G     D        Em      
A long, long time ago__   
Am             C              Em                     D
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile.__
    G         D     Em             Am                 C  
And I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people dance 
    Em               C           D
and maybe they'd by 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              C       D7       G   C  G
Something touched me deep inside the day_ the music  died._____ 
 
Chorus:
        G    C         G       D           G             C            
.   So bye-bye, Miss American Pie.Drove my Chevy to the levee but the 
     G         D         G        C                  G          D     
.   levee was dry, them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and Rye, singing
    Em                        A7      Em                         D7
.   this'll be the day that I die,    This'll be the day that I die.__

verse:
G                 Am ,                 C                 Am      
Did you write the book of love and do you have faith in God above?__ 
       Em               D           G      D       Em                 
If the Bible tells you so__  Now do you believe in rock and roll?  
    Am              C               Em                       A7           D7
Can music save your mortal soul? and can you teach me how to dance_ real slow?
        Em                 Am                     Em              Am         
Well I know that you're in love with him 'cause I saw you dancing 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 pick-up truck.
    G      D     Em               C        D7     G  C  G 
But I knew I was out of luck the day, the music died.___ 
G           D7
I started singing....     (chorus)
 

         G                    Am ,            C                   Am      
Now for ten years, we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a rolling stone,
Em                            D                   G     D            Em  
But that's not how it used to be.Cause when the jester sang for the King & 

Queen
     Am                C                    Em                   A7      D7
in a coat he borrowed from James Dean and a voice that came from you and me__
        Em                 Am                  Em               Am  
Oh and while the king was looking down    the jester stole his thorny crown
_    C          G     A7         C            D7     
the court room was adjourned no verdict was returned.
           G      D     Em                      Am              C
And while Lennon read a book on Marx      the quartet practiced in the park 
G            D     Em              C            D7      G  C  G 
and we sang dirges in the dark the day__    the music  died__ 
G           D7
I started singin'      (chorus) 
 
Chorus:
        G    C         G       D           G             C            
.   So bye-bye, Miss American Pie.Drove my Chevy to the levee but the 
     G         D         G        C                  G          D     
.   levee was dry, them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and Rye, singing
    Em                        A7      Em                         D7
.   this'll be the day that I die,    This'll be the day that I die.__

.
G              Am ,                         C                    Am      
Helter skelter in the summer swelter_ the birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Em                           D           G          D       Em 
Eight miles high and falling fast__  it landed foul on the grass
     Am                   C                   Em                      A7      D7
The players tried for a forward pass with the jester on the sidelines in a cast_
    Em                 Am                      Em                 Am 
The half time air was sweet perfume while the seargeants played a marching tune
_  C      G       A7              C              D7     
we all got up to dance___  but we never got the chance.   'Cause 
     G        D      Em                       Am              C
the players tried to take the field, but the marching band refused to yield
 G       D        Em                       C        D7    G  C  G 
Do you recall what was revealed  _____ the day the music died.
G         D7
I started singin'      (chorus)

.
    G                 Am ,              C           Am      
And there we were all in one place,  A generation lost in space.
    Em                       D                   G      D       Em 
With no time left, to start again. So come on, Jack be nimble, jack be quick,
Am                  C                     Em          A7            D7
Jack flash sat on a candlestick.   'Cause fire is the devil's only friend.
    Em               Am               Em                     Am  
And as I watched him on the stage  my hands were clenched in fists of rage.
   C     G       A7              C                 D7     
no angel born in hell__   could break that satan's spell
   G        D             Em                      Am            C
And as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite
G      D              Em                 C        D7     G   C  G 
I_ saw Satan laughing with delight,  the day the music died.    
G          D7
we were singin'     (chorus)

.
   G     D       Em                
I met a girl who sang the blues so 
   Am                  C            Em                                D 
I asked her for some happy news but she just smiled__    and turned away.
  G     D          Em                      Am              C 
I went down to the sacred store.  Where I heard the music years before.__
        Em                 C              D
But the man there said the music wouldn't play.__     And
Em                  Am                    Em                   Am    
in the streets the children screamed, 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               Am7                 D  
And the three men I admire most:  the father, Son and the Holy Ghost__
      G          D         Em                 C       D7     G   C  G
They caught the last train for the coast the day, the music died.
G             D7                              C             D7         G C G
And they were singing:(chorus twice, ending: this'll be the day that I die)