebrooke Street West Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2T7
FATHER AND SON- Cat Stevens
INTRO: G C riff: (E----4----6--) rpt 3 times (B--2----2----)
It's not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy
You're still young that's your fault
there's so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down, if you want to, you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy
to be calm, when you've found something going on
But take your time, think a lot, why think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
G-C riff G-C riff
CHORUS #1:
How can I try to explain? when I do he turns away again
it's always been the same, same old story
now there's a way and I know I have to go away D C G G-C riff G-C riff and I know I have to go
(away) (away) It's not time to make a change, just sit down and take it slowly (I) (know) (I have) You're still young, that's your fault, there's so much you have (to make this) to go through (decision) (alone) Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry (no) Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
CHORUS #2: (stay) (stay, stay) All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside (why?) (must) (you go and make this de- It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it cision) (alone?) If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them they know, not me Now there's a way, and I know that I have to go away I know I have to go
NOTE: Just a tidying up of previous versions. (from Tea for the Tillerman, 1970)
