Verse 1
[G] [D] [Em7]
A long, long time ago,
[Am] [C] [Em] [D]
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
[G] [D] [Em7]
And I know that if I had my chance,
[Am] [C] [Em] [C] [D]
That I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while
Instrumental
(absolute, not relative to capo)
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|----------16-------------|-------------------------|
G|-------15----15----------|-13-------------------15-| x4
D|-13-17----------17-13-17-|----17-13-15-13-17-13----|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
Verse 2
[G] [Am]
Did you write the book of love
[C] [Am] [Em] [D]
And do you have faith in God above, if the Bible tells you so?
[G] [D] [Em]
Now do you believe in rock and roll
[Am7]* [C] [Em] [A7] [D]
Think that music save your mortal soul if you will teach me how to dance real slow?
Verse 3
[Em] [D] [Em] [D]
Well, I know that you're in love with him 'cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
[C] [G] [A7] [C] [D7]
You both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues
[G] [D] [Em] [Am] [C]
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck
[G] [D] [Em] [C] [D7] [G] [C] [G]
But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died, I started singin'
Chorus
[G] [C] [G] [D]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
[G] [C] [G] [D]
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
[G] [C] [G] [D]
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
Instrumental
(relative to capo)
e|-------------------------|----------------------------|
B|-------------------------|----------------------------|
G|-------------------------|----------------------------| x2
D|-0--------0--------------|----------------------------|
A|-------------3--------3--|-2-h3p2p0-2--0--2--0--------|
E|-------------------------|----------------------------|
Verse 4
[G] [D] [Em]
I met a girl who sang the blues
[Am] [C] [Em] [D]
And I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away
[G] [D] [Em]
Then I went down to the sacred store
([G]) ([Am]) ([G]) ([C]) ([Em])
[Am] [C] [Em] [C]
Where I'd heard the music years before, but the man there said the music
[D]
wouldn't play
Verse 5
[Em] [Am] [Em] [Am]
Well, now in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cry and the poets dream
[C] [G] [Am] [C] [D]
But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken
[G]
[G] [D] [Em] [Am7] [C] [D7]
And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
[G] [D] [Em] [Am7] [D7] [G]
They caught the last train for the coast the day the music died,
[D7]
We started singin'
(Chorus x2)
[D7]
We started singin'
[D7]
We started singin'
[D7]
We started singin'
[D7]
We started singin'
