{"source":"Free Chord Book","source_url":"https://www.free-chords.com","license_note":"Free for personal use. Lyrics and compositions © their respective songwriters and publishers.","tab_id":187946,"song":"American Pie","artist":"Don McLean","content_type":"chord","tab_type":"Chords","url":"https://www.free-chords.com/song/11217869-american-pie-chords-by-don-mclean/","api_url":"https://www.free-chords.com/api/v1/songs/187946?type=chord","rating":4.75882,"votes":16220,"content":"* = strum once\r\nThe C minor chord which is played in verse 4 may be a mistake but it is on the recording.\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 1]\r\n\r\n[tab]  [ch]G[/ch]     [ch]D/F#[/ch]    [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nA long, long time ago[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]Am[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]D[/ch]    [ch]Dsus4[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]Dsus2[/ch] [ch]D[/ch]\r\nI can still remember how that music used to make me smile[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]G[/ch]      [ch]D/F#[/ch]   [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nAnd I knew if I had my chance[/tab]\r\n[tab]     [ch]Am[/ch]                 [ch]C[/ch]                [ch]Em[/ch]              [ch]C[/ch]            [ch]D[/ch]    [ch]Dsus4[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]Dsus2[/ch] [ch]D[/ch]\r\nThat I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]Am[/ch]             [ch]Em[/ch]                [ch]Am[/ch]\r\n  But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G/B[/ch]    [ch]Am[/ch]             [ch]C[/ch]                        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step[/tab]\r\n[tab]  [ch]G[/ch]          [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]           [ch]C[/ch]              [ch]D[/ch]\r\nI can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D/F#[/ch]       [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nSomething touched me deep inside[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D[/ch]     [ch]G[/ch]\r\nThe day the music died[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab]   [ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nSo bye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]*  [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]  [ch]D7sus2[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch] [ch]D7sus4[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch] [ch]D7sus2[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 2]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]                 [ch]Am[/ch]\r\nDid you write the book of love[/tab]\r\n[tab]       [ch]C[/ch]                 [ch]Am[/ch]         [ch]Em[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd do you have faith in God above, if the bible tells you so?[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]      [ch]D/F#[/ch]        [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nDo you believe in rock and roll[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]Am7[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]              [ch]Em[/ch]                 [ch]A7[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nCan music save your mortal soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow?[/tab]\r\n[tab]       [ch]Em[/ch]*                  [ch]D[/ch]*                   [ch]Em[/ch]*             [ch]D[/ch]*\r\nWell I know that you're in love with him 'cuz I saw you dancin' in the gym[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]C[/ch]           [ch]G/B[/ch]      [ch]Am[/ch]           [ch]C[/ch]                    [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nYou both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]G[/ch]      [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]                   [ch]Am[/ch]                   [ch]C[/ch]\r\nI was a lonely teenage bronckin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]G[/ch]     [ch]D/F#[/ch]    [ch]Em[/ch]              [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D7[/ch]    [ch]G[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBut I knew I was out of luck the day the music died,  I started singin'[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]*  [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 3]\r\n\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]                   [ch]Am[/ch]\r\nNow for ten years we've been on our own[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]C[/ch]                   [ch]Am[/ch]          [ch]Em[/ch]                     [ch]D[/ch]         [ch]Dsus4[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]Dsus2[/ch] [ch]D[/ch]\r\nand moss grows fat on a rolling stone but that's not how it used to be[/tab]\r\n[tab]          [ch]G[/ch]     [ch]D/F#[/ch]            [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nWhen the jester sang for the king and queen[/tab]\r\n[tab]     [ch]Am7[/ch]                [ch]C[/ch]                   [ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]A7[/ch]          [ch]D[/ch]\r\nin a coat he borrowed from James Dean in a voice that came from you and me[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]Em[/ch]*                 [ch]D[/ch]*               [ch]Em[/ch]*                 [ch]D[/ch]*\r\nOh, and while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown[/tab]\r\n[tab]     [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G/B[/ch]   [ch]A7[/ch]       [ch]C[/ch]                [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nThe courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned[/tab]\r\n[tab]          [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D/F#[/ch]  [ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]Am[/ch]           [ch]C[/ch]\r\nAnd while Lennin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]G[/ch]       [ch]D/F#[/ch]   [ch]Em[/ch]               [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D7[/ch]    [ch]G[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd we sang dirges in the dark the day the music died,   we were singin'[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]*  [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 4]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]                   [ch]Am[/ch]\r\nHelter skelter in a summer swelter[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]C[/ch]                      [ch]Am[/ch]                 [ch]Em[/ch]                     [ch]D[/ch]\r\nthe birds flew off with a fallout shelter, eight miles high and fallin' fast[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]G[/ch]   [ch]D/F#[/ch]  [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nIt landed foul on the grass[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]Am7[/ch]                [ch]C[/ch]            [ch]Em[/ch]                             [ch]A7[/ch]     [ch]D[/ch]\r\nthe players tried for a forward pass, with the jester on the sidelines in a cast[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]Em[/ch]*               [ch]D[/ch]*                  [ch]Em[/ch]*                 [ch]D[/ch]*\r\nNow the half-time air was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching tune[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]C[/ch]          [ch]G/B[/ch]      [ch]A7[/ch]      [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nWe all got up to dance, but we never got the chance[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]Am[/ch]                  [ch]Cm[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]\r\n'Cuz the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D/F#[/ch]      [ch]Em[/ch]               [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D7[/ch]    [ch]G[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDo you recall what was revealed the day the music died,   we started singin'[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]*  [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 5]\r\n\r\n[tab]     [ch]G[/ch]                [ch]Am[/ch]\r\nAnd there we were all in one place[/tab]\r\n[tab]  [ch]C[/ch]          [ch]Am[/ch]                  [ch]Em[/ch]               [ch]D[/ch]          [ch]Dsus4[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]Dsus2[/ch] [ch]D[/ch]\r\na generation lost in space, with no time left to start again[/tab]\r\n[tab]            [ch]G[/ch]      [ch]D/F#[/ch]    [ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]Am7[/ch]                 [ch]C[/ch]\r\nSo come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candlestick[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]Em[/ch]           [ch]A7[/ch]             [ch]D[/ch]\r\n'cause fire is the devil's only friend[/tab]\r\n[tab]     [ch]Em[/ch]*              [ch]D[/ch]*               [ch]Em[/ch]*                    [ch]D[/ch]*\r\nAnd as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage[/tab]\r\n[tab]   [ch]C[/ch]      [ch]G/B[/ch]    [ch]A7[/ch]         [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nNo angel born in Hell could break that Satan's spell[/tab]\r\n[tab]           [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]D/F#[/ch]      [ch]Em[/ch]             [ch]Am[/ch]              [ch]C[/ch]\r\nAnd as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]G[/ch]     [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]                [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D7[/ch]    [ch]G[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]G[/ch]       [ch]D[/ch]\r\nI saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died,   he was singin'[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]*  [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n\r\n\r\n[Verse 6]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]       [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nI met a girl who sang the blues[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]Am[/ch]                 [ch]C[/ch]               [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D/F#[/ch]     [ch]Em[/ch]\r\nI went down to the sacred store[/tab]\r\n[tab]       [ch]Am[/ch]              [ch]C[/ch]                        [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]C[/ch]\r\nWhere I'd heard the music years before, but the man there said the music[/tab]\r\n[tab]          [ch]D[/ch]\r\nwouldn't play[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]Em[/ch]*                [ch]Am[/ch]*                    [ch]Em[/ch]*                  [ch]Am[/ch]*\r\nAnd in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]C[/ch]     [ch]G/B[/ch]      [ch]Am[/ch]          [ch]C[/ch]                     [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBut not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D/F#[/ch]  [ch]Em[/ch]           [ch]C[/ch]                      [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]               [ch]D/F#[/ch]       [ch]Em[/ch]                [ch]C[/ch]       [ch]D[/ch]     [ch]G[/ch]\r\nThey caught the last train for the coast the day the music died,[/tab]\r\nN.C.\r\nAnd they were singin'\r\n\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nBye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]A7[/ch]   [ch]Em[/ch]*                         [ch]D7[/ch]  [ch]D7sus2[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch] [ch]D7sus4[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch] [ch]D7sus2[/ch] [ch]D7[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die[/tab]\r\n[tab]                  [ch]G[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]        [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]D[/ch]\r\nThey were singin' bye, bye Miss American Pie[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]            [ch]C[/ch]             [ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]\r\nDrove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry[/tab]\r\n[tab]         [ch]G[/ch]        [ch]C[/ch]                  [ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]\r\nAnd them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye[/tab]\r\n[tab]        [ch]C[/ch]                [ch]D7[/ch]         [ch]G[/ch]   [ch]C[/ch]   [ch]G[/ch]\r\nSingin' this will be the day that I die[/tab]","plain_text":"* = strum once\nThe C minor chord which is played in verse 4 may be a mistake but it is on the recording.\n\n\n[Verse 1]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 2]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 3]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 4]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 5]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 6]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nN.C.\nAnd they were singin'\n\n\n[Chorus]","chords":["C","G","D/F#","Em","A","Am","D","Dsus4","Dsus2","G/B","A7","D7","D7sus2","D7sus4","Am7","Cm"],"chord_diagrams":{"A7":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,1,0,2,0],"frets":[-1,0,2,0,2,0]},"Am":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,2,3,1,0],"frets":[-1,0,2,2,1,0]},"Am7":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,2,0,1,0],"frets":[-1,0,2,0,1,0]},"C":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,3,2,0,1,0],"frets":[0,3,2,0,1,0]},"Cm":{"barres":[3],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,1,3,4,2,1],"frets":[-1,3,5,5,4,3]},"D":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,1,3,2],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,3,2]},"D7":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,2,1,3],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,1,2]},"D7sus4":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,2,1,3],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,1,3]},"Dsus2":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,1,2,0],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,3,0]},"Dsus4":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,1,2,3],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,3,3]},"Em":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,2,3,0,0,0],"frets":[0,2,2,0,0,0]},"G":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[2,1,0,0,0,3],"frets":[3,2,0,0,0,3]},"G/B":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,1,0,0,0,2],"frets":[-1,2,0,0,0,3]}}}