American Girl, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

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American Girl

Songwriting Infobox
Songwriting
Song Model
Lyrics - Melody - Harmony - Rhythm - Form
Song Form
Title - Chorus - Verse - Prechorus - Bridge
v • d • e

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Well, she was an American girl, Raised on promises She couldn't help thinking that There was a little more to life Somewhere else After all it was a great big world With lots of places to run to And if she had to die Tryin', she Had one little promise she was gonna keep

Oh yeah, alright, Take it easy, baby Make it last all night She was an American girl

Well, it was kind of cold that night She stood alone on the balcony Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by Out on four forty one like Waves crashing on the beach And for one desperate moment there He crept back in her memory God, it's so painful when 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

http://lyrics.wikia.com/Tom_Petty_And_The_Heartbreakers:American_Girl

Intro:
|| I | I | I | I |
 | I | I | I | I |
 | I | I | II | II |
 | IV | IV | V | V ||
Verse:
|| I | I | II | II |
 | IV | IV | V | V |
 | I | I | II | II |
 | IV | IV | V | V | V | V ||
|| I | I | IV | IV |
 | IImin | IImin | V | V |
 | V | V | V | V | V | V ||
Chorus:
|| IV | IV | V | V |
 | I | I | VImin | VImin |
 | IV | IV | V | V |
 | I | I | I | I ||

Intro:
|| D | D | D | D |
 | D | D | D | D |
 | D | D | E | E |
 | G | G | A | A ||
Verse:
|| D | D | E | E |
 | G | G | A | A |
 | D | D | E | E |
 | G | G | A | A | A | A ||
|| D | D | G | G |
 | Emin | Emin | A | A |
 | A | A | A | A | A | A ||
Chorus:
|| G | G | A | A |
 | D | D | Bmin | Bmin |
 | G | G | A | A |
 | D | D | D | D ||

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Tool	Verse	Prechorus	Chorus	Bridge
Note Length	2T, 4, 2		4, 8, 2, 2T
Space	7 beats, 1 bar		1 bar
Phrase Length	8, 8, 8, 2, 2, 4		2 bars
Number of Phrases	5		6
Length of Progression	8, 8+2, 14		16
Rhyme Scheme	no rhyme scheme	null	a x a x	null
Lyric Content	Story of a girl		- - - T
Melodic Shape	inverted arch	null	stationary	null
New Chords	II, IImin		VImin
New Melody Notes	B, C-sharp, A

From: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/t/tom_petty/american_girl_tab.htm

---------------------------------------------

= = Hold notes for duration shown
~ = Vibrato
h = Hammer-on
p = Pull off
^ = Bend up a full note
/ = Slide up to
x = Left hand muted percussive note

Intro:

Gtr1
  +       +       +       +         +   +   +   +
+-10----10----10==================+=================+
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|-7-----7-----7===================|=================|
|-0-----0-----0===================|=================|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
+---------------------------------+-----------------+
|Gtr2    +        +       +       | +   +   +   +   |
+---------------------------------+-2--2------------+
|---------------------------------|-3--3--------3---|
0h2-----2-----2-----------2-------0h2--2--2-----2---|
|-0-----0-----0-----------0-------|-0--0--0-----0---|
|-0-----0-----0-------------------|-----------------|
+---------------------------------+-----------------+

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10----10----10------10--10101010+-10101010--1010101010----10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-----7-----7-------7---7-7-----|-7-7---7---7-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-|
|-0-----0-----0-------0-----------|-0-----0---0---------0-----------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+-------------2-------------------+
|-------------3---------------3---|-------3-----3-------------------|
0h2-----------2-----------2-------0h2-----2-----2-----------2---2---|
|-------0-----0-------------------|-0-----0-----0-------0---0---0---|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Play the next 2 bars 6 times:

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-1010101010101010101010--10101010+-10101010--101010101010--10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|
|-0-------------------------------|---------0-----------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0-0-----0---0-0-0---0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0---0---0---|
|/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5-----5-----5-------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

1st & 2nd Verses:

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-5===============+-7===============+-10==============+-12==============+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-----------------+-----------------+-------3---------+--------5--------+
|-----------------|-----------------|-------3---------|--------5------0-|
|-------2---------|-----------------|----0------------|-------------220-|
|-0--0--0---------|-----------------|----0------------|-----------------|
|-0--0------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0--0--0---------|
+-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-5===============+-7===============+-10==============+-12==============+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-------3---------+-----------------+-------3---------+----0---5--------+
|----3--3---------|-----------------|-------3-----0---|----2---2--------|
|-2--2--2---------|-----------------|----0--------0---|----2------------|
|-0--0------------|-----------------|----0------------|-2---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
+-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-12-12===============+-------2---------+-------3---------+
|-10-10===============|-----------3-----|-----------------|
|---------------------|----2------------|----0------------|
|---------------------|-0---------------|-------------4---|
|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+
| +   +   +   +       | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+---------------------+-------2---------+-------3---------+
|-2--2--2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2--2--2-------------|---------------0-|-0--0------------|
|-2--2--2-------------|-0--0------0-----|-----------------|
|-0--0--0---------0h2-|----0------------|-----------------|
+---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-------0---------+-------5--------5+-------5---------+
|----0------------|-------5--------5|-------5---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-------------0-|-----------------|-2--2------------|
|-----------------|-0--0------------|-0--0------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-0---------------+-------5---------+-----------------+
|----0--------0---|----2--5---------|-----------------|
|-------------0---|----2--2---------|-----------------|
|-------2---------|-2--2--2---------|----2------------|
|-----------------|-0--0--0---------|-0--0--0-----0---|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-----------------+-----------------+
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-------2---------|
|-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---0-2---|
+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-----------------+-----------------+
|-------5---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-------2---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-2--2--2---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---------|
+-----------------+-------------0-2-+

Chorus:

Gtrs 1+2
  +   +   +       +     +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +
+-------3-------------+-------5-------------+-------2-------7-+
|-------3-------------|-------5-------------|----3----------7-|
|----0----------------|---------------------|----2------------|
|---------------------|-2-------------------|-0--0------------|
|---------------0h2---|-0--0------------0h2-|-----------------|
+-3-------------------+---------------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-----7-----7---------+-------3---------+-------5---------+
|-------------7-------|-------------0---|-------5---------|
|-9-^---9^------9p7---|-0--0------------|-----------------|
|---------------------|-0--0------------|-2--2------------|
|---------------------|-----------------|-0--0------------|
+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+

Play F# notes in brackets 1st time only

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10101010----10----10----10101010+-1010--10----10101010----10------+
|(7-7-7-7-----7-----7-7)--7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---|
|-7-------------------7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---|
|-0-------------------------------|---------------------0---0-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0-0---0-0-------0---0---0-0-|-0---0-0---0-0-----0-0---0---0---|
|/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5----------/5-------5---5---5---|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Go back and repeat verse and chorus sections

Interlude:

(Gtr1 - Slight Palm Muting)

Play the next 2 bars 3 times before moving on
  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------7-------------------|
|-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-5-6-7~~-----|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------x---5-------------------|
+-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5-------------------------+

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-----7-------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-x-x-x-x-----|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------x-x-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5---x-5-------------------+

Play the next 2 bars 6 times altogether

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10----10----10----1010--101010--+-10101010----1010101010--10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-----7---7-7---7-7-7---7-7-7---|-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|
|-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-|
|/5----------/5-------------------|/5----------/5-------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Outro Gtr Solo:

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +      |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+----14-----14----+----14-----14--14+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +      |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+

Repeat the last 4 bars to fade

Gtr1
+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7----10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7---|
|------7------7------7------7------7------7------7------7-|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---|
|------9------9------9------9------9------9------9--------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--|
|------12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--|
|------14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

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Categories: Music | Songwriting | No rhyme scheme | Null | A x a x | - - - T | Inverted arch | Stationary | Top 5

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