Song Index Preview "American Pie" (to help remember the tune).

American Pie (Don McLean)

GDEmAmC
A long, long time ago, I can still remember
EmDG
how that music used to make me smile. And I knew
DEmAm
if I had my chance, that I could make those
CEmC
people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a
DEmAmEm
while. But February made me shiver, with every
AmCGAm
paper I'd deliver. Bad news on the doorstep, I
CDGDEm
couldn't take one more step. I can't remember if
Am7D
I cried when I read about his widowed bride.
GDEmC
Something touched me deep inside the day the
D7GCD7
music died
[chorus]:
    GCGD
    So bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove
    GCG
    my Chevy to the levee but the levee
     
    DGC
    was dry. Them good old boys were
    GDEm
    drinkin' whiskey and rye, singin' this
    A7Em
    will be the day that I die, this will
    D7
    be the day that I die.
GAmC
Did you write the book of love and do you
AmEmD
have faith in god above, if the bible tells you
GDEmAm7
so? Do you believe in rock and roll? Can music
CEm
save your mortal soul and can you teach me how
A7DEm
to dance real slow ? Well I know that you're
DEmD
in love with him 'cuz I saw you dancin' in
CGA7
the gym. You both kicked off your shoes, man I
CD7G
dig those rhythm and blues. I was a lonely
DEmAm
teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and
     
CGDEm
a pickup truck, but I knew I was out of luck
CD7GCD7
the day the music died, I started singin'
[chorus]
GAm
Now for ten years we've been on our own, and
CAm
moss grows fat on a rolling stone, but
EmD
that's not how it used to be. When the
GDEmAm7
jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he
CEm
borrowed from James Dean, and a voice that came
A7DEm
from you and me. And while the king was
DEmD
looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown.
CGA7C
The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was
D7GDEm
returned. And while Lenin read a book on Marx,
AmCG
the quartet practiced in the park, and we
     
DEmCD7
sang dirges in the dark the day the music
GCD7
died, we were singin'
[chorus]
GAmC
Helter skelter in a summer swelter the birds
AmEm
flew off with a fallout shelter, eight
DGDEm
miles high and fallin' fast. It landed foul on
Am7C
the grass. The players tried for a forward pass,
EmA7D
with the jester on the sidelines in a cast. Now
EmD
at halftime there was sweet perfume, while
EmDCG
sergeants played a marching tune. We all got up
A7CD7
to dance, but we never got the chance, 'cause
GDEmAm
the players tried to take the field, the
CGD
marching band refused to yield. Do you recall
     
EmCD7GC
what was revealed the day the music died, we
D7
started singin'
[chorus]
GAm
And there we were all in one place, a
CAmEm
generation lost in space, with no time left
DGDEm
to start again. So come on Jack be nimble, Jack
Am7C
be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle stick,
EmA7D
'cause fire is the devil's only friend.
EmDEm
And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were
DCGA7
clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell
CD7
could break that Satan's spell. And as the
GDEmAm
flames climbed high into the night to light the
CGDEm
sacrificial rite, I saw Satan laughing with
     
CD7GCD7
delight the day the music died, he was singin'
[chorus]
GDEmAm
I met a girl who sang the blues, and I asked her
CEm
for some happy news, but she just smiled and
DGDEm
turned away. I went down to the sacred store
AmC
where I'd heard the music years before, but the
EmCDEm
man there said the music wouldn't play. And in
AmEm
the streets the children screamed, the lovers
AmCG
cried and the poets dreamed, but not a word was
AmCD
spoken, the church bells all were broken. And
GDEmAm7C
the three men I admire most, the father, son,
D7GD
and the holy ghost, they caught the last train
EmAm7D7G
for the coast the day the music died, and
     
CD7
they were singin'
[chorus]
GCGDG
So bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to
CGDG
the levee but the levee was dry. Them good old
CGDC
boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye, singin' this
D7GCG
will be the day that I die.

American Pie (Don McLean)                             [chorus]                                              to start again. So come on Jack be nimble, Jack   
                                                                                                            be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle stick,       
A long, long time ago,   I can still remember         Now for ten years we've been on our own, and          'cause   fire is the devil's only friend.         
how that music used to make me smile. And I knew      moss grows fat on a rolling stone, but                And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were  
if I had my chance, that I could make those             that's not how it used to be. When the              clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell  
people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a         jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he       could break that Satan's spell. And as the        
while. But February made me shiver, with every        borrowed from James Dean, and a voice that came       flames climbed high into the night to light the   
paper I'd deliver. Bad news on the doorstep, I        from you and me. And while the king was               sacrificial rite, I saw  Satan laughing with      
couldn't take one more step. I can't remember if      looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown.      delight the day the music died, he was singin'    
I cried when I read about his widowed bride.          The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was                                                             
Something touched me deep inside the day the          returned. And while Lenin read a book on Marx,        [chorus]                                          
music died                                            the quartet practiced  in the park, and we                                                              
                                                      sang dirges   in the dark the day the music           I met a girl who sang the blues, and I asked her  
[chorus]:                                             died,  we were singin'                                for some happy news, but she just smiled and      
    So bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove                                                                    turned away. I went down to the sacred store      
    my Chevy to the levee but the levee               [chorus]                                              where I'd heard the music years before, but the   
    was dry. Them good old boys were                                                                        man there said the music wouldn't play. And in    
    drinkin' whiskey and rye, singin' this            Helter skelter in a summer swelter the birds          the streets the children screamed, the lovers     
    will be the day that I die, this will             flew off with a fallout shelter,   eight              cried and the poets dreamed, but not a word was   
    be the day that I die.                            miles high and fallin' fast. It landed foul on        spoken, the church bells all were broken. And     
                                                      the grass. The players tried for a forward pass,      the three men I admire most, the father, son,     
 Did you write the book of love and do you            with the jester on the sidelines in a cast. Now       and the holy ghost, they caught the last train    
have faith in god above, if the bible tells you       at halftime there was sweet perfume, while            for the coast the day the music died, and         
so? Do you believe in rock and roll? Can music        sergeants played a marching tune. We all got up        they were singin'                                
save your mortal soul and can you teach me how        to dance, but we  never got the chance, 'cause                                                          
to dance real slow ? Well I know that you're          the players tried to take the field, the              [chorus]                                          
in love with him 'cuz I   saw you dancin' in          marching band refused to yield.  Do you recall                                                          
the gym. You both kicked off your shoes, man I        what was revealed the day the music died,  we         So bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to  
dig those rhythm and blues. I was a lonely            started singin'                                       the levee but the levee was dry. Them good old    
teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and                                                             boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye, singin' this  
a pickup truck, but I  knew I was out of luck         [chorus]                                              will be the day that I die.                       
the day the music died,  I started singin'                                                                                                                    
                                                      And there we were all in one place, a                                                                   
                                                       generation lost in space, with no time left