American Pie

American Pie easy guitar chords by Don Mclean

1971Folk
Guitar
Tuning

E A D G B E

Capo

No capo

Capo

Transpose

0

Capo
  • G

  • D

  • Em

  • Am

  • C

  • A

  • G

  • D

  • Em

  • Am

  • C

  • A

  • Verse 1
    G
    D
    Em

    A long long time ago
    Am
    C

    I can still remember how
    Em
    D

    That music used to make me smile
    G
    D
    Em

    And I knew if I had my chance
    Am
    C

    That I could make those people dance
    Em
    C
    D

    And maybe they'd be happy for a while
    Em
    Am

    But February made me shiver
    Em
    Am

    With every paper I'd deliver
    C
    G
    Am

    Bad news on the doorstep
    C
    D

    I couldn't take one more step
    G
    D
    Em

    I can't remember if I cried
    C
    D

    When I read about his widowed bride
    G
    D
    Em

    But something touched me deep inside
    C
    D
    G

    The day the music died
    Chorus 1
    G
    C
    G
    D

    So bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    And them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Verse 2
    G
    Am

    Did you write the book of love
    C
    Am

    And do you have faith in God above
    Em
    D

    If the Bible tells you so?
    G
    D
    Em

    Now, do you believe in rock and roll?
    Am
    C

    Can music save your mortal soul?
    Em
    A

    And can you teach me
    D

    how to dance real slow?
    Em
    D

    Well, I know that you're in love with him
    Em
    D

    'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
    C
    G
    Am

    You both kicked off your shoes
    C
    D

    Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
    G
    D
    Em

    I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
    Am
    C

    With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
    G
    D
    Em

    But I knew I was out of luck
    C
    D
    G
    C

    The day the music died
    G
    D

    I started singin'
    Chorus 2
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    Them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Verse 3
    G
    Am

    Now, for ten years we've been on our own
    C
    Am

    And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
    Em
    D

    But, that's not how it used to be
    G
    D
    Em

    When the jester sang for the king and queen
    Am
    C

    In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
    Em
    A
    D

    And a voice that came from you and me
    Em
    D

    Oh, and while the king was looking down
    Em
    D

    The jester stole his thorny crown
    C
    G
    Am

    The courtroom was adjourned
    C
    D

    No verdict was returned
    G
    D
    Em

    And while Lennon read a book on Marx
    Am
    C

    The quartet practiced in the park
    G
    D
    Em

    And we sang dirges in the dark
    C
    D
    G
    C

    The day the music died
    G
    D

    We were singin'
    Chorus 3
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    Them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Verse 4
    G
    Am

    Helter skelter in a summer swelter
    C
    Am

    The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
    Em
    D

    Eight miles high and falling fast
    G
    D
    Em

    It landed foul on the grass
    Am
    C

    The players tried for a forward pass
    Em
    A
    D

    With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
    Em
    D

    Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
    Em
    D

    While the sergeants played a marching tune
    C
    G
    Am

    We all got up to dance
    C
    D

    Oh, but we never got the chance
    G
    D
    Em

    'Cause the players tried to take the field
    Am
    C

    The marching band refused to yield
    G
    D
    Em

    Do you recall what was revealed
    C
    D
    G
    C

    The day the music died
    G
    D

    We started singin'
    Chorus 4
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    Them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Verse 5
    G
    Am

    Oh, and there we were all in one place
    C
    Am

    A generation lost in space
    Em
    D

    With no time left to start again
    G
    D
    Em

    So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
    Am
    C

    Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
    Em
    A
    D

    'Cause fire is the devil's only friend
    Em
    D

    Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
    Em
    D

    My hands were clenched in fists of rage
    C
    G
    Am

    No angel born in Hell
    C
    D

    Could break that Satan's spell
    G
    D
    Em

    And as the flames climbed high in to the night
    Am
    C

    To light the sacrificial rite
    G
    D
    Em

    I saw Satan laughing with delight
    C
    D
    G
    C

    The day the music died
    G
    D

    He was singin'
    Chorus 5
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    Them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Verse 6
    G
    D
    Em

    I met a girl who sang the blues
    Am
    C

    And I asked her for some happy news
    Em
    D

    But she just smiled and turned away
    G
    D
    Em

    I went down to the sacred store
    Am
    C

    Where I'd heard the music years before
    Em
    C
    D

    But the man there said the music wouldn't play
    Em
    Am

    And in the streets the children screamed
    Em
    Am

    The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
    C
    G
    Am

    But not a word was spoken
    C
    D

    The church bells all were broken
    G
    D
    Em

    And the three men I admire most
    C
    D

    The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
    G
    D
    Em

    They caught the last train for the coast
    C
    D
    G

    The day the music died
    Chorus 6

    And they were singing
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    And them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    Em
    A

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die
    Em
    D

    This'll be the day that I die
    Chorus 7

    They were singing
    G
    C
    G
    D

    Bye, bye Miss American Pie
    G
    C

    Drove my Chevy to the levee
    G
    D

    but the levee was dry
    G
    C

    And them good ole boys
    G
    D

    were drinking whiskey and rye
    C
    D
    G
    C
    G

    Singin' this'll be the day that I die

    How did you like the song?

    4.9 (920)
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