American Girl Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
There are only 2 guitar parts here. The first (Gtr1) - Mike
Campbell - is a slightly distorted electric, and plays way up the
neck generally. Don't be scared by the outro solo - its pretty easy.
The second (Gtr2) - I assume this Mr Petty himself - is a clean
electric, and consists mostly of open chords.
The transcription is taken from the March 94 edition of Guitar School
Have fun!
Paul Hutchinson
American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
= = Hold notes for duration shown
~ = Vibrato
h = Hammer-on
p = Pull off
^ = Bend up a full note
/ = Slide up to
x = Left hand muted percussive note
Intro:
Gtr1
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-10----10----10==================+=================+ |---------------------------------|-----------------| |-7-----7-----7===================|=================| |-0-----0-----0===================|=================| |---------------------------------|-----------------| +---------------------------------+-----------------+
|Gtr2 + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+-2--2------------+ |---------------------------------|-3--3--------3---| 0h2-----2-----2-----------2-------0h2--2--2-----2---| |-0-----0-----0-----------0-------|-0--0--0-----0---| |-0-----0-----0-------------------|-----------------| +---------------------------------+-----------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-10----10----10------10--10101010+-10101010--1010101010----10101010+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-7-----7-----7-------7---7-7-----|-7-7---7---7-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-| |-0-----0-----0-------0-----------|-0-----0---0---------0-----------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+-------------2-------------------+ |-------------3---------------3---|-------3-----3-------------------| 0h2-----------2-----------2-------0h2-----2-----2-----------2---2---| |-------0-----0-------------------|-0-----0-----0-------0---0---0---| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
Play the next 2 bars 6 times:
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-1010101010101010101010--10101010+-10101010--101010101010--10101010+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-| |-0-------------------------------|---------0-----------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-0---0-0-----0---0-0-0---0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0---0---0---| |/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5-----5-----5-------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
1st & 2nd Verses:
+-[+]5===[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]7===[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]10==[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]12==[+]====[+]====[+]====+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+-----------------+-----------------+-------3---------+--------5--------+ |-----------------|-----------------|-------3---------|--------5------0-| |-------2---------|-----------------|----0------------|-------------220-| |-0--0--0---------|-----------------|----0------------|-----------------| |-0--0------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0--0--0---------| +-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+
+-[+]5===[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]7===[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]10==[+]====[+]====[+]====+-[+]12==[+]====[+]====[+]====+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+-------3---------+-----------------+-------3---------+----0---5--------+ |----3--3---------|-----------------|-------3-----0---|----2---2--------| |-2--2--2---------|-----------------|----0--------0---|----2------------| |-0--0------------|-----------------|----0------------|-2---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------| +-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-12-12===============+-------2---------+-------3---------+ |-10-10===============|-----------3-----|-----------------| |---------------------|----2------------|----0------------| |---------------------|-0---------------|-------------4---| |---------------------|-----------------|-----------------| +---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------+-------2---------+-------3---------+ |-2--2--2-------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-2--2--2-------------|---------------0-|-0--0------------| |-2--2--2-------------|-0--0------0-----|-----------------| |-0--0--0---------0h2-|----0------------|-----------------| +---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-------0---------+-------5--------5+-------5---------+ |----0------------|-------5--------5|-------5---------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-2-------------0-|-----------------|-2--2------------| |-----------------|-0--0------------|-0--0------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+-0---------------+-------5---------+-----------------+ |----0--------0---|----2--5---------|-----------------| |-------------0---|----2--2---------|-----------------| |-------2---------|-2--2--2---------|----2------------| |-----------------|-0--0--0---------|-0--0--0-----0---| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-----------------+-----------------+ |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-2---------------|-------2---------| |-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---0-2---| +-----------------+-----------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+-----------------+-----------------+ |-------5---------|-2--2--2---------| |-------2---------|-2--2--2---------| |-2--2--2---------|-2--2--2---------| |-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---------| +-----------------+-------------0-2-+
Chorus:
Gtrs 1+2
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-------3-------------+-------5-------------+-------2-------7-+ |-------3-------------|-------5-------------|----3----------7-| |----0----------------|---------------------|----2------------| |---------------------|-2-------------------|-0--0------------| |---------------0h2---|-0--0------------0h2-|-----------------| +-3-------------------+---------------------+-----------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-----7-----7---------+-------3---------+-------5---------+ |-------------7-------|-------------0---|-------5---------| |-9-^---9^------9p7---|-0--0------------|-----------------| |---------------------|-0--0------------|-2--2------------| |---------------------|-----------------|-0--0------------| +---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+
Play F# notes in brackets 1st time only
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-10101010----10----10----10101010+-1010--10----10101010----10------+ |(7-7-7-7-----7-----7-7)--7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---| |-7-------------------7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---| |-0-------------------------------|---------------------0---0-------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-0---0-0---0-0-------0---0---0-0-|-0---0-0---0-0-----0-0---0---0---| |/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5----------/5-------5---5---5---| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
Go back and repeat verse and chorus sections
Interlude:
(Gtr1 - Slight Palm Muting)
Play the next 2 bars 3 times before moving on
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|-------------7-------------------| |-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-5-6-7~~-----| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------x---5-------------------| +-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5-------------------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-----7-------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-x-x-x-x-----| |---------------------------------|-----------------------------x-x-| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5---x-5-------------------+
Play the next 2 bars 6 times altogether
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+-10----10----10----1010--101010--+-10101010----1010101010--10101010+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-7-----7---7-7---7-7-7---7-7-7---|-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-| |-0-------------------------------|-------------------------0-------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |---------------------------------|---------------------------------| |-0---0-0---0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0-0-|-0---0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0-0-| |/5----------/5-------------------|/5----------/5-------------------| +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
Outro Gtr Solo:
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+ |-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+ |-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
+----14-----14----+----14-----14--14+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+ |-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| + + + + | + + + + | + + + + | + + + + |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+ |-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------| +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
Repeat the last 4 bars to fade
Gtr1
+---------------------------------------------------------+ |-10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7----10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7---| |------7------7------7------7------7------7------7------7-| |---------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------| +---------------------------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------------------------+ |-12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---| |------9------9------9------9------9------9------9--------| |---------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------| +---------------------------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------------------------+ |-15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--| |------12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12| |---------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------| +---------------------------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------------------------+ |-17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--| |------14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14| |---------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------| +---------------------------------------------------------+
Enjoy!
==============================================================
American Girl
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tabbed by: Natty Morrison (yeah im a guy asshole, just a weird name)
m_natty2@hotmail.com
This is just the main riff of the song, i hope to have the solo up sometime soon.
Ok the song opens up with an open D chord, not barred, open chord.
He strums that while the bass line enters and plays. Then the main
riff goes : D E G A
[D]Well she was an a[E]merican girl
[G]raised on p[A]romises....and so on like that with all the lyrics
the chourus then comes in with a slightly different riff:
G A D E.... I've noticed that this riff works slightly
better if the chords are played barred. So when playing it u play the
G and A chords on the 3 and 5 fret positions, then move for both the
D and E chords to the 5 and 7 fret positions, making them root fifth
chords
[G]Oh yeah
[A]All right
[D]Make it easy baby[E]
[E]Make it last all night (make it last all night)
[G]She was
A (open) D struming.
An american girl
Thats it! Simple. Im probably wrong so if i am just email me @
m_natty2@hotmail.com
Important: The song above is NOT stored on the Chordie server. The original song is hosted at www.xguitar.com. Chordie works as a search engine and provides on-the-fly formatting. Chordie does not index songs against artists'/composers' will. To remove this song please click here.
