Sentient Cement Coverpile - Don McLean

American Pie - Don McLean

   D     A    Bm7        Em           G                         Bm        (-->)A (4 A 9 A)
A long long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
          D      A Bm7                 Em                          G
And I knew if I had my chance, I could make those people dance
       Em7                     G               A (4 A 9 A)
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
      Bm         Em                             Bm             Em
But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver
G              D       Em            G                         A
Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step
D          A           Bm                 Em                 A
I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride
      D              A               Bm                  G         A7     D      G7   D
But something touched me deep inside the day the music died

                       D     G               D          A
{Refrain: So bye, bye Miss American Pie
                D                 G               D            A
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
               D             G                          D                A
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
           Bm                             E7 Bm                             A   A7
Singin' this'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die       }

D                         Em
Did you write the book of love
             G                      Em           Bm               A           A4 A
And do you have faith in god above if the bible tells you so
D              A        Bm                      Em                   G               A
Do you believe in rock and roll, can music save your mortal soul
Bm                              Em7                     A
And can you teach me how to dance real slow
           Bm                    A                           Bm                    A
Well I know that you're in love with him 'cuz I saw you dancin' in the gym
       G                 D/A          E7              G                              A7
You both kicked off your shoes, man I dig those rhythm and blues
            D        A         Bm                          Em                          G
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck
       D      A       Bm                   G          A7    D-G7-D         A7
But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died, I started singin'

[REFRAIN]

              D                              Em                     G                             Em
Now for ten years we've been on our own, and moss grows fat on a rolling stone
Bm                          A           A4 A
But that's not how it used to be
               D       A               Bm                         Em                        G
When the jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he borrowed from James Dean
       Bm           G                           A A4 A
In a voice that came from you and me
       Bm                     A                             Bm                A
And while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown
        G             D         E7         G                       A
The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned
                 D       A       Bm                         Em7                   G
And while Lenin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park
        D           A       Bm7                G          A7    D-G7-D                  A
And we sang dirges in the dark the day the music died, and we were singin'

[REFRAIN]

D                   Em                               G                             Em
Helter skelter in a summer swelter the birds flew off for the fallout shelter
Bm                           A
8 miles high and fallin' fast
    D        A   Bm                     Em                         G
It landed foul upon the grass, the players tried for a forward pass
              Em7            G                 A A4 A
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
             Bm                     A                                Bm                      A
Now at halftime there was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching tune
       G       D/A E7                 G                    A
We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance
                       D         A         Bm                      Em                     G
'Cuz when the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield
       D      A         Bm7                    G         A7    D-G7-D           A
Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died, we started singin'

[REFRAIN]

       D                         Em7               G       D/A Em
And there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space
         Bm                A            A4 A
With no time left to start again
                   D          A         Bm                  Em7                       G
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle stick
A       Bm7        Em7          A      A4 A
'cause fire is the devil's only friend
        Bm                     A                       Bm                              A
And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage
      G      D/A     Em7        G                          A7
No angel born in hell could break that Satan's spell
                 D                    A        Bm               Em7               G
And as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite
         D      A          Bm7                  G         A7    D-G7-D             A
I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died, and he was singin'

[REFRAIN]

D       A          Bm                         Em7                       G
I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news
       Bm7                     A
But she just smiled and turned away
   D              A      Bm7                             Em                   G
I went down to the sacred store where I'd heard the music years before
            Em7                     G                    A
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
      Bm                     A                              Bm                           A
But in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed
      G      D/A        Em7             G                             A
But not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken
             D             A    Bm7              Em7                         G
And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
         D             A           Bm                    G         A7     D-G7-D N.C.
They caught the last train for the coast the day the music died, and they were singin'
D     G               D          A                 D                 G               D            A
Bye, bye Miss American Pie drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
                D             G                         D               A
And them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
           G                A             D
Singin' this'll be the day that I die

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This extensive write-up is dedicated to my favorite pastor, Michael Doerr. Mike's the one who first played this song for me. He had to play it on a double-sided album you had to turn over in the middle of the song. Mike may be the kindest person I've ever known. Also pretty good at playing first base other than grounders . . . Anyway, thanks Ozzy!

This song helps me be a better American I think, or at least to better understand the American ethos and why it is worth fighting to preserve. Folks are still hanging around at those levies, Don. Farewells were/are a bit premature perhaps?