American Pie (ver. 2)
View chords used in this chart
G C Em
A long long time ago...
Am Em
I can still remember
C D (D9 D D4 D
How that music used to make me smile
G C Em
And I knew if I had my chance
Am Em
That I could make those people dance
Em C D
And maybe they?d be happy for a while
G C Em
But february made me shiver
Am Em
With every paper I?d deliver.
Em C D
Bad news on the doorstep
C D Same for all the verses.
I couldn?t take one more step
G D/F# Em
I can?t remember if I cried
Am C
When I read about his widowed bride
G D/F# Em
But something touched me deep inside
C D G
The day the music died
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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Did you write the book of love
Am C
And do you have faith in God above
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
If the Bible tells you so?
G D/F# Em
Do you believe in rock ?n roll
Am C
Can music save your mortal soul
Em C 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 Em7/B Am
You both kicked off your shoe
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
But I knew I was out of luck
C D G
The day the music died
I started singin?
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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Now for ten years we?ve been on our own
Am C
And moss grows fat on a rollin? stone
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
But that?s not how it used to be
G D/F# Em
When the jester sang for the king and queen
Am C
In a coat he borrowed from james dean
Em Am 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 Em7/B Am
The courtroom was adjourned
C D
No verdict was returned
G D/F# Em
And while lenin read a book of marx
Am C
The quartet practiced in the park
G D/F# Em
And we sang dirges in the dark
C D G
The day the music died
We 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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
Am C
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 Am 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 Em7/B Am
We all got up to dance
C D
Oh 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/F# Em
Do you recall what was revealed
C D G
The day the music died?
We started 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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Oh and there we were all in one place
Am C
A generation lost in space
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
With no time left to start again
G D/F# Em
So come on: jack be nimble jack be quick!
Am C
Jack flash sat on a candlestick
Em Am 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 Em7/B Am
No angel born in hell
C D
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
I saw satan laughing with delight
C D G
The day the music died
He was 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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
I met a girl who sang the blues
Am C
And I asked her for some happy news
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
But she just smiled and turned away
G D/F# Em
I went down to the sacred store
Am C
Where I?d heard the music years before
Em Am D
But the man there said the music wouldn?d play
Em D
And in the streets: the children screamed
Em D
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
C Em7/B Am
But not a word was spoken
C D
The church bells all were broken
G D/F# Em
And the three men I admire most
Am C
The father son and the holy ghost
G D/F# Em
They caught the last train for the coast
C D G
The day the music died
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 G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D )
This?ll be the day that I die
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 G D
Them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
C D G C G
Singin? This?ll be the day that I d--i--e!! (The Best!!)
How to play American Pie (ver. 2)
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.