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 (you can jam on it)
      (0:23-0:55): Em (022000@1)F#m (244222@1)Em (022000@1)D| (xx0232@1)EmF#m FEm DD



Verse (0:55-3:03):

Em (022000@1)             F#m (244222@1)     Em (022000@1)       D (xx0232@1)Driving in the south, the motor's on fire

D (xx0232@1)    Em (022000@1)   F#m (244222@1) F (133211@1)       Em (022000@1)     D (xx0232@1)Let's put it out before the flames go higher

Em (022000@1)        F#m (244222@1)     Em (022000@1)            D (xx0232@1)Monday matin?e, "Big Bully" or "White Squall"

D (xx0232@1) Em (022000@1)    F#m (244222@1)        F (133211@1)      Em (022000@1)     D (xx0232@1)So hard to choose, wish we could see them all

D (xx0232@1)   Em (022000@1)            F#m (244222@1)      Em (022000@1)         D (xx0232@1)Some college in the spring, the sound is all wrong

D (xx0232@1) G (320003@1)     F#m (244222@1)        F (133211@1)      Em (022000@1)    D (xx0232@1)We set the mains to our favorite Hootie song

Em (022000@1)           F#m (244222@1)          Em (022000@1)      D (xx0232@1)Driving (not again), they're late, car crash

D (xx0232@1)    G (320003@1)     F#m (244222@1)  F (133211@1)        Em (022000@1)      D (xx0232@1)   D (xx0232@1)We'll turn to look unless we're going too fast



First part of solo (3:03-3:44): D  Bm  F#m  F#m

Second part of solo and outro (3:44-6:25): D  Bm  F#m  G , but feel free to replace the
G with F#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#m with F#m7 and F
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 
the vocal and instrumental textures, which blend beautifully.