American Pie by Don Mclean


Bass tablature for Don Mcleans American Pie

American Pie:  Second verse (typical of all verses...slight differences)

(Verse)    G                    Am             C                   Am
G------------------------------------------4---5----------5-----4------------
D----------5-------5-5----------7-----7-7-----------5--------------7---------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------
...Now for ten years we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a rollin'

  Em                          D            
-----------------9------------7----7-------7-5-4-----------------------------
----7-5------7/9---9------------------7----------7-5-4-----------------------
-7------7--7-------------------------------------------7----5----------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  stone but that's not how it used to be...            When the

  G      D            Em                  Am7                C
------------------------------------------------------------4-5-------------5
--5---5--4--------------------------------7---------7--------------------5---
----------------------7--------7---------------7-----------------------------
---------------------------7-----7---5---------------------------------------
  Jester sang for the King and Queen in a coat he'd borrowed from James Dean

        Em              A7            D
--4--------------------------------------------------4-7-------4-7-4---4-----
----7-5-----------------7-------7-5-4------------4-7-------4-7-------7-------
--------7-----7-7-------------7-------7-------5----------5-------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  and a voice      that came     from you and me                     Oh and

  Em                 D                 Em               D
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--7------------------5-----------------7----------------5--------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  While the King was looking down, the Jester stole his thorny crown    

      C          G   A7                    C              D7
--5---5-----5--4---4-----------------------------2-5-2---2-------4-7---------
---------------------7----------7--5---5-----2-5-------5-----4-7-------------
------------------------------7------7-----3---------------5-----------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  The court room was adjourned...          no verdict was returned...

            G     D     Em                     Am               C
-------------------------------------7-9p7-----------------------4--5----5-4-
--------4---5-----5-4--4---------7/9-------9---7-------7-7-------------5-----
--5---7------------------7----7----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  And while Lenin read a book of Marx      the quartet practiced in the park

      G       D      Em                  C
-------------------------------7-9p7-----5--5-5---5---6/7-7-6/7-7-6/7-7-6/7-7
--7---5-----5-4----4-------7/9-------9---------------------------------------
---------------------7--7----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  and we sang dirges in the dark     The day      the music 

  G       C         G       D     (Chorus) G       C        G        D
-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------
--5-5-5-5-----2-5---5-5-5-5-----2-4------|-5-5-5-5-----2---5-5-5-5-5---------
----------3-3---------------5-5----------|---------3-3---------------5-5-----
-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------
  died...               We were singing... Bye     bye Miss American pie

          G            C            G        D          G       C
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2-----4--5-5---5--5--------2---5---5-5-5-5------2-4----5-5-5-5--------------
-----------------------3-3-------------------5-5-----------------3----3------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry   them good old boys were

         G              D           Em                        A7
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2---5---5---5---5---5------4---7-----------------------------7--------------
------------------------5-5---------7----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 drinkin whiskey and rye -- singin' this'll be the day that I die...

 Em                        D7                     (Start Of Verse)
-------------------------------------7-7--5-5--4-4-------|-------------------
----------------------------------------------------7-7--|---5---------------
-7-------------------------5-----5-5---------------------|-------------------
---------------------------------------------------------|-------------------
 this'll be the day that I die...

Notes: Timing is approximate, you'll need to listen to the recording.
       p = pull, / = slide up.  Other verses follow a similar although
       slightly different pattern but this one is representative of
       them all.

       Drop me a line at maclark@texhoma.net if you have any questions
       or comments.  Enjoy!

-- Mark


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