American Pie
Don Mclean
0:000:00
Capo
G
 A long, long time ago
 I can still remember how thatG music used to make me smAmile
AmAnd I knew if I had Emmy chance that I could mDake those people dance
DAnd mayGbe they'd beEm happy for a Amwhile
AmBut FCebruary mEmade me shiCver
CWith everDy paper I'd deliver
DBaEmd news on theAm doorstep
AmI coEmuldn't take one more step
 I caCn't remember Amif I cried
AmWheCn I read about hisD widowed bride
DButG something toEmuched me deeCp inside
CThDe dayG the musEmic diedC
CSo bye-bDye, Miss AmerGican Pie
GDrove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was drCy
CAnd them goodG old boys wereD drinkin' whiGskey and rye
GSCingin' "ThGis'll be thDe day thatG I die
GThiCs'll bGe the Dday thEmat I die"
EmDid Ayou write the book ofEm love, and do you haveD faith in God above
DIf the BibGle tells youAm so?
AmNow do yoCu believe in rAmock and roll, Emcan music saveD your mortal soul
DAnd can yGou teach me Emhow to danceAm real slow?
CWell, I know that you'Emre in love with him
Em'ACause I saw you Ddancin' in the gym
DYou both kickedEm off your shoes
EmManD, I dig thosEme rhythm and blues
EmI Dwas a lonely teenCage broncin' bucAmk
AmWith a pink carnaCtion and a pickup Dtruck
DBut I knew IG was out of luck
EmThe dayAm the muCsic diGed
GI started sinEmgin' bye-bye, MisCs American Pie
CDroveD my Chevy to the levee,G but the leveCe was dry
CTheGm good old boys were drinkin' whisCkey and rye
CAnGd singin' "This'll be the day thaCt I die
CThGis'llD be tGhe daCy thaGt I dDie"
DNowEm for ten years we'Ave been on our own
EmAnd moss grows fatD on a rollin' stone
DBut that's not Ghow it used to bAme
AmWhen the jesteCr sang for the Amking and queen
AmIn a cEmoat he borroweDd from James Dean
DAnd a voiceG that cameEm from you aAmnd me
AmOh, and whileC the king wasEm looking down
EmThe Ajester stole hisD thorny crown
DThe courtroom wEmas adjourned
EmNoD verdict was Emreturned
EmAnd whiDle Lenin reaCd a book on Marx
CA quartetA practiced iCn the park
CAnd weD sang dirges inG the dark
GTheEm day theAm music Cdied
CWe wereG singin' bye-byEme, Miss AmCerican Pie
CDrove my ChevDy to the levee, bGut the levee was Cdry
CThem goodG old boys were drinkin' whiskey andC rye
CSingin'G "This'll Dbe the dayG that I diCe
CThis'Gll beD the Gday tChat IG die"
GHDelter sEmkelter in a sumAmer swelter
AThe biEmrds flew off with aD fallout shelter
DEight miles hGigh and falAmling fast
AmIt Clanded foul on theAm grass, the plEmayers tried for a forward pDass
DWith the jester on thGe sidelines iEmn a cast
EmNow tAmhe halftime Cair was sweetEm perfume
EmWhile tAhe sergeants played a Dmarching tune
DWe all got up to Emdance
EmOh, but wDe never got the Emchance
Em'Cause the pDlayers tried to Ctake the field
CThe marchAming band refusedC to yield
CDoD you recall what wasG revealed
GTheEm day theAm music dCied?
CWe starteGd singin' bye-byeEm, Miss American PCie
CDrove my Chevy to thDe levee, but the leveeG was dry
GThemC good old boys were driDnkin' whiskGey and rye
GAnCd singin' "ThGis'll be theD day that I Gdie
GThisC'll bGe theD day Gthat CI dieG"
GOh, and thereEm we were all in Aone place, a geEmneration lost inD space
DWith no time left to starGt again
GSo come oAmn, Jack be nimbCle, Jack be quiAmck
AmJack Flash sEmat on a candlesDtick
D'Cause fire is the dGevil's only Emfriend
EmOh, andAm as I watched Chim on the staEmge
EmMy hands were clAenched in fists of Drage
DNo angel born in Hell
DCoEmuld break thatD Satan's spell
DAnEmd as the flames climbDed high into the nigCht
CTo light the Amsacrificial ritCe
CI saw Satan lauDghing with dGelight
GThe dayEm the musAmic died
CHe was singin'G bye-bye, MissEm American Pie
EmDCrove my Chevy to the leveDe, but the levee was dry
DTGhem good old Cboys were drGinkin' whiskDey and rye
DAnGd singin' "TChis'll be tGhe day thatD I die
DThGis'llC be theD day thGat I die"
GI met a girl whEmo sang the blueAs, and I asked Emher for some haDppy news
DBut she just smiled Gand turDned away
DI wEment down to the sAmacred store where I'Cd heard the music yeEmars before
EmBut tDhe man there saGid the mEmusic wouldn't play
EmAnd inC the streets, the children screamed
CThe lovers cried, and the poets Ddreamed
DBut not a word was spEmoken
EmThe church bellAms all were broken
AmAnd the three men I admire most
AmThe Father, Son, and the HColy Ghost
CThey caughDt the last train for the coast
DThEme day the musDic died
DAnd they were singin' bCye-bye, MissD American Pie
DDrove Gmy Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
 And Gthem good oldC boys were driGnkin' whiskey Dand rye
DSingiGn' "This'll Cbe the day Gthat I die
GTDhis'll Gbe the Cday thaGt I dieD"
DThey werEme singin' bye-byAe, Miss American PEmie
EmDrove my Chevy to the Dlevee, but the levee was dry
DThem good old boys weGre drinkin' whCiskey and rye
GAnd sinDgin' ThGis'll Cbe the Gday thDat I diGe"
D
♪ instrumental ♪
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KeyG major
Tempo~120 BPM
How to play American Pie by Don Mclean on guitar
This song is a great one to learn because it has a familiar, singable feel and a steady groove that makes you feel like you are really driving the tune. At about 120 BPM, it sits in a comfortable beginner range, so you can focus on clean changes and keeping the rhythm even.
You only need open shapes here, so the left hand stays friendly and relaxed. The main thing to watch is the move through G, Am, Em, and D, since that change can feel quick at first. Keep your fingers close to the strings and aim for smooth transitions rather than perfect speed right away.
Start by looping G to Am, then add Em, then finish the full G-Am-Em-D cycle slowly. Once that feels steady, play along with the song and keep your strumming light and even. Build speed only after the chord changes feel automatic, and you will get it up to tempo without forcing it.
Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.
Looking for more? Browse the full guitar song library or explore chord diagrams.
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