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 if I had my chance, Am C That I could make those people dance Em C D and maybe they'd be happy for a while Em Am Em Am But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver C G Am C D Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step G D Em Am7 D I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride G D Em Something touched me deep inside C D7 G C G The day the music died Chorus G C G D So 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 Singin' this will be the day that I die, Em D7 this will be the day that I die VERSE 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 Do you believe in rock and roll Am7 C Can music save your mortal soul and can Em A7 D you teach me how to dance real slow? Em D Well I know that you're in love with him Em D 'cuz I saw you dancin' in the gym C G A7 You both kicked off your shoes, C D7 man I dig those rhythm and blues G D Em I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck with a Am C pink carnation and a pickup truck G D Em C But I knew I was out of luck the day D7 G C G the music died, I started singin' Chorus G C G D So 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 Singin' this will be the day that I die, Em D7 this will be the day that I die VERSE G Am Now for ten years we've been on our own, C Am and moss grows fat on a rolling stone Em D but that's not how it used to be G D Em When the jester sang for the king and queen Am7 C in a coat he borrowed from James Dean in Em A7 D a voice that came from you and me Em D And while the king was looking down, Em D the jester stole his thorny crown C G A7 C D7 The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned G D Em And while Lenin read a book on Marx, Am C the quartet practiced in the park G D Em And we sang dirges in the dark the C D7 G C G day the music died, we were singin' Chorus G C G D So 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 Singin' this will be the day that I die, Em D7 this will be the day that I die VERSE G Am Helter skelter in a summer swelter C Am the birds flew off with a fallout shelter, Em D eight miles high and fallin' fast G D Em It landed foul on the grass Am7 C the players tried for a forward pass, Em A7 D with the jester on the sidelines in a cast Em D Now at halftime there was sweet perfume, Em D while sergeants played a marching tune C G A7 C D7 We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance G D Em 'Cuz the players tried to take the field, Am C the marching band refused to yield G D Em Do you recall what was the feel the C D7 G C G day the music died, we started singin' Chorus G C G D So 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 Singin' this will be the day that I die, Em D7 this will be the day that I die VERSE G Am And there we were all in one place, C Am Em D a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again G D Em So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Am7 C Jack Flash sat on a candle Em A7 D stick, 'cuz fire is the devil's only friend Em D And as I watched him on the stage, Em D my hands were clenched in fists of rage C G A7 C D7 No angel born in Hell could bread that Satan's spell G D Em And as the flames climbed high into the night to Am C light the sacrificial rite G D Em C I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the D7 G C G music died, he was singin' Chorus G C G D So 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 Singin' this will be the day that I die, Em D7 this will be the day that I die LAST VERSE G D Em I met a girl who sang the blues Am C And I asked her for some happy news, Em D but she just smiled and turned away G D Em I went down to the sacred store Am C Where I'd heard the music years before, Em C but the man there said the music D wouldn't play Em Am But in the streets the children screamed, Em Am the lovers cried and the poets dreamed C G Am C D But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken G D Em And the three men I admire most, Am7 C D7 the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost G D Em They caught the last train for the coast the Am7 D7 G day the music died, D7 And they were singin' FINAL Chorus G C G D So 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 C D7 G C G Singin' this will be the day that I die.
I’ve found that the best way to learn GV’s songs is by watching her play on You Tube. You might have to hit pause and do some experimenting but she usually plays fairly EZ chords and Uke chords aren’t all that hard to finger out. And that’s why we LOVE THE UKE!
I love you Grace!
It’s one of her best I personally think☺☺☺☺
I know some of this wrong,but I still like playing it!!!!
When I found this song I ligit stood up and yelled YAAAASSSSZ!!!!! Grace Vanderwaal inspired me to play ukelele, so Grace, If you are reading this, thank you soooonmuch!!!!!
I really love this song! Does anybody have any tips for the fingering on the intro though? I’ve been trying to learn it for like forever and I’m still super confused.
Grace makes the best music its like she made her own genre it does not sound like pop or countrey or rock or rap or anything else if there was a name for her genre it would be called vanderwaal music.
Ok i used a strumming patter of d d d u d and improvised for everything else or anything shorter i used a 3 down
I love this song!
🙂