Songnotes

the hand-crafted music library of @davidpots

  

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American Music

Violent Femmes

from the album Why Do Birds Sing? released in 1991

jump to: lyrics / notes & tabs / videos / chord progressions / song info

Lyrics

Verse

    C            F       G 
    Do you like American music
    C       F       G 
    I like American music
    C               F       G 
    Don't you like American music
    C    F  G 
    ...Baby...
  
    I want you to hold me
    I want your arms around me
    I want you to hold me
    Baby...
  
    Do you do too many drugs
    I did too many drugs
    Did you do too many drugs too
    Baby...


Chorus

                 Am 
        You were born too late
              E 
        I was born too soon
            F                         G 
        But every time I look at that ugly moon
                         C    F 
        It reminds me of you
                         C      G 
        It reminds me of you... Ahhh...
  
    I need a date to the prom
    Would you like to come along, but
    Nobody will go to the prom with me
    Baby...
  
    They didn't like American music
    They never heard American music
    They didn't know the music saved my soul
    Baby...
  
        You were born too soon
        I was born too late
        But every time I look at that ugly lake
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
        Ahhh...
  
    (solo)

    SINGER: Do you like American music
    CHORUS: We like American music
    SINGER: I like American music
    CHORUS: Baby...

    SINGER: Do you like American music
    CHORUS: We like all kinds of music
    SINGER: But I like American music best
    CHORUS: Baby...

        You were born too late
        I was born too late
        But every time I look at that ugly lake
        It reminds me of me
        It reminds me of me
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
        It reminds me of me (do you like American music)
      
        (repeat, build up, end)

Notes & Tabs

Guitar Chords Used

Here is how to play the guitar chords used in this song. Everything is quite straightforward... really, the challenge is mustering a proper energy into your strumming pattern to match the rise & fall of the song's dynamics. Have fun with it!

e-|---0---1---3---0----0---
B-|---1---1---0---1----0---
G-|---0---2---0---2----1---
D-|---2---3---0---2----2---
A-|---3---3---2---0----2---
E-|-------1---3--------0---
      C   F   G   Am   E

Playing the Main Progression

The main verse progression is simply C-C-F-G throughout the entire song. The timing is roughly as follows. Whether you're doing a single strum (as is heard in the initial verse) or a heavier strumming pattern (as heard for most of the song), the general timing stays the same. Listen along for the strumming pattern.

e-|---0----------------1-------3------|----0----------1-------3----|-
B-|---1----------------1-------0------|----1----------1-------0----|-
G-|---0----------------2-------0------|----0----------2-------0----|-
D-|---2----------------3-------0------|----2----------3-------0----|-  ...etc
A-|---3----------------3-------2------|----3----------3-------2----|-
E-|--------------------1-------3------|---------------1-------3----|-
      C                F       G           C          F       G 
         "Do you like American music...    ...I like American music..."

Videos

Official Music Video

For your viewing and listening pleasure. Good for referencing the recorded album version of this song.



Live Performance

Here is a clip of Violent Femmes performing this song live on the Dennis Miller show. This may be helpful to watch so you can watch the (mostly) uncut guitar / drum / bass parts in action.



Chord Progressions

Verse

"Do you like American music..."
| C . . . | F . G . | (repeat)

Chorus

"You were born too late, I was born too soon..."
| Am . . . | E . . . | F . . . | G . . . | . . . . |
"It reminds me of you..."
| C . . . | F . . . | (repeat, then resolve to G)

Song Info

Song: American Music
Artist: Violent Femmes
Album: Why Do Birds Sing?
Year: 1991
Label: Reprise

Tip Jar

Want to support Songnotes? If you would like to donate a dollar or few, that would make my day. I've spent over 1000+ hours building this site and transcribing these songs -- and happily make everything available freely. Visit my PayPal page if you'd like to toss something back my way.

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Video Lessons

Here are some of the video lessons I have made recently. I typically aim to create 3-4 lessons per month. Subscribe on YouTube to be sure you never miss a new lesson.



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View my notes & tabs for Shape of You →

View my notes & tabs for Simple Man →

View my notes & tabs for Highwayman →

View my notes & tabs for Audition (The Fools Who Dream) →

View my notes & tabs for Strangers →

View my notes & tabs for A Lovely Night →

View my notes & tabs for this song →

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About

My name is David Potsiadlo, and I created Songnotes to share my collection of guitar tabs, chords, and lyrics for my favorite songs.

Since I started playing guitar over 10 years ago, I've often been frustrated by the preponderance of mediocre and incomplete song tabs littered across the internet. To combat this, I started keeping my own collection of notes for each song I learn -- always taking the extra time to make sure accuracy and completeness are never compromised. Years later, my collection grew to the point where I knew I had to share it online with fellow aspiring musicians.

In December 2012, I began designing & developing a website that became Songnotes. Here, I share my personal collection of hand-crafted music notation with all those online. I hope you enjoy.

You can also view my personal website or follow me on Twitter / Dribbble / GitHub / LinkedIn.