American Wake
View chords used in this chart
Afinação: E A D G B ECapotraste: Sem capotraste
[Intro]
Em C G D Em C G D 2x
[Verse 1]
Em C G D
In the year of forty seven
Em C G D
a new tradition came home
Em C G D
From necessity came a brand new name
Em C G D
For the hunger that stalked their bones
Em C G D Em C G D
[Verse 2]
Em C G D
They got their affairs in order
Em C G D
And gathered their friends around
Em C G D
What was left of the food and the whiskey too
Em C G D
Was rounded up from this town
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Em
Well they listened to the lies and the stories
G C
A last chance to look them in the eye
G Am Em
Like a walking corpse behind the horse
C D
And you didn’t even get to die
[Chorus 1]
C G D G
An American Wake was all they had
C G Em
They never went back to their native land
G C
They left to find a place to stand
G C D
With everything they could take
C Am
But first they had to face their American Wake
Em C G D Em C G D
[Verse 3]
Em C G D
Well the Brits all said it was coming
Em C G D
The famine was willed by God
Em C G D
The Tory crimes of the London Times
Em C G D
Sent many to die in the fog
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Em
Some gave gifts for the journey
G C
Some only had tears and a prayer
G Am Em
An eleven week ride when they caught the tide
C D
If they even lived halfway there
[Chorus 2]
C G D G
An American Wake was all they had
C G Em
They never went back to their native land
G C
They left to find a place to stand
G D
With everything they could take
C D
But first they had to face their American Wake
Am Em C D
Am Em C D
[Verse 4]
Em C G D
Then a jig was danced, a one last chance
Em C G D
For the father to face the son
Em C G D
As the keener wailed they could count the sails
Em C G D
In the rising of the sun
[Pre-Chorus 3]
Em
There were blessings and toasts, they buried old ghosts
G C
And they drank to the now and then
G Am Em
As the minutes passed by they tried to deny
C D
They would never see Ireland again
[Chorus 3]
C G D G
An American Wake was all they had
C G Em
They never went back to their native land
G C
They left to find a place to stand
G D
With everything they could take
C D Am Em C
But first they had to face their American Wake
D Am Em C
their American Wake
D Am Em C D
their American Wake
[Outro]
Am Em C D
How to play American Wake
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 E. 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.