Released in 1971, “American Pie” is a song by American musician Don McLean. It became chart-topping hit in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK.
It hit #1 again in 2000 when Madonna released her cover version.
I hope you enjoy practising the the letter notes below, it’s a fun one to play (though I tend to jump to the chorus :P)
D ^D ^D ^D B-G
A long long time ago
^C B ^C ^C-B-A G
I can still remember how
F# G-F# G F# G F# D
That music used to make me smile
D ^D ^D ^D ^D ^D ^D ^E G
And I knew if I had my chance
G A B ^C B A – B ^C
That I could make those people dance
A G – E G E G – E G B A
And maybe they’d be happy for a while
E B-B-B-B ^C B G-A
But February made me shiver
B B-B B-B ^C B-G-E
With every paper I’d deliver
G F# G F# E – G
Bad news on the doorstep
A G – A B ^E ^D B
I couldn’t take one more step
B ^E ^D-^D-B ^C B G
I can’t remember if I cried
E E A B-^C B A – B ^C
When I read about his widowed bride
B – B B B B B-A-G
Something touched me deep inside
E E G ^C-B G
The day the music died
D ^D ^C ^C B-B-A-G A
So bye-bye Miss American Pie
^D ^D ^D-^D ^D ^C ^C-^C
Drove my Chevy to the levee
^C B B-A G D
But the levee was dry
^D ^D ^D ^C
Them good old boys
^C ^C – B B – A G A
Were drinking whiskey and rye
B – A G – E G E G F# E A
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
G – E G E G F# E E-D
This’ll be the day that I die…
^D ^E ^D ^D ^D ^C B-A
Did you write the book of love
A B ^C B ^C B ^C B-G-A
And do you have faith in God above
G G G-F# G F# D
If the Bible tells you so?
^D ^E ^D-^D-B B ^D ^D ^D-^E
Do you believe in rock and roll?
B ^D-^C ^D ^C B-A ^D-^C
Can music save your mortal soul?
B G E G E
And can you teach me
G E G B B-^C-B-A-B
How to dance real slow ~ ?
B ^C ^E B B B ^C B ^D
Well, I know that you’re in love with him
^C B ^E B B-B ^C B ^D
‘Cause I saw you dancin’ in the gym
B ^C B A-G G B-A
You both kicked off your shoes
^G ^G ^G ^G ^G-^G ^A ^F#-^D
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
^B ^G ^E ^G-^D
I was a lonely
^D-^D-B ^D-^D ^E
Teenage broncin ‘ buck
B B A B-^C-A
With a pink carnation
^C B ^D-B A-B
And a pickup truck
B B ^G-^E ^D ^D ^D-^E ^D B
But I knew I was out of luck
G G B ^C-B G
The day the music died
^D ^D-^D ^E-^D
I started singin’
^D ^C ^C B-B-A-G A
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
^D ^D ^D-^D ^D ^C ^C-^C
Drove my Chevy to the levee
^C B B-A G D
But the levee was dry
^D ^D ^D ^C
Them good old boys
^C ^C – B B – A G A
Were drinking whiskey and rye
B-A G – E G E G F# E A
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
G – E G E G F# E E-D
This’ll be the day that I die….