Were An American Band chords by Yo La Tengo

Chords with lyrics

Artist: Yo La Tengo

Song: We're an American Band

Album: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (1997)


Standard Tuning (EADGBE)


Intro (0:00-0:23): D MajorD (you can jam on it)
   (0:23-0:55): E minorEm F# minorF#m E minorEm D MajorD | E minorEm F# minorF#m FF E minorEm D MajorD D

Verse (0:55-3:03):


E minorEm        F# minorF#m    E minorEm     D MajorD
 Driving in the south, the motor's on fire

D MajorD   E minorEm   F# minorF#m  FF     E minorEm    D MajorD
 Let's put it out before the flames go higher


E minorEm     F# minorF#m    E minorEm       D MajorD
 Monday matinée, "Big Bully" or "White Squall"

D MajorD  E minorEm   F# minorF#m     FF    E minorEm    D MajorD
 So hard to choose, wish we could see them all


D MajorD   E minorEm       F# minorF#m    E minorEm      D MajorD
 Some college in the spring, the sound is all wrong

D MajorD  G+G    F# minorF#m     FF    E minorEm   D MajorD
 We set the mains to our favorite Hootie song


E minorEm       F# minorF#m      E minorEm    D MajorD
 Driving (not again), they're late, car crash

D MajorD   G+G    F# minorF#m  FF     E minorEm    D MajorD   D MajorD
 We'll turn to look unless we're going too fast


First part of solo (3:03-3:44): D MajorD B minorBm F# minorF#m F# minorF#m

Second part of solo and outro (3:44-6:25): D MajorD B minorBm F# minorF#m G+G , but feel free to replace the
G+G with F# minorF#m occasionally.

End in D.



If you want to give it a jazzy edge, play seventh major chords instead of normal majors
and seventh minors instead of regular minors. For example, replace F# minorF#m with F#m7F#m7 and FF
with FM7.

Listen to the song to get a feel for the rhythm and phrasing. Don't forget about
distortion! This is definitely one of the best, most underrated tracks from "I Can Feel the
Heart Beating as One"; the trippy, shoegaze-like atmosphere is very soothing, thanks to