• Song:

    Friday Night In America

  • Artist:

    New Grass Revival

  • Album:

    Best Of

Friday Night In America
New Grass Revival

Played as bluegrass with guitar, banjo and fiddle taking turns, but retains 
some pop/rock phrasing and changes. This version from a live recording, others 
may differ slightly. Extra points if you can ID the bass riff.


[INTRO] (single notes) [C, C, C, C] x 3; (run up on bass): [G, G#, A, A#] 
Chords: (C, C, Bb, C ;   C, Bb, F, C) x 2

[V1]

C    C        Bb    C               C, Bb, F, C        
Mama get your shoes on
    C     C        Bb C             C, Bb, F, C
And Daddy get your hat
    C       C       Bb C            C, Bb, F, C
The workin' week is over
   C          C           Bb C      C, Bb, F, C
So let's just leave it at that
   F     F              Eb  F       F, Eb, Bb, F
We talk about it on the telephone
F      F        Eb F                F, Eb, Bb, F
Makin' plans to meet
D
Something's gonna happen
D                                     G
Tonight between the full moon and the streets
[A capella]
(bass) Get outa your seat (regular voice) It's Friday night->

[CHORUS] 

  Am            Am       Am  [A]   [B]     [C]
->night  Friday night in America Oh Friday night*->
   C             C
->*night, Friday night in America
E
Hit the lights
F
Hold on tight
G					
  It's Friday night , y'all

[G, G#, A, A#]	    C, C, Bb, C; C, Bb, F, C
           In America

[V2]

    C    C           Bb       C               C, Bb, F, C 
And everybody in the neighbourhood
        C        C       Bb C                 C, Bb, F, C 
They're on their way downtown
C      C       Bb         C                   C, Bb, F, C  
One up top and dressed to kill
C        C       Bb       C                   C, Bb, F, C 
Ready to hit the ground
     F       F               Eb      F        F, Eb, Bb, F 
They come to rumble And they come to dance
     F       F       Eb    F                  F, Eb, Bb, F 
They come to see the show
            D                       D
And if they can't find what they're lookin' for
     D                 D                  G
They know somebody who knows somebody Who knows 
[A capella]
Gotta be on your toes, It's Friday night 

[CHORUS]

Am                   [A][B]       [C]*	
Friday night in America  It's all right 
C*
Friday night in America, Well you could 
E
lose your heart
F
Lose you life
G				
  It's Friday night, y'all

G, Bb, C, Eb->(jump to F in bridge)

[BRIDGE] (chords in 7th but sung as minor)

F (as Dm7)                                     F, F, Bb-C 
Debutantes in a restaurant
C (as Am7)                                     C, C, Bb-F  
Gunshots in the parking lot
F (same)                                       F, F, Eb-C 
Sweet dreams on the silver screen
C (same)                                       G, Bb, C, Eb
You better turn up the heat in the back seat
F
Soul savers (flag wavers)
Eb
Street walkers (sweet talkers)
    D
You make it through the weekend
    G		     G
You come back and do it again
		Am 
Next Friday night

[CHORUS instrumental]

Am Am Am [A][B][C]*
*C  C  C  C  
E  F  G... [G, G#, A, A#]

Short break:
(C, C, Bb, C ;   C, Bb, F, C) x 2

[V3]

C       C            Bb  C           C, Bb, F, C
Lookin' through your headlights
C    C        Bb  C                  C, Bb, F, C 
Hand upon the wheel
C            C              Bb  C    C, Bb, F, C  
Your heart's beatin' like a radio
        C       C         Bb  C	     C, Bb, F, C 
In your soul of stainless steel
      F        F      Eb F           F, Eb, Bb, F  
She's standin' on the corner
F          F        Eb F             F, Eb, Bb, F  
Dressed in midnight blue
D
Ticking like a time bomb
D			     G	
  When she turns her eyes on you 
                                                  
[bass a capella]  (What?cha gonna do?)  It's Friday night

[CHORUS]

Am                   [A][B]       [C]
Friday night in America       all night
C
Friday night in America, 
G                               
  Got to be strong to make it
Am
  All night long on Friday night
Am
  Friday night in America
C
  Friday night in America
E                  
Hit the lights and 
F
hold on tight

D[hit and hold]                              [G    G#  A  A#]
You can bet your life it's Friday night y'all, In America

[OUTRO CHORUS]

C  C      F C
   Friday night 
C     Bb        F   C  
  all night in America, 
C  C      F  C
   Friday night
         C           Bb        F   C  
Till the dawns early light in America,
C  C      F C 
   Friday night
C     Bb  F   C  
  In America 
C C      F C	  C, Bb, F, C
  Friday night
C C      F C	  C, Bb, F, C
  Friday night
[fade]
C C      F C	  C, Bb, F, C
  Friday night
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