Morning Has Broken chords

by Cat Stevens

Song Key: C Major

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: 132bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Guitar Chords: C, Dsus4, Dm, E7, Em, F#, F#m, G, G7, G7sus4, A7, A7/D, Am, Bm

Arrangement Beginners Song Details
Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
C Major Dsus4 Dm E7 Em F# Major F# Major barre chord F#m barre chord F#m-V2 G Major G7 G7sus4 A7 D7/A Am Bm Bm barre chord
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
C Major-LH Dsus4-LH Dm-LH E7-LH Em-LH F# Major-LH F# Major barre chord-LH F#m barre chord-LH F#m-V2-LH G Major-LH G7-LH G7sus4-LH A7-LH D7/A-LH Am-LH Bm-LH Bm barre chord-LH
Speed: x0.1

Morning Has Broken

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
 
              D     G     A    F#   Bm    G7    C     F     C
Intro: 3/4 ‖     |     |     |    |     |    |     |     |     ‖ 
 
               C   Dm   G              F    C
1. Morning has bro-ken, like the first morn-ing
   C              Em  Am   Dsus4    D     G
   Black-bird has spo-ken, like the first bird |  %  |
   C              F         C              Am   D
   Praise for the sing-ing, praise for the morn-ing
   G               C      F   G7             C
   Praise for them spring-ing fresh from the world
  
          F    G     E     Am    G     C     G7sus4
Instr: ‖    |     |     |     |     |     |  𝄑  ‖ 
 
                    C   Dm    G            F   C
2. Sweet the rain's new fall, sun-lit from hea-ven
   C              Em  Am    Dsus4  D     G
   Like the first dew-fall, on the first grass |  %  |
   C              F          C          Am  D
   Praise for the sweet-ness of the wet gar-den
   G             C     F    G              C
   Sprung in com-plete-ness where his feet pass
 
          F     G     E    Am   F#   Bm   G    D    A7/D   D
Instr: ‖     |     |     |    |    |    |    |    |      |    ‖ 
 
               D   Em     A           G    D
3. Mine is the sun-light, mine is the morn-ing
   D           F#m Bm     E         A
   Born of the one light, E-den saw play |  %  |
   D             G        D            Bm   E
   Praise with e-la-tion, praise every morn-ing
   A            D G    A7         D
   God's rec-re-a-tion of the new day

           G     A    F#   Bm   G7    C     F     C
 Instr: ‖     |     |    |    |    |     |     |     ‖ 

               C   Dm   G              F    C
1. Morning has bro-ken, like the first morn-ing
   C              Em  Am   Dsus4    D     G
   Black-bird has spo-ken, like the first bird |  %  |
   C              F         C              Am   D
   Praise for the sing-ing, praise for the morn-ing
   G               C      F   G7             C
   Praise for them spring-ing fresh from the world

          F     G    E    Am   F#   Bm   G   D   A7/D    D
Outro: ‖     |     |    |    |    |    |   |   |      |  𝄑 ‖

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: C Major – no sharps or flats
  • Time Signature: 3/4 — Three quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately
  • Metronome: ♩ = 132
  • Voice Range: G3 – Bb4
  • Form/Structure: Intro – (Verse - Instrumental) x4
  • Chord Types in This Arrangement:
    • Major chords: C, G, F#
    • Minor chords: Dm, Em, F#m, Am, Bm
    • Dominant 7th chords: E7, G7, A7
    • Suspended chords: Dsus4, G7sus4
    • Slash chords: A7/D

🎸 Beginner Guitarists:

  • The chords Bm, F# and F#m can feel challenging at first, especially in their full barre‑chord forms.
  • To make things easier, we’ve included open‑position voicings in the charts above. F#m requires a small barre but is very easy in this form.
  • These simplified shapes avoid the full barre and let you play the essential notes without strain.
  • Once you’re comfortable, you can gradually work toward the full barre versions — but for now, the easier voicings will sound just fine.
  • Observations – Movable Shapes:
    You'll notice that the open voicing for F# Major is identical in shape to F# Major.

    The only difference is that the whole shape shifts up one fret:
    F# Major starts at the 1st fret.
    F# Major starts at the 2nd fret.
  • Principle of Barre Chords
    In barre chords, one fret = one semitone (half‑step).

    Because you are covering the top 4 strings, you can move the same shape up the entire fretboard.
    • Each step upward raises the chord by a semitone:
      F (1st fret) → F# (2nd fret) → G (3rd fret) → G# (4th fret)… and so on.
    • This same principal applies to the open voicing for Bm and semi-open voicing for F#m which also cover the top 4 strings and start on the 2nd fret:
    • Bm (2nd fret) → Cm (3rd fret) → C#m (4th fret) → Dm (5th fret)...
    • F#m (2nd fret) → Gm (3rd fret) → G#m (4th fret) → Am (5th fret)...
  • G7sus4 and A7/D are super easy. Extended chords and slash chords can look a little scary at first, but more often than not, they are very easy to play. 💪

Song Details:

Teaser and the Firecat Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Composer: Traditional Scottish tune from the Scottish Islands
  • Lyricist: Eleanor Farjeon - English author of children's stories and plays, poetry, biography, history and satire. (1881-1965)
  • Date: Christian hymn first published in 1931.
  • Lyrics Begin: Morning has broken, like the first morning
  • Featured Artist: Cat Stevens
  • Single:
    Recorded: March 1971
    Released: 7 January 1972
    B-side: I Want to Live in a Wigwam
  • Genre: Folk-pop
  • Album: Teaser and the Firecat
    Recorded: July 1970 – March 1971
    Released: 1 October 1971
Other songs by Cat Stevens on this site:
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