Year: 1971 -
Written by Don McLean
G C Em
A long long time ago...
Am Em
I can still remember
C D (D9 D D4 D
How that music used to make me smile
G C Em
And I knew if I had my chance
Am Em
That I could make those people dance
Em C D
And maybe they?d be happy for a while
G C Em
But february made me shiver
Am Em
With every paper I?d deliver.
Em C D
Bad news on the doorstep
C D Same for all the verses.
I couldn?t take one more step
G D/F# Em
I can?t remember if I cried
Am C
When I read about his widowed bride
G D/F# Em
But something touched me deep inside
C D G
The day the music died
G C G D
So bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Did you write the book of love
Am C
And do you have faith in God above
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
If the Bible tells you so?
G D/F# Em
Do you believe in rock ?n roll
Am C
Can music save your mortal soul
Em C D
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Em D
Well I know that you?re in love with him
Em D
`cause I saw you dancin? in the gym
C Em7/B Am
You both kicked off your shoe
C D
Man I dig those rhythm and blues
G D/F# Em
I was a lonely teenage broncin? buck
Am C
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
G D/F# Em
But I knew I was out of luck
C D G
The day the music died
I started singin?
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Now for ten years we?ve been on our own
Am C
And moss grows fat on a rollin? stone
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
But that?s not how it used to be
G D/F# Em
When the jester sang for the king and queen
Am C
In a coat he borrowed from james dean
Em Am D
And a voice that came from you and me
Em D
Oh and while the king was looking down
Em D
The jester stole his thorny crown
C Em7/B Am
The courtroom was adjourned
C D
No verdict was returned
G D/F# Em
And while lenin read a book of marx
Am C
The quartet practiced in the park
G D/F# Em
And we sang dirges in the dark
C D G
The day the music died
We were singing
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
Am C
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Em D
Eight miles high and falling fast
G D/F# Em
It landed foul on the grass
Am C
The players tried for a forward pass
Em Am D
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Em D
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
Em D
While the sergeants played a marching tune
C Em7/B Am
We all got up to dance
C D
Oh but we never got the chance!
G D/F# Em
`cause the players tried to take the field
Am C
The marching band refused to yield
G D/F# Em
Do you recall what was revealed
C D G
The day the music died?
We started singing
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D)
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
Oh and there we were all in one place
Am C
A generation lost in space
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
With no time left to start again
G D/F# Em
So come on: jack be nimble jack be quick!
Am C
Jack flash sat on a candlestick
Em Am D
Cause fire is the devil?s only friend
Em D
Oh and as I watched him on the stage
Em D
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
C Em7/B Am
No angel born in hell
C D
Could break that satan?s spell
G D/F# Em
And as the flames climbed high into the night
Am C
To light the sacrificial rite
G D/F# Em
I saw satan laughing with delight
C D G
The day the music died
He was singing
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D
This?ll be the day that I die
G D/F# Em
I met a girl who sang the blues
Am C
And I asked her for some happy news
Em D (D4 D D9 D)
But she just smiled and turned away
G D/F# Em
I went down to the sacred store
Am C
Where I?d heard the music years before
Em Am D
But the man there said the music wouldn?d play
Em D
And in the streets: the children screamed
Em D
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
C Em7/B Am
But not a word was spoken
C D
The church bells all were broken
G D/F# Em
And the three men I admire most
Am C
The father son and the holy ghost
G D/F# Em
They caught the last train for the coast
C D G
The day the music died
And they were singing
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
And them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
Em A7
Singin? this?ll be the day that I die
Em D (D9 D D4 D D9 D )
This?ll be the day that I die
They were singing
G C G D
Bye-bye miss american pie
G C
Drove my chevy to the levee
G D
But the levee was dry
G C G D
Them good old boys were drinkin? whiskey and rye
C D G C G
Singin? This?ll be the day that I d--i--e!! (The Best!!)
Full
key step up
Half
key step up
Half
key step down
Full
key step down
