Yo La Tengo - We're an American Band

      
 
 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 matine, "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
 
 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.