Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords D, C, G Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G D C D
G D C D
I would have given you all of my heart,
G C D C
but there's someone who's torn it apart
G D C D
And she's taken almost all that I've got,
G D C D
but if you want, I'll try to love again
G C D D
Baby I'll try to love again but I know
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know,
D C D
The first cut is the deepest
G D C D
Cause when it comes to being lucky she's cursed,
G C D C
When it comes to loving me she's worst
G D C D
But when it comes to being in love she's first,
That's how I know
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know,
D C D
The first cut is the deepest
G D C D
I still want you by my side
G C D C
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
G D C D
Cause I'm sure gonna give you a try
G D C D
And if you want, I'll try to love again
G C D D
Baby, I'll try to love again, but I know
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know,
D C D
The first cut is the deepest
G D C D
Cause when it comes to being lucky she's cursed,
G C D C
When it comes to loving me she's worst
G D C D
But when it comes to being in love she's first,
That's how I know
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know,
D C D
The first cut is the deepest
G D C D
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know,
D C D
The first cut is the deepest
G D C D
Cause when it comes to being lucky she's cursed,
G C D C
When it comes to loving me she's worst
G D C D
But when it comes to being in love she's first,
That's how I know
G D C D G
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know. . . .
End of song Play again?
Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest Tabs
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Harmony analysis
Cat Stevens – The First Cut Is The Deepest: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on G. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it both starts and finishes on G and G is heard 33 times while Em never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 33× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| III | B | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 37× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 59× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | — |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | — |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 33× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 37× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 59× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 3 different chords appear 129 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- C D GIV → VIV → V EmVI → VIIVI → VII ×32
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×27
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×5
The move to watch is C → D, heard 32 times. From the G side it reads IV → V (IV → V: the lift that builds tension before home); from the Em side it is VI → VII (VI → VII: the rising step that heads for the tonic). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is G; the ear learns where home is within a second. D, C, G carry the song: V–IV–I relative to G, VII–VI–III relative to Em. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on C → D (IV → V in G, VI → VII in Em): IV → V — the lift that builds tension before home. Ending on G, the song seals G as home.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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