American Pie chords by Don McLean
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
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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 into 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
American Pie
Don McLean
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