American Skin (41 shots) - Acoustic Version
Bruce Springsteen
(As performed by Bruce Springsteen on Elvis Costello's Spectacular)
Note: For this performance Springsteen played an eighth-note rhythm
in the low end and emphasized the movement of the bass line. He muted
the high end, especially in the verses. He might have played the A/x to
Asus4/x chord pattern in the verses, but I couldn't hear it. I charted
it as if he didn't. But you can play the pattern if you want to.
| A Asus4 | Asus4 | A/F# Asus4/F# | Asus4/F# |
| A/E Asus4/E | Asus4/E | Dmaj7 D | D |
| A Asus4 | Asus4 | A/F# Asus4/F# | Asus4/F# |
Forty one shots . . . . Forty one shots . . . .
| A/E Asus4/E | Asus4/E | Dmaj7 D | D |
Forty one shots . . . . Forty one shots . . . .
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
Forty one shots, and we'll take that ride
Asus4/E Dmaj7 D
'Cross this bloody river to the other side
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
Forty one shots . cut through the night
Asus4/E Dmaj7 D
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule prayin' fer his life
D D/C# D D/C#
Is it a gun? . Is it a knife? . Is it a wallet? . This is your life
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B |
It ain't no se———cret
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B
It ain't no se———cret No secret my friend
D D/C# D/B E <> |A Asus4 |
You can get killed just fer liv- vin' in your American skin
| Asus4 | A/F# Asus4/F# | Asus4/F# |
. . . . Forty one shots . . . .
| A/E Asus4/E | Asus4/E | Dmaj7 D | D |
Forty one shots . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
Forty one shots, Lena gets her son ready for school
Asus4/E
She says, "On these streets, Charles,
Dmaj7 D
You've got to understand the rules.
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
If an officer stops you, promise me you'll always be polite,
Asus4/E
And that you'll never ever run away
Dmaj7 D
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight."
D D/C# D D/C#
Is it a gun? . Is it a knife? . Is it a wallet? . This is your life
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B |
It ain't no se———cret
D D/C# D/B D D/C# D/B
It ain't no se———cret, no secret my friend
D E <> A
You can get killed just fer livin' in your American skin
| A Asus4 | Asus4 | A/F# Asus4/F# | Asus4/F# |
| A/E Asus4/E | Asus4/E | Dmaj7 D | D |
D D/C#
. Is it a gun? . Is it a knife?
D D/C#
. Is it in your heart? . Is it in your eyes?
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B |
It ain't no se———cret
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B | D E
It ain't no se———cret It ain't no secret
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
Forty one shots, and we'll take that ride
Asus4/E Dmaj7 D
'Cross this bloody river to the other side
A Asus4 Asus4/F#
Forty one shots, got my boots caked with this mud
Asus4/E Dmaj7 D
We're baptized in these waters and in each other's blood
D D/C# D D/C#
Is it a gun? . Is it a knife? . Is it a wallet? . This is your life
D D/C# D/B | D D/C# D/B |
It ain't no se———cret
D D/C# D/B D D/C# D/B
It ain't no se———cret, no secret my friend
D E <>
You can get killed just for living in
n/c
You can get killed just for living in
n/c |A Asus4 |
You can get killed just for living in your American skin
| Asus4 | A/F# Asus4/F# | Asus4/F# |
. . . . Forty one shots . . . .
| A/E Asus4/E | Asus4/E | Dmaj7 D | D <> |
Forty one shots . . . . Forty one shots
Charted by Dexex
(My chord charts are intended to show how, as a rhythm guitarist, I play
songs. I don't claim they are the "right" way. They are not tabs, which
notate precisely how a song was played on a recording.)
