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Editorβs notes
In this lesson Iβll teach you how to play American Girl by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, from their debut 1976 self-titled album. This will be an acoustic lesson, showing you how to emulate the sound of the full-band song with a solo acoustic guitar. Iβll teach you how to imitate the intro sound, as well as chords & strumming needed for the verse and chorus sections. Thereβs also a breakdown riff Iβll teach which makes for a fun break before picking things back up for the ending. Best of luck, and enjoy!
Lyrics w/ chords
INTRO CHORD
E ββ10βββ <-- left pinky
B βββxβββ <-- muted by left index finger
G βββ7βββ <-- left index finger
D βββ0βββ
A βββββββ
E βββββββ
VERSE
D E
...Well, she was an American girl
G A
...Raised on promises
D E
...She couldn't help thinking that there
G A
Was a little more to life, somewhere else
PRE-CHORUS
A7 D
...After all it was a great big world
G Em
...With lots of places to run to
A
Yeah, and if she had to die... trying she
A7
Had one little promise she was gonna keep
CHORUS
G A
...Oh yeah... alright
D Bm
...Take it easy baby... make it last all night
G A D (w/ intro chord)
...She was... an American girl
Well, it was kinda cold that night
She was standing alone on her balcony
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441, like waves crashin' on the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God, it's so painful, something that's so close
Is still so far out of reach
Oh yeah, alright
Take it easy baby, make it last all night
She was... an American girl
BREAKDOWN
G . . . A . D . (see below for tab)
G . . . A . D .
G . . . A . D .
G . . . A . . . β D
OUTRO
(intro riff β verse chords with jam)
Intro chord
E ββ10βββ <-- left pinky
B βββxβββ <-- muted by left index finger
G βββ7βββ <-- left index finger
D βββ0βββ
A βββββββ
E βββββββ
Chords used in verse, pre-chorus, and chorus
E ββββ2ββββ0ββββ3ββββ0ββββ0ββββ2βββββ
B ββββ3ββββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ3βββββ
G ββββ2ββββ1ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ4βββββ
D ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ2ββββ4βββββ
A βββββββββ2ββββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ2βββββ
E βββββββββ0ββββ3βββββββββ0ββββββββββ
D E G A Em Bm
Walk-up and walk-down riff
"After all it was a great big world, with lots of places..."
e βββββ2ββ2β2β2ββββ2ββββββββ3ββ3β3β3βββββ3β3ββββ3β3ββββ0βββ
B βββββ3ββ3β3β3ββββ3ββββββββ3ββ3β3β3βββββ3β3ββββ3β3ββββ0βββ
G βββββ2ββ2β2β2ββββ2ββββββββ0ββ0β0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0ββββ0βββ
D βββ0βββββββββββ0ββββββββββ0ββ0β0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0ββββ2βββ
A ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββ2β2β2βββββ2β2ββββxβxββββ2βββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββ0β2β3ββββββββββββ3ββββββ2ββββββ0βββββ
D G G/F# Em
Interlude riff
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5h6h7βββ
D βββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ x3
A βββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββββββββββββββ5βββββββββββ
E βββ3βββ3βββ3βββββββxβxβββββ3h4h5βββ5βββ5βββββββββββββββ
G A D
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββ x1
A βββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββββββββββββββxβxβββββββββ
E βββ3βββ3βββ3βββββββxβxβββββ3h4h5βββ5βββ5βββxβxβββββββββ
G A
Good luck!
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