American Woman
Words & Music:
Randy Bachman; Burton Cummings;
Jim Kale & Gary Peterson (The Guess Who)
Per Gunther Anderson, if
you just want to play the "radio edit", skip the prologue and just
play E for the whole song (with an occasional E7 thrown in). If you want to be true to the whole
"album edit", I have included Don Shanty, Jr.'s great tab around the
lyrics below. Enjoy!
PROLOGUE:
Begining of the Intro:
The first chord sounds like a harmonic, the best I can do is form the
chord with the left hand, then tap the same shape one octave higher, directly
on the frets. There's got to be a
better way! [He's right. That is how you do this. There is no "better".]
e:--'0'--|
B:--'0'--|
G:--'1'--|
Section 1: Play
5 times.
B:--6--6--5--5--4--4--3------------------------------|
G:--7--7--6--6--5--5--4------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------5--5h7--5--5--5--5h7--5--5--|
E:-----------------------3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--|
[5th x only:] American woman gonna mess your mind.
Section 2:
Play 2 times.
e:------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--3--3--8--6--3---------------------------------------------|
G:--4--4--9--7--4---------------------------------------------|
D:------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------5--5h7--5--5--5--5h7--5--5-----------------|
E:-----------------3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3-----------------|
American woman, she gonna mess your mind.
American woman gonna mess your mind.
Section 3: Play
5 times.
e:-----------------------------------------------|
B:--3--3--8--6--3-------------13--15--15--15-----|
G:--4--4--9--7--4-------------14--16--16--16-----|
D:-----------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------5--5h7--5------------------5--|
E:-----------------3--3----3------------------3--|
1. American woman gonna mess your mind.
2. Say
A------------------, Say M,
3. Say
E------------------, Say R,
4. Say
I------------------, C,
5. Say
A------------------, N
Section 1: Play
4 times.
B:--6--6--5--5--4--4--3------------------------------|
G:--7--7--6--6--5--5--4------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------5--5h7--5--5--5--5h7--5--5--|
E:-----------------------3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--|
American woman gonna mess your mind. [sing 3x]
[END OF PROLOGUE]
Section 4: When
the electric guitar kicks in! [basic
song vamp over E & E7]
e:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:--8---7----9--9--9--9--9--7--9--9--9----8----7--9--9--9--9--9--7--9--|
D:--9---7----9--9--9--9--9--7--9--9--9----9----7--9--9--9--9--9--7--9--|
A:--9---5----7--7--7--7--7--5--7--7--7----9----5--7--7--7--7--7--5--7--|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
American woman, stay away from me. American woman, mama let me be.
Don't come hangin' around my door. I don't wanna see your face no more.
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time growin' old with you.
Now, woman, I said stay away. American woman, listen what I say.
Section 5: [lead
guitar interlude between verses]
e:-----------------------------------------------------------16--------------|
B:------------------------------------------15-------------------12--14--15~-|
G:-9--11--11/13~--13~--13--14--14/16~--16~----------12--13~------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------14---------------------------|
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
American woman, get away from me. American woman, mama, let me be.
Don't come knockin' around my door; don't wanna see your
shadow no more.
Coloured lights can hypnotize; sparkle someone else's eyes.
Now woman, I said get away. American woman, listen what I say. Hey!
American woman, said get away. American woman, listen what I say.
Don't come hangin' around my door. Don't wanna see your face no more.
I don't need your war machines, I don't need your ghetto
scenes.
Coloured lights can hypnotize; sparkle someone else's eyes.
Now, woman, get away from me. American woman, mama, let me be.
Go, gotta get away, gotta get away. Now, go, go, go.
Gonna leave you, woman.
Gonna leave you, woman.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
You're no good for me, I'm no good for you.
Gonna look you right in the eye, tell you what I'm gonna do:
You know I'm gonna leave, you know I'm gonna go.
You know I'm gonna leave, you know I'm gonna go, woman.
I'm gonna leave, woman.
Goodbye, American woman.
Goodbye, American chick. Goodbye, American broad. [repeat and out]
For those who want to play the middle and outro solos:
Section 6:
Solo.
e:--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B:-----------9--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G:--11b(13)-----11b(13)~--b(13)11--9--11--9~--|--14b(16)~--b(16)14-12-14--12b(13)~--|
D:--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
e:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--13b(15)~--15---------------13b(15)--15--13b(15)-15--15~--15--------------|
G:--------------------12--13~----------------------------------------12--13~-|
D:----------------14---------------------------------------------14----------|
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:----------------------------------------------15--17b(19)--17b(19)~--|
B:--15b(17)--17--15b(17)--17--15b(17)~--17--17-------------------------|
G:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:--b(19)17--15--17--15b(16)-----------------------------------|
B:----------------------------17~--15h17p15--13--12------------|
G:---------------------------------------------------14b(16)~--|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------|
e:-----------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------12--14--15p14p12--14--12~--|
G:-14b(16)--14b(16)~-----------------------------|
D:-----------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------|
e:----------------------------------------------|
B:--12--14--14b(15)~--b(15)14--12p14--15b(17)~--|
G:----------------------------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------|
Section 6:
After the solo. Play 4
times then back to section 4.
e:-----------------------|
B:-----------------------|
G:--9--9--9--9--9--7--9--|
D:--9--9--9--9--9--7--9--|
A:--7--7--7--7--7--5--7--|
E:-----------------------|
Last part of song:
I believe it's ad lib but I decided to transcribe it anyway.
e:--------------------------------12--b(15)14--12--14--12~--|
B:--b(15)14--12--14--12~--12--14----------------------------|
G:----------------------------------------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------|
e:--------------------------------12----------------12----------------|
B:--12--14--b(15)14--12--14--12~--------------------------------------|
G:------------------------------------12b(13)-----------12b(13)-------|
D:---------------------------------------------14~---------------14~--|
A:--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:--12----------------12---------------15b(16)---------------|
B:----------------------------------------------12--14--15~--|
G:------12b(13)-----------12b(13)----------------------------|
D:---------------14~---------------14~-----------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|
e:--15b(16)---------------15---------------------------------|
B:-----------12--14--15~------14b(15)~--b(15)14--12--14-12~--|
G:-----------------------------------------------------------|
D:-----------------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|
e:---------------b(16)15------------17~--b(19)17--17h19p17--16~--19------16--|
B:--b(15)14--12-----------14b(15)~-----------------------------------17------|
G:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:--17--16-------------------------------------------------------||
B:----------19---------------------------------------------------||
G:--------------17~----------------------------------------------||
D:---------------------------------------------------------------||
A:---------------------------------------------------------------||
E:---------------------------------------------------------------||