Biography:
Richard P. "Richie" Havens (born January 21, 1941; died April 22, 2013) was an American folk singer and guitarist. He is best remembered for his intense, rhythmic guitar style (often in open tunings), soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
Born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, Havens moved to Greenwich Village in 1961 in time to get in on the folk boom then taking place. Havens had a distinctive style as a folksinger
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Other songs:
- I Can't Make It Anymore
- Ooh Child
- Paradise
- Alone Together
- Fire And Rain
- Follow
- Freedom
- Gay Cavalier
- God Bless The Child
- Going Back To My Roots
- Handsome Johnny
- Helplessly Hoping
- Here Comes The Sun
- High Flyin Bird
- I Cant Make It Anymore
- Just Like A Woman
- Nobody Left To Crown
- On The Road To Calvary
- One More Day
- Stardust And Passion
- Strawberry Fields Forever
- The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
- You'll Never Know
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I CAN’T MAKE IT ANYMORE
This is my interpretation of Richie Haven’s version, based mainly on watching the
Woodstock footage, listening to the song and a huge interest in the music. Richie’s DVD (The
Guitar Style of Richie Havens) is available on his website and would be a great help and
source of inspiration to anyone who wants to learn about his style and incorporate it into
their own playing. You may never play like Richie but you can emulate the sounds he makes.
Playing in Open ‘D’
At first glance some of Richie’s chord fingerings look very difficult as barring with
the thumb is the main feature. However, as a complete beginner to the guitar in 2008, I
found I made much faster progress in Open D than in normal tuning. It’s easier to sit
while you play and barring with the thumb is made easier if you hold the guitar with the face
slightly open (i.e. at an angle of about 20 degrees so that you can see the strings and
frets) and angle the neck of the guitar slightly downwards. I know this is considered
bad form normally but it seems to work for Open D chords. I would also advise you to
track down a supply of the “taco chip” picks that Richie uses. They are made by Fender (355 Medium
I believe) and can be found quite easily on the internet at a few pounds per dozen.
Their extra size and flexibility are excellent for strumming.
Tuning D A D F# A D
I = Index finger
M = Middle finger
T = Thumb
L = Little finger
Chords for the song
DMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 3
M M Fret 4
EMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 1
M M Fret 2
These are the dominant chords in the song, but Richie varies these chords frequently to
add what he refers to as “colour”. Both of the above chords can have the following
variations to produce subtle changes
D A D F# A D
I I
M
Drop middle finger to cover 1st fret only
D A D F# A D
I I
M
L
Add your little finger one fret up
GMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 4
T T T T T
Thumb bars bottom 5 strings 5th fret
Index finger holds down 1st string 4th fret
A7sus4 (known by Richie as the “mystery chord”)
D A D F# A D
I I I Fret 5
- - - - - -
T T T Fret 7
Thumb bars bottom 3 strings 7th fret
Index finger holds down top 3 strings 5th fret
Difficult at first but a great chord
A7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 5
- - - - - -
T T T T T Fret 7
Thumb bars bottom 5 strings 7th fret
Index finger holds down 1st string 5th fret
Strumming
Most of the song is comprised of a steady, rhythmic, varied strum with emphasis on the
downstroke. The A7sus4 and A7 are played with much more gusto and of course there are
many occasions when Richie throws in four down-ups where previously there was one.
Intro
DM7 EM7 repeated with the variations mentioned above
I get too low with no reason
DM7 Em7
They says it’s the moon or maybe the season
DM7 Em7
But something’s not the same
GM7 DM7
And I won’t let my mind believe
GM7 DM7
Baby something’s wrong
Em7
All the feeling’s gone
DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7 Em7
Lately I don’t feel much like talking
DM7 Em7
Instead of going home I just go out walking
DM7 Em7
And thinking too much
GM7 DM7
And I’m longing for your touch
GM7 DM7
Baby something’s changed
Em7
I don’t feel the same
DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7
I can’t make it anymore anymore
A7sus4 A7 A7……..
Don’t know the reason why
DM7
But I just can’t lie
Em7
When I feel this way
DM7
There are things I must say
Em7
I can’t make it anymore. No No.
Em7 DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7 A7sus4 A7……
Where did we go wrong?
DM7
Where do I belong?
Em7
Let me find out when
DM7
Did it all begin?
Em7
Why I’m losing you
DM7
Why our love is through
Em7
Why our love is through
DM7
Why our love is through
Em7 A7sus4 A7
I can’t make it anymore (repeated 4 times)
Em7 DM7
This is my interpretation of Richie Haven’s version, based mainly on watching the
Woodstock footage, listening to the song and a huge interest in the music. Richie’s DVD (The
Guitar Style of Richie Havens) is available on his website and would be a great help and
source of inspiration to anyone who wants to learn about his style and incorporate it into
their own playing. You may never play like Richie but you can emulate the sounds he makes.
Playing in Open ‘D’
At first glance some of Richie’s chord fingerings look very difficult as barring with
the thumb is the main feature. However, as a complete beginner to the guitar in 2008, I
found I made much faster progress in Open D than in normal tuning. It’s easier to sit
while you play and barring with the thumb is made easier if you hold the guitar with the face
slightly open (i.e. at an angle of about 20 degrees so that you can see the strings and
frets) and angle the neck of the guitar slightly downwards. I know this is considered
bad form normally but it seems to work for Open D chords. I would also advise you to
track down a supply of the “taco chip” picks that Richie uses. They are made by Fender (355 Medium
I believe) and can be found quite easily on the internet at a few pounds per dozen.
Their extra size and flexibility are excellent for strumming.
Tuning D A D F# A D
I = Index finger
M = Middle finger
T = Thumb
L = Little finger
Chords for the song
DMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 3
M M Fret 4
EMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 1
M M Fret 2
These are the dominant chords in the song, but Richie varies these chords frequently to
add what he refers to as “colour”. Both of the above chords can have the following
variations to produce subtle changes
D A D F# A D
I I
M
Drop middle finger to cover 1st fret only
D A D F# A D
I I
M
L
Add your little finger one fret up
GMaj7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 4
T T T T T
Thumb bars bottom 5 strings 5th fret
Index finger holds down 1st string 4th fret
A7sus4 (known by Richie as the “mystery chord”)
D A D F# A D
I I I Fret 5
- - - - - -
T T T Fret 7
Thumb bars bottom 3 strings 7th fret
Index finger holds down top 3 strings 5th fret
Difficult at first but a great chord
A7
D A D F# A D
I Fret 5
- - - - - -
T T T T T Fret 7
Thumb bars bottom 5 strings 7th fret
Index finger holds down 1st string 5th fret
Strumming
Most of the song is comprised of a steady, rhythmic, varied strum with emphasis on the
downstroke. The A7sus4 and A7 are played with much more gusto and of course there are
many occasions when Richie throws in four down-ups where previously there was one.
Intro
DM7 EM7 repeated with the variations mentioned above
I get too low with no reason
DM7 Em7
They says it’s the moon or maybe the season
DM7 Em7
But something’s not the same
GM7 DM7
And I won’t let my mind believe
GM7 DM7
Baby something’s wrong
Em7
All the feeling’s gone
DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7 Em7
Lately I don’t feel much like talking
DM7 Em7
Instead of going home I just go out walking
DM7 Em7
And thinking too much
GM7 DM7
And I’m longing for your touch
GM7 DM7
Baby something’s changed
Em7
I don’t feel the same
DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7
I can’t make it anymore anymore
A7sus4 A7 A7……..
Don’t know the reason why
DM7
But I just can’t lie
Em7
When I feel this way
DM7
There are things I must say
Em7
I can’t make it anymore. No No.
Em7 DM7
I can’t make it anymore
Em7 DM7 A7sus4 A7……
Where did we go wrong?
DM7
Where do I belong?
Em7
Let me find out when
DM7
Did it all begin?
Em7
Why I’m losing you
DM7
Why our love is through
Em7
Why our love is through
DM7
Why our love is through
Em7 A7sus4 A7
I can’t make it anymore (repeated 4 times)
Em7 DM7
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