[Verse 1]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em7</b>
A long, long time ago,
<b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em7</b>
And I knew if I had my chance,
<b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
That I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
Something touched me deep inside
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
The day the music died
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
So bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
[Verse 2]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
Did you write the book of love
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And do you have faith in god above, if the bible tells you so?
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
Do you believe in rock and roll
<b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Can music save your mortal soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow?
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Well I know that you're in love with him 'cuz I saw you dancin' in the gym
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
You both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died, I started singin'
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
[Verse 3]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
Now for ten years we've been on our own,
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
and moss grows fat on a rolling stone but that's not how it used to be
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
When the jester sang for the king and queen
<b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
in a coat he borrowed from James Dean in a voice that came from you and me
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Oh, and while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
And while Lennon read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
And we sang dirges in the dark the day the music died, we were singin'
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
[Verse 4]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
the birds flew off with a fallout shelter, eight miles high and fallin' fast
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
It landed foul on the grass
<b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
the players tried for a forward pass, with the jester on the sidelines in a cast
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching tune
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
'Cuz the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died, we started singin'
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
[Verse 5]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
And there we were all in one place,
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
stick, 'cuz fire is the devil's only friend
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
No angel born in Hell could break that Satan's spell
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
And as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died, he was singin'
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
[Verse 6]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
I met a girl who sang the blues
<b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b>
I went down to the sacred store
<b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">C</b>
Where I'd heard the music years before, but the man there said the music
<b class="chord">D</b>
wouldn't play
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am</b>
But in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">Am</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D/F#</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">Am7</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
They caught the last train for the coast the day the music died,
N.C.
And they were singin'
[Chorus]
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">A7</b> <b class="chord">Em</b> <b class="chord">D7</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
They were singin' bye, bye Miss American Pie
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
<b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">D</b>
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
<b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">D7</b> <b class="chord">G</b> <b class="chord">C</b> <b class="chord">G</b>
Singin' this will be the day that I die.