Logo for GuitarTabsExplorer
👤 My Playlist
♥ Add to my Playlist
Black Cat Tab by Janet Jackson

Black Cat tab by Janet Jackson

Guitar Tab

Tab: Janet Jackson - BLACK CAT

BLACK CAT
As recorded by Janet Jackson
From the 1989 Album RHYTHM NATION 1814)
Tablature (Tab) for Guitar
Transcribed by Frank Nijs
Words and Music by Janet Jackson


E5

0 2 2 x x x


Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Cat's noises'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Rhythm guitar'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Clean guitar'
Gtr IV (E A D G B E) - 'Solo guitar'
Gtr V (E A D G B E) - 'Clean solo'


 Cat's growling
  Moderate Rock Q=116
  N.C.
 4/4
  Gtr I
          \4/ \4/ /1\
  S S S S E   E   Q    +Q      W
|---------------------------||----------|
|---------x-------x----(x)--||----------|
|---------x---x---x----(x)--||----------|
|-x-x-x-x-x---x---x----(x)--||----------|
|---------x---x---x----(x)--||----------|
|---------------------------||----------|


                        Gtr II
  W          W          H    E a E  Q
|----------|----------|-------------------||
|----------|----------|-------------------||
|----------|----------|-------------------||
|----------|----------|-------------------||
|----------|----------|--------x----------||
|----------|----------|--------x-3s12\----||


   Intro
    Em
                PM                   PM            PM  PM
    E     +E  E E  Q   E  E    +E  E E  E      +E  E E E
||---------------------------|---------------------------|
||o--------------------------|---------------------------|
||---------------------------|---------------------------|
||----------------[5]--------|---------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|
||o-5b5.5-(5)-7--------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-----------------7---|
||--------------0------------|-------0-------------0---0-|


  ~    PM                       ~~
  Q  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H     a   E  S S
|------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|------------------------|
|--------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|-------------------x-x--|
|-5--7---------------7---|-----/7----(7)s12\-x-x--|
|------0---------------6-|-5-3--------------------|


  Em
              PM                          PM            PM|   PM
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E  E    +E  E E  E      +E  S S E E
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|---------[5]b5.5-(5)---------|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-------------------7---|
|-------------0-------------------|-------0-------------0-0---0-|


  ~    PM                       ~~
  Q  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H     a   Q
|------------------------|-----------------------||
|------------------------|----------------------o||
|------------------------|-----------------------||
|--------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|-----------------------||
|-5--7---------------7---|-----/7----(7)s12\----o||
|------0---------------6-|-5-3-------------------||


   1st, 2nd Verses
    $
    E5
    Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  H      Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  Q  E S S  3x
||---------------|------------|--------------|-----------------||
||o--------------|------------|--------------|----------------o||
||---------------|------------|--------------|-----------------||
||--2-------2----|-2----------|-2-------2----|-2----------x-x--||
||o-2-------2----|-2----------|-2-------2----|-2----------x-x-o||
||--0-------0----|-0----------|-0-------0----|-0---------------||


  E5
  Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  H      Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  Q  a  Q
|--------------|------------|--------------|-----------------||
|--------------|------------|--------------|-----------------||
|--------------|------------|--------------|-----------------||
|-2-------2----|-2----------|-2-------2----|-2---------------||
|-2-------2----|-2----------|-2-------2----|-2---------------||
|-0-------0----|-0----------|-0-------0----|-0--------7s12\--||


 Pre-Chorus
  B5                          A5
  Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  H      Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  E E E E
|--------------|------------|--------------|---------------|
|--------------|------------|--------------|---------------|
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|-2-------------|
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|-2-------------|
|-2-------2----|-2----------|-0-------0----|-0-------------|
|--------------|------------|--------------|-------5-5-3-5-|


                                                    To Coda
  B5                          A5
                                                         ~
  Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  H      Q  Q  E E Q    E E E E E E Q
|--------------|------------|--------------|----------------||
|--------------|------------|--------------|----------------||
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|----------------||
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|----------------||
|-2-------2----|-2----------|-0-------0----|-----0-1-2---7--||
|--------------|------------|--------------|-3-3-------0----||


 Chorus
  Em
              PM                          PM            PM  PM
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E  E    +E  E E  E      +E  E E E
|---------------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|---------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-----------------7---|
|-------------0-------------------|-------0-------------0---0-|


              PM                       ~~
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H     a   E  S S
|-------------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|-------------------x-x---|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7---|-----/7----(7)s12\-x-x---|
|-------------0---------------6-|-5-3---------------------|


  Em
              PM                          PM      PM  PM
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E  E    +E  E E S S E E E E
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|---------5h7p5-------|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-----------7---|
|-------------0-------------------|-------0-------0---0-|


                              D.S. al Coda
              PM                       ~~~
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H.
|-------------------------------|-------------||
|-------------------------------|-------------||
|-------------------------------|-------------||
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|-------------||
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7---|-----/7------||
|-------------0---------------6-|-5-3---------||


 Breakdown
  &
  Em
  Gtr II
   ~~~
  +W                +W
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-(7)-------------|-(7)-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|
| Gtr III
|  q   q  E e E E    E  E E E +E  E E E
|-----------------|---------------------|
|---------8-------|---------8-(8)-------|
|--7---9--7-9---7-|-----9---7-(7)---9---|
|--7---9----9---7-|-----9-----------9---|
|-----------------|---------------7-----|
|-----------------|---------------------|


                Gtr IV
                                    \6
  +H.         E  E     +H          +E     E  E  E
|-------------------|-----------------------12--------|
|-------------------|-------------------/12----15b17==|
|----------------|-()-------()---------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------------|
|-(7)---------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------------|
|
|  q   q  E e E  E      E   E E E  +E     E  E  E
|-------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------8---------|-----------8--(8)----------------|
|--7---9--7-9----7--|-------9---7--(7)-------9--------|
|--7---9----9----7--|-------9----------------9--------|
|-------------------|---------------------7-----------|
|-------------------|---------------------------------|


 1st Guitar Solo
  E5
  Gtr II
    Q   Q               E   E  Q
    |                       |
    /                       /

                        ~~~~~~~
   +Q.     +T   +T   S  E  +Q     +E
|--------------------------------------|
|-(15)----(15)r(15)p12h15-(15)---(15)\-|
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|


  Q           Q              H                      Q      Q      E E       Q
  |                                                 |               |
  /                                                 /               /

     |--3--|  |3-|  |--3--|
  E  S  S  S  E  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  E     E    Q      S  E.  Q     a   Q
|---------14-17p16p15p14----14-------15-17b19-15-|-17b19--15--------------------|
|-x----15----------------17----15s17-------------|-----------17--17---(17)s20\--|
|---16-------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|


  E5
  Q   Q          H                      Q  Q          E         E   Q
  |                                     |                       |
  /                                     /                       /

                                                                    ~~~~
  E E E  E      +E   +S  S  S  S S  S   Q  S S  E     S      S  S S Q
|-------------------------------------|--------10b12-------------------|
|-0s4s8-10b12==(10)r(10)p8-10-10-8-10-|-8------------10pb12r10r10-8----|
|-------------------------------------|----9-7----------------------9--|
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|


   Q         Q           H
   |
   /

 ~~~~~                   ~~
  +E  +E     S  S  S  S  Q   +E     E
|---------------------------------------|
|--------------10-10-10-----------------|
|-(9)-(9)\-/11----------11--(11)\-/11\--|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|


  E5
    Q                  Q            E            E     Q
    |                                            |
    /                                            /

    S  S  S      +S   +S   S  S  S  S      +S    S  S  S  S  S  S
|-----------------------------------------------12----------------|
|-----12-14b15==(14)r(14)p12-14-12-15b17==(15)r----15-12----12----|
|-/12----------------------------------------------------15----15-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


   Q           Q                H
   |
   /

                                ~~~~
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S      +Q    Q
|----------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------||
|-12h16p12h16p12h16-12h14b16==(14)-------||
|----------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------10\--||


 2nd Guitar Solo
  E5
  Q      Q           E  E Q            Q        Q           H
  |                     |              |
  /                     /              /

  E  E   E   E       Q.      E         E   +E   S  S  S  S  Q   +E        E
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|---------------------------15b17==|=(15)r(15)------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-(15)-(15)-12----14-14-12--(12)b12.5-12-|
|-----------[5]b5.5----------------|--------------14------------------------|
|---[5]-[7]---------[5]------------|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------|


   Q           Q           E     E    Q
   |                             |
   /                             /

   |---3---|
   E   E   E   E   E      +E     E    E   S  S
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------14b16==(14)r-------------|
|-14-[14]-14-[14]-------------------[14]-14-12-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|


  E5
   Q           Q         H
   |
   /

                     ~~~~~~~
   S  S  S  S  S  S  E  +Q    E  S  T  T
|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------8-10h12-|
|----------------------------------------|
|-14-12----------------------------------|
|-------14-13-12-------------(0)---------|
|----------------15-12-(12)--------------|


   Q                      Q                      E          E          Q
   |                                                        |
   /                                                        /

   T     T          T     T          T     T          T     T
   T  T  T  T  T T  T  T  T  T  T T  T  T  T  T  T T  T  T  T  T  T T  S      +S   +S   S
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-20p12-20p12p10p8-19p12-19p12p10p8-17p12-17p12p10p8-17p12-17p12p10p8-15b17==(15)r(15)p12---|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


  E5
  Q           Q        H
  |
  /

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~
  S  S  S  S  S  S  E  E  +E   +E    E
|------------------14--------------------|
|---------12----------15-(15)-(15)-------|
|---12h14----14p12-----------------(11)\-|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|


  Q           Q              E     E     Q             Q        Q         H
  |                                |                   |
  /                                /                   /

                                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~
  S  S  S  S  S  S  S     S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    E     E  E   E    +Q.      +E
|---------------------------------------------------|-17b19-------------------------------||
|---16-15-12----12-------------------------------12-|-------15-17-[17]-([17])---([17])\---||
|------------15----14b15-14-12----14----12-14-15----|-------------------------------------||
|------------------------------14----14-------------|-------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------||


 Interlude
  Em
                                       ~~
  W               S   E.    E  E   E   E  E  E
|---------------|---/12------------------------|
|---------------|----------12s10---------------|
|---------------|----------------/12-----------|
|---------------|---------------------14-14s12s|
|---------------|------------------------------|
|---------------|------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
|           PM                               PM
| q  q  E e E E   E      E  E  E  +E   E  E  E
|---------------|------------------------------|
|-------8-------|--------------8--(8)----------|
|-7--9--7-9---7-|--------9-----7--(7)-----9----|
|-7--9----9---7-|--------9----------------9----|
|-----------7---|----------------------7-----7-|
|---------------|------------------------------|


   E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E   H       H
|-------------------------|---------------|
|-------------------------|---------------|
|-------------------------|---------------|
|-14s12s14s12s14s12s14s12s|=0-------------|
|-------------------------|---------------|
|-------------------------|---------------|
|
|                                ~~
|  q     q     E  e  E  E   E E  H     Q
|-------------------------|---------------|
|--------------8----------|---------------|
|--7-----9-----7--9-------|---------------|
|--7-----9--------9-------|---------------|
|-------------------------|-----/7--------|
|-----------------------6-|-5-3-----------|


  Em
                                                               \3
  W               W                   W               H        H
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|--------------||
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|
|           PM                    PM                       ~~
| q  q  E e E E   E E E E +E  E E E   q  q  E e E E   E E  H       Q
|---------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------||
|-------8-------|-------8-(8)-------|-------8-------|-----------------||
|-7--9--7-9---7-|---9---7-(7)---9---|-7--9--7-9-----|-----------------||
|-7--9----9---7-|---9-----------9---|-7--9----9-----|-----------------||
|-----------7---|-------------7---7-|---------------|-----/7----------||
|---------------|-------------------|-------------6-|-5-3-------------||


 Pre-Chorus
  B5                          A5
  Gtr II
  Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  H      Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  E E E E
|--------------|------------|--------------|---------------|
|--------------|------------|--------------|---------------|
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|-2-------------|
|-4-------4----|-4----------|-2-------2----|-2-------------|
|-2-------2----|-2----------|-0-------0----|-0-------------|
|--------------|------------|--------------|-------5-5-3-5-|


  B5                             A5
                                                            ~
  Q  Q  E E Q    Q  Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E Q    E E E E E E Q
|--------------|---------------|--------------|----------------|
|--------------|---------------|--------------|----------------|
|-4-------4----|-4-------------|-2-------2----|----------------|
|-4-------4----|-4-------------|-2-------2----|----------------|
|-2-------2----|-2-------------|-0-------0----|-----0-1-2---7--|
|--------------|---------5-7-5-|--------------|-3-3-------0----|


   Chorus
    Em
                PM                          PM            PM  PM
    E     +E  E E  E      +E  E  E    +E  E E  E      +E  E E E
||----------------------------------|---------------------------|
||o---------------------------------|---------------------------|
||----------------------------------|---------------------------|
||----------------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|---------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|
||o-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-----------------7---|
||--------------0-------------------|-------0-------------0---0-|


              PM                       ~~
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H    Q
|-------------------------------|---------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|---------------|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7---|-----/7--------|
|-------------0---------------6-|-5-3-----------|


  Em
              PM                          PM      PM  PM
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E  E    +E  E E S S E E E E
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-------|---------5h7p5-------|
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7-[5]-|-(5)-7-----------7---|
|-------------0-------------------|-------0-------0---0-|


                                 1.
              PM                       ~~~
  E     +E  E E  E      +E  E E   E E  H.
|-------------------------------|-------------||
|-------------------------------|------------o||
|-------------------------------|-------------||
|---------------[5]b5.5-(5)-----|-------------||
|-5b5.5-(5)-7---------------7---|-----/7-----o||
|-------------0---------------6-|-5-3---------||


  2.
  Em
                                   Gt
  E E E E E E E E   +E   E Q  H
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|---------------9-|-(9)\-----------||
|-----5---5-5---7-|-(7)\-----------||
|-5-3-------------|----------------||
|
|                                  Gt
| W                  W
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|----------------||


 Outro
  Em
 r III
   E S S E  e  e  e  E  E    S S S  S E  E  S S E  E S  S
|-------------12----------|-12-x-----------12-x-x-12-------|
|----------12-12-14-------|-12-x-x-15---14-12-x-x-12---12--|
|-12-x-x---12----12-12\---|------x-12---12-------------12--|
|-14-x-x---14-------14\---|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|
|r V
|                                           ~~
|  W                         H              H
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|-----------------5--------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------------|


  Em
  E  S  S E  e  e  e  E E    e              S  S E  e  e  E  E S S
|--------------12---------|---------------------------12-----------|
|---12-12---12-12-14------|---------------------------12-14-14-----|
|---12-12---12-12-12-12---|-12--------------x-12---12----12-12---x-|
|--------------------14---|-14--------------x-12---12-------14---x-|
|-------------------------|------------------------16--------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
| W                          T    +T  +T  T S  S E  E  Q     Q
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--7b8==(7)r(7)p5------------------------|
|-------------------------|-----------------7--5-------5-----------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------7--------------|


   S S  e E  e  e E  E E    S S S  S  E  E  e              E     E    E
|--------------12--------|-12--------------12-------------------------------|
|-12---12---12-12---15-x-|-12-x-x-15-14-15-12-------------------14----------|
|-12---12---12-12---12-x-|-12-x-x-12-12-12----------------------12----------|
|--x--------12-----------|--------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|
|                                           |-----3-----|
|  W                        H               S      +S   S  S  S  S  E    S
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------15pb17r(15)p14----12-------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------------14----12------12--|
|------------------------|-----------------------------------------14-------|
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|


  Em
   e S  S E  e  e E  E E
|------------------------|
|-15---12----------------|
|-12---12---12------12---|
|-----------11-12---12---|
|--------------14--------|
|------------------------|


   e S  S  S S  S S  S  S  E E  S  S    e S  S  S S  S S H
|------------------------------------|------------------------*|
|----------------------12------------|------------------------*|
|-12-x-12-14---12---14----12---12-12-|-12-x-12-14---12--------*|
|-12-x-12-12---12---12---------12-12-|-12-x-12-12---12--------*|
|------------------------------------|------------------------*|
|------------------------------------|------------------------*|


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for.  Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests.  Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for.  Low
melody durations appear below the staff

Tablature Legend
----------------
 h   - hammer-on
 p   - pull-off
 b   - bend
 pb  - pre-bend
 r   - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
 /\  - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
 s   - legato slide
 S   - shift slide
 - natural harmonic
[n]  - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
 ~   - vibrato
 tr  - trill
 T   - tap
 TP  - trem. picking
 PM  - palm muting
\n/  - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
 \n  - tremolo bar down
 n/  - tremolo bar up
/n\  - tremolo bar inverted dip
 =   - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
  - volume swell (louder/softer)
 x   - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
 o   - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Misc Legend
-----------
 |  - bar
||  - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*|  - double bar (ending)
 :  - bar (freetime)
 $  - Segno
 &  - Coda
Tempo markers -  = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths

Last updated:

Please rate for accuracy!
🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

Janet Jackson tabs for Black cat

What is this?

Learn how to play "Black Cat" by Janet Jackson with our easy-to-follow guitar tabs guide. Build confidence, sharpen your technique, and enjoy playing guitar.

Who Is This Page For?

This guitar tabs tutorial for "Black Cat" by Janet Jackson is crafted for all musicians players ready to learn and grow. Whether you're just starting or refining your skills, this guide meets you where you are.

Why This Page Is Perfect for You

No matter your skill level, this page is a valuable resource for improving your guitar tab playing.

What You Will Gain

By using our guitar tabs, you’ll not only learn to play "Black Cat" by Janet Jackson with accuracy and style, but you'll also elevate your overall musicianship. Explore our full archive of guitar tabs for more songs, skills, and inspiration.

Your last visited songs