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The day the music died was February 3rd 1959, when Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash in Iowa.
[Verse 1]
A [C] long, [G] long [Am] time ago, [Dm] I can still [F] remember how that [Am] music used to make me [G] smile. And [C] I knew [G] if I [Am] had my chance, that [Dm] I could make those [F] people dance and [Am] maybe they'd be [F] happy for a [G] while. [Am] But February [Dm] made me shiver, [Am] with every paper [Dm] I'd deliver. [F] Bad news [C] on the [Dm] doorstep, I [F] couldn't take one [G] more step. I [C] can't [G] remember [Am] if I cried when I [Dm] read about his [G] widowed bride. But [C] something [G] touched me [Am] deep inside, the [F] day the [G7] music [C] died
{ CHORUS } - - - - - So [C] bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin' [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin' [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die
[Verse 2] - - - - - [C] Did you write the [Dm] book of love? And do [F] you have [Dm] faith in [Am] God above? [G] if the bible tells you so . . . Do [C] you [G] believe in [Am] rock and roll? Can [Dm] music [F] save your [Am] mortal soul, and [D7] can you teach me how to dance real [G] slow?
Well I [Am*] know that you're in [G*] love with him, 'cuz I [Am*] saw you dancin' [G*] in the gym. You [F] both kicked [C] off your [Dm] shoes, man I [F] dig those rhythm and [G7] blues. I was a [C] lonely [G] teenage [Am] bronckin' buck, with a [Dm] pink carnation and a [F] pickup truck. But I [C] knew [G] I was [Am] out of luck the [F] day the [G7] music [C] died, [F] [C] I started [G] singin'
{ CHORUS } - - - - - So [C] bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin' [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin' [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die
[Verse 3]
Now for [C] ten years we've been [Dm] on our own and [F] moss grows [Dm] fat on a rolling stone but [Am] that's not how it [G] used to be. When the [C] jester [G] sang for the [Am] king and queen in a [Dm7] coat he borrowed [F] from James Dean in a [Am] voice that [Dm] came from you and [G] me.
Oh, and [Am*] while the king was [G*] looking down, the [Am*] jester stole his [G*] thorny crown. The [F] courtroom [C] was [D7] adjourned, no [F] verdict was [G7] returned. And [C] while Lennin [G] read a [Am] book on Marx, the [Dm] quartet practiced [F] in the park. And [C] we sang [G] dirges [Am] in the dark the [F] day the [G7] music [C] died, [F] we were [G] singin'
{ CHORUS } - - - - - So [C] bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin' [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin' [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die
[Verse 4] [Verse 5] ( below) REFERENCE ONLY - DO NOT SING - Left out of Bistro version intentionally.
[Verse 6] SLOWLY - - - I [C] met a [G] girl who [Am] sang the blues, and I [Dm] asked her [F] for some [Am] happy news. [G] She just smiled and turned away. [C] I went [G] down to the [Am] sacred store Where I'd [Dm] heard the [F] music [Am] years before, but the [F] man there said the music wouldn't [G] play. But [Am*] in the streets the [Dm*] children screamed, the [Am*] lovers cried and the [Dm*] poets dreamed. But [F] not a [C] word was [Dm] spoken, the [F] church bells all were [G] broken. And the [C] three men [G] I admire [Am] most,
the [F] Father, Son, and the [G7] Holy Ghost had [C] caught the [G] last train [Am] for the coast the [F] day the [G7] music [C] died,
[ N.C. ] And they were singin'
{ CHORUS } - - - - - [C] Bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin' [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin' [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die
[CHORUS - - - speeding up to regular tempo] - - - - -
Singin' [F] this will be the [G] day that I [C] die [F] [C]
END
omitted lyrics from Plaza Club
[Verse 4] ( below)
[C] Helter skelter [Dm] in a summer swelter, the [F] birds flew off with a [Dm] fallout shelter, [Am] eight miles high and [G] fallin’ fast, It [C] landed [G] foul on the [Am] grass, the [Dm7] players [F] tried for a [Am] forward pass, with the [D7] jester on the [G] sidelines in a cast. Now the [Am*] half-time air was [G*] sweet perfume, while [Am*] sergeants played a [G*] marching tune. We [F] all got [C] up to [D7] dance, but we [F] never got the [G7] chance. ‘Cuz the [C] players [G] tried to [Am] take the field, the [Dm] marching [Fm] band [F] refused to yield. Do [C] you [G] recall [Am] what was revealed the [F] day [G7] the [C] music [F] [C] died, [G] we started singin’
{ CHORUS } – – – – – So [C] bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin’ [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin’ [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die.
[Verse 5] (below)
And [C] there we were all [Dm] in one place; a [F] generation [Dm] lost [Am] in space, with [G] no time left to start again. So come [C] on Jack be [G] nimble, [Am] Jack be quick, [Dm7] Jack Flash sat on a [F] candle, stick, ‘cuz [Am] fire is the [D7] devil’s only [G] friend, And [Am*] as I watched him [G*] on the stage, my [Am*] hands were clenched in [G*] fists of rage. No [F] angel [C] born in [D7] Hell could [F] break that Satan’s [G7] spell. And [C] as the flames [G] climbed high [Am] into the night to [Dm] light the [F] sacrificial rite. I saw [C] Satan [G] laughing [Am] with delight the [F] day the [G7] music [C] died, [F] he was [C] singin’ [G]
{ CHORUS } – – – – – So [C] bye, [F] bye Miss [C] American [G] Pie, Drove my [C] Chevy to the [F] levy but the [C] levy was [G] dry. Them [C] good old [F] boys were drinkin’ [C] whiskey and [G] rye, Singin’ [Am*] this will be the day that I [D7*] die, [Am*] this will be the [G7] day that I die
Audit Chords provided by Moselele
A [G] long [D] long [Em7] time ago I [Am] can still [C] remember
how that [Em] music used to make me [D] smile And I [G] knew if [D] I had my [Em7]chance
that [Am] I could make those [C] people dance and [Em] maybe they’d be [C] happy for a [D] while [Em]
But February [Am] made me shiver [Em] With every paper [Am] I’d deliver
[C] Bad news [G] on the [Am] doorstep I [C] couldn’t take one [D] more step
I [G] can’t [D] remember if I [Em] cried When I [Am7]read about his [D] widowed bride
But [G] something [D] touched me deep [Em] inside The [C] day the [D7] Music [G] Died [C] [G]So
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.
[G] Did you write the [Am] book of love And do [C] you have faith in [Am] God above?
[Em] If the Bible [D] tells you so. Do [G] you be[D]lieve in [Em] Rock ‘n Roll?
Can [Am7] music save your [C] mortal soul? And [Em] can you teach me [A7] how to dance [D] real
slow?
Well, I [Em] know that you’re in [D] love with him ’cause I [Em]saw you dancin’ [D] in the gym
You [C] both kicked [G] off your [Am7] shoes Man, I [C] dig those rythm’n [D7] blues
I was a [G] lonely [D] teenage [Em] broncin’ buck With a [Am] pink carnation and a [C] pickup truck.
But [G] I knew [D]I was [Em] out of luck The [C] day the [D7] music [G] died [C][G] I started [D] singin’
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.
[G] Now for ten years we’ve been [Am] on our own And [C]moss grows fat on a [Am] rollin’ stone
[Em] But that’s not how it [D] used to be When the [G]jester [D]sang for the [Em] King and Queen
In a [Am7] coat he borrowed [C] from James Dean And a [Em]voice that [A7]came from [D] you and me
Oh, and [Em] while the King was [D] looking down The [Em] jester stole his[D] thorny crown
The [C] courtroom [G] was ad[Am7]journed No [C] verdict was re[D7]turned
And while [G] Lennon [D]read a [Em]book of Marx The [Am] court kept practice [C] in the park
And [G] we sang [D] dirges [Em] in the dark The [C] day the [D7] Music [G] Died. [C][G] We were [D]
singing
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.[G] Helter-Skelter in a summer [Am]swelter The [C] Byrds flew off with a [Am] fallout shelter
[Em] Eight Miles High and [D] falling fast It [G] landed [D] foul out [Em] on the grass
The [Am7] players tried [C] for a forward pass But the [Em] jester’s [A7] on the sidelines [D] in a cast
Now the [Em] half-time air was [D] sweet perfume While the [Em] sergeants played a [D] marching tune
[C] We all [G] got up to [Am7] dance But we [C] never got [D7] the chance
’cause the [G] players [D] tried to [Em] take the field The [Am] marching band re[C]fused to yield
[G] Do you [D] recall [Em] what was revealed the [C] day the [D7] Music [G] Died? [C][G] We started [D]
singing
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.
[G] Oh, and there we were all [Am] in one place a [C] generation [Am] Lost in Space
[Em] With no time left to [D] start again So come on, [G] Jack be nimble
[Em] Jack be quick Jack [Am7] Flash sat on a [C] candlestick ’cause [Em]fire is the [A7] Devil’s only [D]
friend
Oh, and [Em] as I watched him [D] on the stage My [Em] hands were clenched in [D] fists of rage
[C] No angel [G] born in [Am7] hell Could [C] break that Satan’s [D7] spell
And as the [G] flames climbed [D] high into [Em] the night To [Am] light the sacri[C]fical rite
I saw [G] Satan [D] laughing [Em] with delight The [C] day the [D7] Music [G] Died [C] [G] He was [D]
singing
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.
[SLOW] I [G] met a girl who sang the [Am] blues And I [C] asked her for some [Am] happy news
But [Em] she just smiled and turned [D] away I [G] went down to the sacred [D] store
Where I’d [Em] heard the music [Am7] years before But the [Em] man there said the [A7] music woudn’t
[D]play
And in the [Em] streets the children [D] screamed The [Em] lovers cried, and the poets [D] dreamed
[C] But not a [G] word was [Am7] spoken The [C] Church bells all were [D7] broken
And [G] three men I [D] admire most The [Em] Father, [Am] Son and the [C] Holy Ghost
They [G] caught the [D] last train [Em] for the coast The [C] Day the [D7] Music [G] Died. [C][G]And they
were [D] singing
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye
Singin’ [Em] this’ll be the day that I [A7] die [Em] this’ll be the day that I [D7] die.
They were singin’
[G] bye [C] bye Miss [G] American [D] Pie Drove my [G] chevy to the [C] levy But the [G] levy was [D] dry
And them [G] good old [C] boys were drinking [G] whiskey and [D] rye Singin’ [C] this’ll be the [D] day
that I [G] die.
