America
Words and music by Paul Simon
As peformed by Simon and Garfunkel on the album Bookends
Play the F's with your thumb hooked over the neck for the bass note...
C Cmaj9 Am7 C (G bass)
3/4, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| | | | 3 |
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
F (with fills)
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1h3 1 1 1 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2h3 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| | | | |
| 1 | 1 | | |
Mmmmmm
1st time with fill 1
2nd time with fill 2
Verse 1
----- -
C Cmaj9 Am7 C (G bass)
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| | | | 3 |
Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes
F
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1h3 1 1 1 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2h3 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| | | | |
| 1 | 1 | | |
together
C Cmaj9 Am
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | |
I've got some real estate here in my bag
Am Em7
(with Fill 3)
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| | | 0 | 0 |
So we bought a pack of
A7 Em7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| | | 0 | 0 |
cigarettes and Mrs Wagner
A7 D C
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 3 3 3 3 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 0 | 0 | | 3 |
| | | | |
pies and walked off to
G C Cmaj9 Am7 C/G (w fill 4)
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| | 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 1 3 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 0 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| 3 | | | | 3 |
look for America
F
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1h3 1 1 1 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2h3 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| | | | |
| 1 | 1 | | |
Verse 2 (play as verse 1)
----- -
"Kathy," I said, as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now." <-=AA
(w fill 3)
G
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| | | | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
It took me four days to hitchike from Saginaw
D G D Cmaj7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 2 2 2 2 | 3 3 3 3 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 0 0 0 0 | 3 3 3 3 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 | 2 2 2 2 |
| | | | 3 |
| | 3 | | |
I've come to look for A-mer
C
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | | |
ica
Bridge
Bbmaj7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | |
Laughing on the bus playing
C
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | | | |
games with the faces
Bbmaj7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | |
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a
C
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | | | |
spy
F
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| | | | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
I said "Be careful, his bowtie is really a
C Cmaj9 Am7 C/G
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| | | | 3 |
camera
D9 Fmaj7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Verse 3 (play as verse 1)
----- -
"Toss me a cigarette I think there's one in my raincoat."
"We smoked the last one an hour ago."
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field.
Verse 4 (play as verse 2)
----- -
"Kathy, I'm lost", I said, though I knew she was sleeping
"I'm empty and aching and I don't know why."
G
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| | | | |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike. They've
D G D Cmaj7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 2 2 2 2 | 3 3 3 3 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 3 3 3 3 | 0 0 0 0 | 3 3 3 3 | 0 0 0 0 |
| . 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| . 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 | 2 2 2 2 |
| | | | 3 |
| | 3 | | |
All come to look for A-mer
D G D
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
| 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 . |
| 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 . |
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | | |
ica
Outro (repeat over and over) another guitar strums chords
C C/B Am7 C/G
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| (0) | | | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| | | | 3 |
Dm
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| | | 1 | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 1 3 |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| 0 | | | |
| | 3 | 2 | 0 2 |
| | | | 3 |
Fill 1
---- -
F C
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
Fill 2
---- -
F C (verse1)
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
Fill 3
---- - emulates
Am voices =AA Em7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
| | 0 0 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 3 1 | 0 |
| 0h2 | 0 0 0 | 0 |
| 0h2 | 2 0 2 | 0 |
| | 3 2 0 | 2 |
| | | 0 |
Fill 4
---- -
C/G F
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .