So American Chords & Tabs
The song plays the verse with an E9+ chord as the iii in the progression, however you
can play an em and it will sound fine. The am in the verse is played as a barre chord, but
in the chorus it's open.
E9+ am
--4-- --5--|
--3-- --5--|
--0-- --5--|
--2-- --7--|
--2-- --7--|
--0-- --5--|
Intro: C, em (x2)
C
If pain was a color to paint on you
E9+
Your heart would be the color blue.
am
Be a painting, hung up there til your body met your head.
D
Which were made of silver.
C
You are the one they call Jesus Christ.
E9+
Who didn't know no rock and roll.
am
just a mission made of guns that they give boys in vietnam
D
But they always told him
F (G)C
There's a madness in us all.
F (G)C
There's a madness in us all.
C
So who broke the rules?
em
Who broke the rules?
am
Who broke the rules?
F C
They said every one of you will never try to lend a hand
em am
When the policemen don't understand.
C F
Boys, all you boys
am G
Think you're so American.
C F
Girls, all you girls
am G
They're so American.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/p/portugal_the_man/so_american_crd.html ]
C
He may not be born of this land
E9+
But he was born of this world.
am
He was born of all the mothers
And the colors of our brothers
D
And the love that we sent him.
C
You are the one they call Jesus Christ.
E9+
Who didn't know no rock and roll.
am
There may not be a heaven,
Or a place in which to send you,
D
But you know in the end
F (G)C
There's a madness in us all.
F (G)C
There's a madness in us all.
(x2)
C
So who broke the rules?
em
Who broke the rules?
am
Who broke the rules?
F C
They said every one of you will never try to lend a hand
em am
When the policemen don't understand.
C F
Boys, all you boys
am G
Think you're so American.
C F
Girls, all you girls
am G
They're so American.
F C
There's two eyes for every one of us
em am G
But somebody got there first and took them all.
C F
Man, oh man
am G
Think you're so American
C F
Man, oh man
am G
Think you're so American
F C
There's two eyes for every one of us
em am G
But somebody got there first and took them all.
F C
There's two eyes for every one of us
em am
But somebody got there first and took them all.