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GUITAR CHORDS

American Pie

Don McLean
All-time classics Acoustic favorites Singer-songwriter & folk
KeyG
Capo—
LevelMedium
Transpose G 0
Text
Chord sheet
Chords are positioned above the lyric change point
* = strum once
The C minor chord which is played in verse 4 may be a mistake but it is on the recording.
 
 

Verse 1

 
GD/F#Em
A long, long time ago
AmCEmDDsus4DDsus2D
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
GD/F#Em
And I knew if I had my chance
AmCEmCDDsus4DDsus2D
That I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while
EmAmEmAm
But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver
CG/BAmCD
Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step
GD/F#EmCD
I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride
GD/F#Em
Something touched me deep inside
CDG
The day the music died
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
So bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7* Em* D7 D7sus2 D7 D7sus4 D7 D7sus2 D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
 
 

Verse 2

 
GAm
Did you write the book of love
CAmEmD
And do you have faith in God above, if the bible tells you so?
GD/F#Em
Do you believe in rock and roll
Am7CEmA7D
Can music save your mortal soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow?
  Em* D* Em* D*
Well I know that you're in love with him 'cuz I saw you dancin' in the gym
CG/BAmCD7
You both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues
GD/F#EmAmC
I was a lonely teenage bronckin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck
GD/F#EmCD7GCGD
But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died, I started singin'
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7* Em* D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
 
 

Verse 3

 
GAm
Now for ten years we've been on our own
CAmEmDDsus4DDsus2D
and moss grows fat on a rolling stone but that's not how it used to be
GD/F#Em
When the jester sang for the king and queen
Am7CEmA7D
in a coat he borrowed from James Dean in a voice that came from you and me
  Em* D* Em* D*
Oh, and while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown
CG/BA7CD7
The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned
GD/F#EmAmC
And while Lennin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park
GD/F#EmCD7GCGD
And we sang dirges in the dark the day the music died, we were singin'
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7* Em* D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
 
 

Verse 4

 
GAm
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
CAmEmD
the birds flew off with a fallout shelter, eight miles high and fallin' fast
GD/F#Em
It landed foul on the grass
Am7CEmA7D
the players tried for a forward pass, with the jester on the sidelines in a cast
  Em* D* Em* D*
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching tune
CG/BA7CD7
We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance
GD/F#EmAmCmC
'Cuz the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield
GD/F#EmCD7GCGD
Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died, we started singin'
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7* Em* D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
 
 

Verse 5

 
GAm
And there we were all in one place
CAmEmDDsus4DDsus2D
a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again
GD/F#EmAm7C
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
EmA7D
'cause fire is the devil's only friend
  Em* D* Em* D*
And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage
CG/BA7CD7
No angel born in Hell could break that Satan's spell
GD/F#EmAmC
And as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite
GD/F#EmCD7GCGD
I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died, he was singin'
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7* Em* D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
 
 

Verse 6

 
GD/F#Em
I met a girl who sang the blues
AmCEmD
And I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away
GD/F#Em
I went down to the sacred store
AmCEmC
Where I'd heard the music years before, but the man there said the music
D
wouldn't play
  Em* Am* Em* Am*
And in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed
CG/BAmCD
But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken
GD/F#EmCD
And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
GD/F#EmCDG
They caught the last train for the coast the day the music died,
N.C.
And they were singin'
 
 

Chorus

 
GCGD
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
  Em* A7 Em* D7 D7sus2 D7 D7sus4 D7 D7sus2 D7 
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
GCGD
They were singin' bye, bye Miss American Pie
GCGD
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
GCGD
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
CD7GCG
Singin' this will be the day that I die
End

How to play American Pie chords

This Chordsurf arrangement of American Pie by Don McLean is presented in the key of G. Use the transpose controls above the sheet to move every chord together while keeping the lyric-change positions aligned.

The page is set up for practice as well as quick reference: adjust the text size, use auto scroll when your hands are busy, or switch to focus mode for a cleaner playing view. The published arrangement uses 15 distinct chord shapes, including G, D/F#, Em, Am, C, D and others. You can also explore related material through All-time classics, Acoustic favorites, Singer-songwriter & folk.