American Pie
View chords used in this chart
G D/F# Em Am C
1. A long long time ago I can still remember
Em D
How that music used to make me smile
G D/F# 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 Em Am
But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver
C G/B Am C D
Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step
G D Em Am D
I can't remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride
G D Em C D7 G C G
But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died
[Refrão]
G C G D
So, Bye Bye Miss American Pie
G C G D
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Em A7 Em D7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die.
G Am C Am
2. Did you write the book of love and do you have faith in God above?
Em D
If the Bible tells you so.
G D Em
Do you believe in Rock 'n Roll?
Am C
Can music save your mortal soul?
Em A D
And can you teach me 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/B Am
You both kicked off your shoes,
C D
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
G D/F# Em
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
Am C
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck.
G D/F# Em C D7 G C G
But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died I started singin'
(Chorus)
G Am
3. Now for ten years we've been on our own
C Am Em D
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone, 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 Em D
Oh, and while the King was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown
C G/B Am C D
The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned
G D Em Am C
And while Lenin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park
G D Em C D7 G C G
And we sang dirges in the dark, the day the music died. We were singing
(Chorus)
G Am
4. 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/F# Em
It landed foul on the grass
Am C
The players tried for a forward pass
Em A7 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 C D
We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance
G D/F# Em
'Cause the players tried to take the field
Am C
The marching band refused to yield
G D Em C D7 G C G
Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died? We stared singing
(Chorus)
G Am
5. 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 A7 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/B Am C D
No angel born in hell could break that Satan's spell
G D/F# Em
And as the flames climbed high into the night
Am C
To light the sacrificial rite
G D/F# Em C D7 G C G
I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died He was singing
(Chorus)
G D Em Am C
I met a girl who sang the blues 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 A 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 C D
But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken
G D Em Am C
And the three men I ad -mire most, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
G D/F# Em
They caught the last train for the coast,
C D G D
The day the music died And they were singing
[Refrão]
G C G D
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
G C G D
Drove my Chevy to the Levy but the levy was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
C D G C G
singin' this will be the day that I die.
bis
How to play American Pie
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is G. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.