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#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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"Cats in the Cradle" / Ugly Kid Joe
Tab transcription by Mark van 't Zet (tmvtzet@cs.vu.nl)
INTRO
Esus2 Esus2 Esus2 Esus2 Esus2 *
----7---7-------9p7------------------------------------------12-10------------
--------------------10---10-------7-----7---------7---------------12-11-10----
--9---9-----9----------9--------9-----9-------7-------9--------------------12-
--------------9---------------9-----9-------9---9---9-------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D5 G5 E5
-----------------
----------7------
--9----7--6--9---
-------7-----9---
-----------------
-----------------
VERSE 1a
A child arrived just the other day
Came to the world in the usual way
There were planes to catch, bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
E G A E
------0---3--5--3-------5-------------0---0---0--- (repeat twice)
------0---3--3--3-----5------5--------0---0---0---
------1---0---------2------2---2------1---2---1---
--2---2---0----------------------2----2---2---2---
--2-------2------------------------0--2---2---2---
--0-------3---------------------------0---0---0---
VERSE 1b
He was talking 'fore I knew it and when he could, he said
"I'm gonna be like you, yeah,
You know I'm gonna be like you"
D D/C# D/B D/A * D/G D/F# E D/G D/F# (E)
--------------------------------------------------0---------------------------
---3-----3------3------3------3------3--------------0----------3-------3------
-----2-----2------2------2------2------2------0h1-----1----------2-------2----
-0------------------------------------------2-----------2---------------------
-------4-----2------0---------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------3------2------0------------------3-------2-----0--
E Esus4 E
-------0--0--0--0--0--0--
-------0--0--0--0--0--0--
----1--1--1--2--2--2--1--
--2----2--2--2--2--2--2--
-------------2--2--2--2--
-------------0--0--0--0--
INTRO - Play up to *
VERSE 2a
My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball dad, come on, let's play
Could you teach me to throw?", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said "That's OK"
VERSE 2b
He walked away with a smile on his face, he said
"I'm gonna be like him, yeah,
you know I'm gonna be like him"
CHORUS
The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and a man on the moon
When you comin' home son, I don't know when
We'll get together then,
You know we'll have a good time then
--0--0----2--3--2--3--3--3---------------0--0----2--3--2-- Play Verse 1b
--0--0----3--3--3-----3--3----2--3--2----0--0----3--3--3-- from * to (E)
--1--1----2--2--2-----0--0----2--2--2----1--1----2--2--2--
--2--2----0--0--0-----0--0----2--2--2----2--2----0--0--0--
--2--2----------------2--2----0--0--0----2--2-------------
--0--0----------------3--3---------------0--0-------------
VERSE 3a
When he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just have to say
I'm proud of you, could you sit for a while
He shook his head and he said with a smile
VERSE 3b
What I'm feeling like, dad, is to borrow the car keys
see you later, can I have them please
CHORUS
BRIDGE - Three parts simultaneously
Electrical guitar
E5 C5 D5 B5 E5 C5 D5 B5 E5
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
-------5----7----4---------5----7----4-------
--2----5----7----4----2----5----7----4----2--
--2----3----5----2----2----3----5----2----2--
--0-------------------0-------------------0--
Acoustic
E Cmaj7 D B E Cmaj7 D B E
--0----0----2----2----0----0----2----2----0--
--0----0----3----4----0----0----3----4----0--
--1----0----2----4----1----0----2----4----1--
--2----2----0----4----2----2----0----4----2--
--2----3----0----2----2----3----0----2----2--
--0----0---------2----0----0---------2----0--
Electrical guitar 2
------------------------------------(10/)-12-
---------------------------8----10-----------
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
VERSE 4a
Long since retired, my son moved away
I called him up just the other day
I'd like to see you, if you don't mind
He said: I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
VERSE 4b
You see, my new job's ass and the kids got the flew,
but it's sure nice talking to you dad,
it was sure nice talking to you.
VERSE 5b
And as I hung up the phone is occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me!
CHORUS - twice, play this part over the above chorus
Electrical guitar
E5 D5 G5 A5 E5 D5 G5 F#x E5 G5 F#x E5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------7--7--7--------2--2--2-----------7--7--7--------------------------
--2--2--2--7--7--7--5--5--2--0--2--2--2--2--7--7--7--5--4--2--2--2--5--4--2--
--2--2--2--5--5--5--5--5--0--0--0--2--2--2--5--5--5--5--5--2--2--2--5--5--2--
--0--0--0-----------3--3-----------0--0--0-----------3--2--0--0--0--3--2--0--
OUTRO
arp arp arp
-----7-----7-----9p7------------------------------------
---------------------10---10--7------7--------7---------
--9-----9-----9---------9-----7----7------7--------9----
--9---------------------------9--9------9---9---9--9----
--7---------------------------7-------------------------
--0-----------------------------------------------------
Here is Cats in the Cradle as I found it in Nevada. There are some pretty weird
chords in it and I don't know what they are. Could someone post them or mail
them to me? It is much appreciated.
Is there a list somewhere of weird chords?
Thanks
Clark Case
clarkin@sage.cc.purdue.edu
Cat's In The Cradle Words and music by
Harry Chapin and Sandy Chapin
As published in "Harry Chapin: A Legacy in Song"
(c) 1987 Cherry Lane Music Co., Inc.
IMHO, this is a better version that the simplified version that was/is on
ftp.nevada.edu.
TAB: each space represents an eigth note
The music says CAPO 8 (key of F) but I usually play it CAPO 5 (key of D),
since that's in my range.
INTRO:
A(no 3rd)
e|--0-0---|20------|--------|----|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--0-3---|0----0--|--0-|--------|--------|------0-|--------|--------|
G|2-------|---2----|---2----|0---|2-------|20------|----0---|2-------|--------|
D|--------|--------|--------|----|----2---|--2-0---|--------|--------|--------|
A|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|---3--3-|0-------|--------|--------|
E|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
A C
My child arrived just the other day;
D A
he came into the world in the usual way.
A C
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
D A
He learned to walk while I was away.
G G/F# Em7 Em/D
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it. And as he grew
C Em/B A C Em/B A
he'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, Dad. You know I'm gonna be like you."
A G
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
C D
little boy blue and the man in the moon.
A G
"When you comin' home Dad?" "I don't know when,
C Em/B A C Em/B A
but we'll get together then, Son. You know we'll have a good time then."
A(no 3rd)
e|--0-0---|20------|--------|----|--------|
B|--------|--0-3---|0----0--|--0-|--------|
G|2-------|---2----|---2----|0---|2-------|
D|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
A|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
E|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
A C
My son turned ten just the other day.
D A
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let's play.
A C
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today.
D A
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's okay."
G G/F# Em7 Em/D
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed.
C Em/B A C Em/B A
It said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah. You know I'm gonna be like him."
A G
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
C D
little boy blue and the man in the moon.
A G
"When you comin' home Dad?" "I don't know when,
C Em/B A C Em/B A
but we'll get together then, Son. You know we'll have a good time then."
A(no 3rd)
e|--0-0---|20------|--------|----|--------|
B|--------|--0-3---|0----0--|--0-|--------|
G|2-------|---2----|---2----|0---|2-------|
D|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
A|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
E|--------|--------|--------|----|--------|
A C
Well, he came home from college just the other day,
D A
so much like a man I just had to say,
A C
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
D A
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
G G/F# Em7 Em/D
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys.
C Em/B A
See you later. Can I have them please?"
A G
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
C D
little boy blue and the man in the moon.
A G
"When you comin' home Son?" "I don't know when,
C Em/B A C Em/B A
but we'll get together then, Dad. You know we'll have a good time then."
F G Em A
F G Em A
(Slower)
A C
I've long since retired, my son's moved away.
D A
I called him up just the other day.
A C
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
D A
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time.
G G/F# Em7 Em/D
You see, my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
C Em/B A C Em/B A
but it's sure nice talkin' to you, Dad. It's been sure nice talkin' to you."
G G/F# Em7 Em/D
And as I hung up the phone it occured to me,
C Em/B A(no 3rd) C Em/B A
he'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me.
(Tempo I)
A G
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
C D
little boy blue and the man in the moon.
A G
"When you comin' home Son?" "I don't know when,
C Em/B A C Em/B A
but we'll get together then, Dad, we're gonna have a good time then."
A(no 3rd) A
e|--0-0---|20------|--------|----|0-------|--------|
B|--------|--0-3---|0----0--|--0-|2-------|--------|
G|2-------|---2----|---2----|0---|2-------|--------|
D|--------|--------|--------|----|2-------|--------|
A|--------|--------|--------|----|0-------|--------|
E|--------|--------|--------|----|0-------|--------|
