Yo La Tengo - Were An American Band Chords & Tabs

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  F#m  Em  D | Em F#m F Em D D



Verse (0:55-3:03):


Em               F#m       Em         D
 Driving in the south, the motor's on fire

D      Em     F#m   F         Em       D
 Let's put it out before the flames go higher


Em          F#m       Em              D
 Monday matinée, "Big Bully" or "White Squall"

D   Em      F#m          F        Em       D
 So hard to choose, wish we could see them all


D     Em              F#m        Em           D
 Some college in the spring, the sound is all wrong
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/y/yo_la_tengo/were_an_american_band_crd.html ]
D   G       F#m          F        Em      D
 We set the mains to our favorite Hootie song


Em             F#m            Em        D
 Driving (not again), they're late, car crash

D      G       F#m    F          Em        D
     D
 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.