American Pie chords by
Don Mclean

1971Folk4.4M views

Key: G major

Verse 1
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
A long long time ago
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
I   can still remember how
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
That music used to make me smile
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
And I  knew if I  had my  chance
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
That I   could make those people dance
Em Em 
 
C C 
 
D D 
 
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
Em Em 
 
Am Am 
 
But February made me shiver
Em Em 
 
Am Am 
 
With every paper I'd deliver
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
Bad news on the doorstep
C C 
 
D D 
 
I couldn't take one more step
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
I can't remember if I cried
C C 
 
D D 
 
When I read about his widowed bride
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
But something touched me deep inside
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
The day the music died

Chorus 1
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
So bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
And them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Verse 2
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
Did you write the book of love
C C 
 
Am Am 
 
And do you have faith in God above
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
If the Bible tells you so?
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
Now, do you believe in rock and roll?
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
Can music save your mortal soul?
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
And can you teach me
D D 
 
how to dance real slow?
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
Well, I know that you're in love with him
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
'Cause I   saw you dancin' in the gym
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
You both kicked off your shoes
C C 
 
D D 
 
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
But I  knew I  was out of luck
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
C C 
 
The day the music died
G G 
 
D D 
 
I started singin'

Chorus 2
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
Them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Verse 3
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
Now, for ten years we've been on  our own
C C 
 
Am Am 
 
And moss grows fat on a   rolling stone
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
But, that's not how it used to be
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
When the jester sang for the king and queen
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
And a voice that came from you and me
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
Oh, and while the king was looking down
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
The jester stole his thorny crown
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
The courtroom was adjourned
C C 
 
D D 
 
No verdict was returned
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
And while Lennon read a book on Marx
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
The quartet practiced in the park
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
And we sang dirges in the dark
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
C C 
 
The day the music died
G G 
 
D D 
 
We were singin'

Chorus 3
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
Them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Verse 4
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
Helter skelter in a   summer swelter
C C 
 
Am Am 
 
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
Eight miles high and falling fast
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
It landed foul on  the grass
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
The players tried for a forward pass
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
While the sergeants played a marching tune
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
We all got up to dance
C C 
 
D D 
 
Oh, but we never got the chance
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
'Cause the players tried to take the field
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
The marching band refused to yield
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
Do you recall what was revealed
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
C C 
 
The day the music died
G G 
 
D D 
 
We started singin'

Chorus 4
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
Them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Verse 5
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
Oh, and there we were all in  one place
C C 
 
Am Am 
 
A  generation lost in space
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
With no  time left to start again
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
D D 
 
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
No angel born in Hell
C C 
 
D D 
 
Could break that Satan's spell
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
And as the flames climbed high in  to the night
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
To  light the sacrificial rite
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
I saw Satan laughing with delight
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
C C 
 
The day the music died
G G 
 
D D 
 
He was singin'

Chorus 5
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
Them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Verse 6
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
I met a girl who sang the blues
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
And I   asked her for some happy news
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
But she just smiled and turned away
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
I  went down to the sacred store
Am Am 
 
C C 
 
Where I'd heard the music years before
Em Em 
 
C C 
 
D D 
 
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
Em Em 
 
Am Am 
 
And in the streets the children screamed
Em Em 
 
Am Am 
 
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
C C 
 
G G 
 
Am Am 
 
But not a word was spoken
C C 
 
D D 
 
The church bells all were broken
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
And the three men I admire most
C C 
 
D D 
 
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
G G 
 
D D 
 
Em Em 
 
They caught the last train for the coast
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
The day the music died

Chorus 6
And they were singing
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
And them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
Em Em 
 
A A 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Em Em 
 
D D 
 
This'll be the day that I die

Chorus 7
They were singing
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G G 
 
C C 
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee
G G 
 
D D 
 
but the levee was dry
G G 
 
C C 
 
And them good ole boys
G G 
 
D D 
 
were drinking whiskey and rye
C C 
 
D D 
 
G G 
 
C C 
 
G G 
 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die

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