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American Pie

Don McLean
 GDEm7AmC
A long long time ago I can still remember
 EmDGDEm7
how that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance
 AmCEmCDEm
that I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while.
 AmEmAm
But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver
 CGAmCD
 Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step
 GDEmAm7D
I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride
 GDEmCD7GCG
But something touched me deep inside The day the Music Died               So

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GAmCAm
 Did you write the book of love And do you have faith in God above?
 EmDGDEm
   If the Bible tells you so.  Do you believe in Rock 'n Roll?
 Am7CEmA7D
Can music save your mortal soul? And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
 EmDEmD
Well, I know that you're in love with him 'cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
 CGA7CD7
You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rythmny blues
 GDEmAmC
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck.
 GDEmCD7GCG
But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died       I started singin'  

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GAmCAm
 Now for ten years we've been on our own And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
 EmDGDEm
   But that's not how it used to be When the jester sang for the King and Queen
 Am7CEmA7D
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean And a voice that came from you and me
 EmDEmD
Oh, and while the King was looking down The jester stole his thorny crown
 CGA7CD7
The courtroom was adjourned No verdict was returned
 GDEmAmC
And while Lennon read a book of Marx The court kept practice in the park
 GDEmCD7GCG
And we sang dirges in the dark The day the Music Died.       We were singing

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GAmAmCAm
 Helter-Skelter in a summer swelter The Byrds flew off with a fallout shelter
 EmDGDEm
 Eight Miles High and falling fast It landed foul out on the grass
 Am7CEmA7D
The players tried for a forward pass But the jester's on the sidelines in a cast
 EmDEmD
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While the sargeants played a marching tune
 CGA7CD7
 We all got up to dance But we never got the chance
 GDEmAmC
'cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield
 GDEmCD7GCG
 Do you recall what was reveiled the day the Music Died?         We stared singing

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GAmCAm
 Oh, and there we were all in one place a generation Lost in Space
 EmDG
 With no time left to start again So come on, Jack be nimble
 EmAm7CEmA7D
 Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'cause fire is the Devil's only friend
 EmDEmD
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage
 CGA7CD7
 No angel born in hell Could break that Satan's spell
 GDEmAmC
And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrifical rite
 GDEmCD7GCG
I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the Music Died          He was singing

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GAmCAm
I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news
 EmDGD
But she just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store
 EmAm7EmA7D
Where I'd heard the music years before But the man there said the music woudn't play
 EmDEmD
And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
 CGA7CD7
 But not a word was spoken The Church bells all were broken
 GDEmAmC
And three men I admire most The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
 GDEmCD7GCG
They caught the last train for the coast The Day the Music Died.         And they were singing

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 EmA7EmD7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die this'll be the day that I die.

 GCGDGCGD
 bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levy But the levy was dry
 GCGD
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
 CA7GCG
Singin' this'll be the  day that I die.   



Corrected by howard bell. View original
A7 Am Am7 C D D7 Em Em7 G
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netzcoyote (report comment to admin): 
As described ba Jamie Humphries on LickLibrary
jackshadbolt (report comment to admin): 
surely its Lenin as in V.I Lenin not John Lennon who read a book on Marx see 4th verse. ta, Jack
bonedaddy (report comment to admin): 
great song, not too hard to play but it is "lenin read a book on marx, the quartet practised in the park"
pomroy (report comment to admin): 
http://www.russell-lawson.com/music/chordpro/DonMcLean_AmericanPie.cpm

Keep having to scroll up and down the page to find the chorus.

72.139.56.116
tantumonium (report comment to admin): 
No more scrolling for the Chorus, and the "Lenin" line is fixed as well. Enjoy!
tkb94 (report comment to admin): 
http://www.russell-lawson.com/music/chordpro/DonMcLean_AmericanPie.cpm

needs all the verses

64.6.6.13
lukebass (report comment to admin): 
Should be all set now. Happy Playing! :)
jester987 (report comment to admin): 
Re: Lenin/Lennon...

It's Lennon, as in John Lennon, as in the former Beatle who turned communist as is evident in the song 'Imagine', and who subsequently got a bullet in his head for the effort.



Furthermore, American Pie is about the feeling of a whole generation, you know, around the fifties and sixties... In that sense, a single line about a Russian dictator who died at the end of World War II doesn't make much sense.
lukebass (report comment to admin): 
O well. Can't make everyone happy. :)
Meltah (report comment to admin): 
The Verses go G to G/F# than Em Am C Em D After playing that twice you play Em Am Em Am G G/F# Em Am D G to G/F# than Em Am C  G/F# Em Am D Than to the chorus.
DMV523 (report comment to admin): 
Sorry I could never spell to well
scosio (report comment to admin): 
re: The Verses go G to G/F# then...





It actually sounds better if you go G  to  D/F#  then... as D and F# complement each other.



As well as C  to G/B  to Am.
headstock48 (report comment to admin): 
Hi. I think the official lyrics DO read "Lennon." However, perhaps McLean was making a play on words. He was obviously pairing Lenin and Marx, but like many of his lyrics, they are cryptic and/or filled with double meaning.
headstock48 (report comment to admin): 
To Jester987, yes, the lyrics read "Lennon" but it's certainly a double reference, both to John Lennon, as you said, and to Vladimir Lennon, who DID read the book of Karl Marx.
rgold711 (report comment to admin): 
also, its "the quartet practiced in the park"
Quotelawrence (report comment to admin): 
I totally enjoyed it as it is, thanks