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