The Grave Don McLean
<br/> The Grave <br/> <br/> by Don McLean<br/> <br/> Taken from the album "American Pie" by Don McLean<br/> <br/> 24 February 1995<br/> <br/> This song isn't too hard to play I think. A nice combination of fingerpicking<br/> and strumming. Listen to album "American Pie" otherwise you haven't a chance.<br/> Comments and corrections are always welcome. The lyrics follow after the TAB.<br/> <br/> Good luck<br/> <br/> Lee Francis<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> The Grave (Don McLean)<br/> <br/> Intro:<br/> C E7<br/> e|-1p0-----------0-------------------------0-------------------------------0--<br/> b|------3-----------3--------------0h1--3-----3-------0-----------------3-----<br/> g|---------2-----------2--------0----------------0h2-----2-----------1--------<br/> D|------------0--------------2------------------------------------0-----------<br/> A|------------------------3------------------------------------2--------------<br/> E|----------------------------------------------------------0-----------------<br/> <br/> <br/> Verse:<br/> <br/> When the wars of our nation... A man barely...<br/> Am G C B E<br/> e|--------------------------------3-------------------------------------------<br/> b|----------1--1/3\1-p0--------------0/1\0------------------------------------<br/> g|-------2-----2/4\2-p0--------0----- 0/2\0--2--------0-----------0-----1------<br/> D|----2---------------------0---------------------2-----------0--------2------<br/> A|-0-------------------------------------------3-----------2------------------<br/> E|-----------------------3------------------------------------------0---------<br/> <br/> Proud of the trust... nation. He's gone.<br/> Am G C E A<br/> e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> b|----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> g|-------0--------0--------0--------1-----------------------------------------<br/> D|----2--------0--------2-----------2-----------------------------------------<br/> A|-0-----------------3-----------2------------------0-------------------------<br/> E|----------3-----------------0-----------------------------------------------<br/> <br/> But eternity knows... And it knows what we've done.<br/> E7<br/> e|------1p0-----0h1-----------------------1-----3----5--------------------0---<br/> b|-----------3----------------------------3-----5----6-----------------3------<br/> g|------------------------------------------------------------------1---------<br/> D|---------------------------------------------------------------0------------<br/> A|------------------------------------------------------------2---------------<br/> E|---------------------------------------------------------0------------------<br/> <br/> <br/> [Strumming part begins]<br/> <br/> And the rain fell like pearls on the leaves of the flowers.<br/> Am Bm/A D? E7<br/> e|---------0--------------0-------------0-------------0-----------------------<br/> b|-strum---1--------------3-------------0-------------3-----------------------<br/> g|---------2--------------4-------------7-------------1------ Repeat this ----<br/> D|---------2--------------4-------------7-------------0------ sentence 3 ----<br/> A|---------0--------------0-------------5-------------2------ times ----<br/> E|----------------------------------------------------0-----------------------<br/> .<br/> .<br/> <br/> As he held to his rifle and prayed not to die.<br/> C Dm E7<br/> e|--------0---------------------5-------------0-------------------------------<br/> b|-strum--1---------------------6-------------3-------------------------------<br/> g|--------0---------------------7-------------1-------------------------------<br/> D|--------2---------------------7-------------0-------------------------------<br/> A|--------3---------------------5-------------2-------------------------------<br/> E|--------3-----------------------------------0-------------------------------<br/> <br/> But the silence of night was shattered by fire.<br/> Dm Am Asus2...Am...<br/> e|----------1-----------------0----------------------0--0--0------------------<br/> b|-strum----3-----------------1----------------------0--1--0------------------<br/> g|----------2-----------------2----------------------2--2--2- Repeat this ----<br/> D|----------0-----------------2----------------------2--2--2- sentence 3 ----<br/> A|----------------------------0----------------------0--0--0- times ----<br/> E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> .<br/> .<br/> <br/> In a morgue of marines alone standing there.<br/> C Dm E7<br/> e|--------0----------------5--------------0-----------------------------------<br/> b|-strum--1----------------6--------------3-----------------------------------<br/> g|--------0----------------7--------------1-----------------------------------<br/> D|--------2----------------7--------------0-----------------------------------<br/> A|--------3----------------5--------------2-----------------------------------<br/> E|--------3-------------------------------0-----------------------------------<br/> <br/> He crouched ever lower, ever lower of fear.<br/> F Am<br/> e|--------1----------------------------------0--------------------------------<br/> b|-strum--1----------------------------------1--------------------------------<br/> g|--------2----------------------------------2--------------- Repeat this ----<br/> D|--------3----------------------------------2--------------- sentence 3 ----<br/> A|--------3----------------------------------0--------------- times ----<br/> E|--------1-------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> .<br/> .<br/> <br/> I'll cover myself - I know I'm not brave! The earth, the earth<br/> F E7 C Dm<br/> e|--------1-----------------------------0-------------------0-----------------<br/> b|-strum--1-----------------------------3-------------------1----------6------<br/> g|--------2-----------------------------1-------------------0----------7------<br/> D|--------3-----------------------------0-------------------2----------7------<br/> A|--------3-----------------------------2-------------------3----------5------<br/> E|--------1-----------------------------0-------------------3-----------------<br/> <br/> The earth is my grave.<br/> E7<br/> e|-------0--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> b|-------3--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> g|-------1--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> D|-------0--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> A|-------2--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> E|-------0--------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> <br/> [Strumming part ends]<br/> <br/> Solo:<br/> (Hint: Barre in 5 position, beware of tricky rythme)<br/> <br/> Am7 G <br/> e|--5--5--5--------------5--7-----5--------5--5--3----------------------------<br/> b|--------------------5-----------------------------------0--1-----0----------<br/> g|-----------------5-----------------5-----------------0--------0-----0h2-----<br/> D|--------------5--------------5--------------------0--------2-----0----------<br/> A|-----------7----------------------------------------------------------------<br/> E|--------5-----------------5-----------5-------\3----------------------------<br/> <br/> C <br/> e|--3-----------3--3--5-----3--------------------3--------------0-----0--0----<br/> b|-----------1--------------------6-----6-----6-----6-----6-------------------<br/> g|--------0--------------0-----3-----3--3--3-----------3-----3-----0----------<br/> D|-----2--------------5-----------------0-------------------------------------<br/> A|--3-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> <br/> E7 <br/> e|--0---------------3-----1-----0--0-------------0-----------------------0----<br/> b|--1------------1-----------------1----3-----------3-----0-----------0-------<br/> g|--2---------2--------2-----2-----2-------2-----------2--1--------1----------<br/> D|--3------3-----------------------3----------3-----------2-----2-------------<br/> A|--0---0--------------------------0------------------------------------------<br/> E|-----------------------------------------------------------0----------------<br/> <br/> [Repeat 1st verse picking pattern]<br/> <br/> <br/> Lyrics:<br/> <br/> The Grave (Don McLean)<br/> <br/> [Without guitar]<br/> <br/> The grave that they dug him had flowers<br/> Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colours<br/> And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone<br/> He's gone<br/> <br/> [Intro - guitar]<br/> <br/> When the wars of our nation did beckon<br/> A man barely twenty did answer the calling<br/> Proud of the trust that he placed in our nation<br/> He's gone<br/> But eternity knows him<br/> And it knows what we've done<br/> <br/> [Strumming begins]<br/> <br/> And the rain fell like pearls on the leaves of the flowers<br/> Leaving brown muddy clay where the earth had been dry<br/> And deep in the trench he waited for hours<br/> As held to his rifle and prayed not to die<br/> <br/> But the silence of night was shattered by fire<br/> As guns and grenades blasted sharp through the air<br/> One after another his comrades were slaughtered<br/> In a morgue of marines, alone standing there<br/> <br/> He crouched ever lower, ever lower of fear<br/> They can't let me die, they can't let me die here<br/> I'll cover myself with the mud and the earth<br/> I'll cover myself, I know I'm not brave!<br/> The earth, the earth, the earth is my grave<br/> <br/> [Solo]<br/> <br/> The grave that they dug him had flowers<br/> Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colours<br/> And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone<br/> He's gone<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> Lyrics & guitar transcribed by:<br/> <br/> Lee Francis Wilhelmsen<br/> Erlevn 4, Lye<br/> 4340 Bryne<br/> Norway<br/> <br/> francis@GRIBB.hsr.no<br/> francis@hsr.no<br/> 19(C)95<br/> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="breadcrumbs">
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