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Subject: " AMERICA, by Neil Diamond." Archived thread - Read only
 
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Conferences Tabs & Songs & Keys of Songs Topic #432
Reading Topic #432
danielbernard13
Member since Mar-9-06
76 posts
Oct-15-06, 06:01 PM (PST)
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" AMERICA, by Neil Diamond."
 
   In Melody Maker, Richter, and Solo Tuned.
What key is this song in? You got me! It starts out with an F key signature, then goes to G, then goes to A, then goes to F#m, then ends on F. Might be fine for a guitar player, but I can’t make sense out of it for a single harmonica. Just play whatever key sounds right!

MELODY MAKER TUNED

6B---- R-----
Far
4B- 5B- 6B-- 4B- 5B- 6B-- R--------
We've been trav - el - ing far
7B- 6B-- 5D-- 5B--- R-------
With - out a home
4B- 5D- 5B- 4B- 3B-- 4B--- R--------------
But not with - out a star

6B---- R-----
Free
4B- 5B- 6B-- 4B- 5B- 6B--- R------
On - ly want to be free
7B- 6B- 5D-- 5B--- R------
We hud - dle close
5D 5B 4B 3B 4B--- R--------------
Hang on to a dream

4D- 5D- 6D-- 4D 5D-- 6B- 6D-- R------
On the boats and on the planes
8D- 6D-- 6D- 6B- 5D- 6B- 5D- 4D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
4D- 5D- 6D-- 5D-- 6B-- 5D- 6D-- R------
Nev - er look - ing back a - gain
8D- 6D-- 6D- 6B- 5D- 6B- 5D- 5D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

3D---- R-------
Home,
3D- 3D- 4D-- 5B-- 5D- 5D- 5D- R---------
don't it seem so far away
3B- 3B- 6B- 6B- 5D-- 6D- 5B- 5B-- R-------
Oh, we're trav - el - ing light To - day
3B- 3B- 6B- 6B- 5D- 5B--- R---------
In the eye of the storm
2D- 2D- 4D- 4D- 4B- 3D--- R--------------
In the eye of the storm

3D---- R-------
Home,
3D- 3D- 4D- 4D- 5B- 5D- 5D- 5D- R--------
to a new and a shiny place
5D- 5D- 6B- 6B- 5D- 6D- 6D- 6DR--------
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
6B- 6B- 6B-- 5D- 5B- 5B-- R--------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm
5D- 5B- 4D-- 4D-- 4B-- 3D---- R------------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm

4B- 5B- 6B-- 5B- 5B-- 5D- 6B-- R------
Ev - ‘ry - where a - round the world
7B- 6B-- 6B- 5D- 5B- 5D- 5B- 4B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
4B- 5B- 6B-- 4B-- 5B-- 5D-- 6B--- R----
Ev - ‘ry time that flag's un - furled
7B- 6B-- 6B- 5D- 5B- 5D- 5B- 4B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

4D- 5D- 6D-- 4D 5D-- 6B- 6D-- R------
Got a dream to take them there
8D- 6D-- 6D- 6B- 5D- 6B- 5D- 4D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
4D- 5D- 6D-- 5D-- 6B-- 5D- 6D-- R------
Got a dream they've come to share
8D- 6D-- 6D- 6B- 5D- 6B- 5D- 5D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

7B- 6B-- 6B- 5D- 5B- 5D- 5B- 4B-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
7B- 6B-- 6B- 5D- 5B- 5D- 5B- 4B-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
7B- 6B-- 6B- 5D- 5B- 5D- 5B- 6D--7D--7D-- R----------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca, To - day,
7D-- 7D-- R------------, 7D-- 7D-- R------------, 7D-- 7D-- R------------, 7D-- 7D-- R-----
To - day, To - day, To - day, To - day

5B- 5B- 5D- 4D- 5B- 5D--, 7D-- 7D-- R-
My coun-try 'tis of thee, To - day
6B-- 6B-- 5D- 6B- 5D- 5B-- R--,
Sweet land of lib - er - ty
7D-- 7D-- 5D-- 5B-- 4D-- 5B--- R----
To - day, Of thee I sing
7D-- 7D-- R-
To - day,
2D- 5D- 5D-- 6D-------, 7D-- 7B-- R------------, 7D-- 7B-- R-----------, 7D-- 7B--
Of thee I sing, To - day, To - day, To - day


RICHTER TUNED

7B---- R-----
Far
5D- 6D- 7B-- 5D- 6D- 7B-- R--------
We've been trav - el - ing far
9D- 7B-- 7D-- 6D--- R-------
With - out a home
5D- 7D- 6D- 5D- 4D-- 5D--- R--------------
But not with - out a star

7B---- R-----
Free
5D- 6D- 7B-- 5D- 6D- 7B--- R------
On - ly want to be free
9D- 7B- 7D-- 6D--- R------
We hud - dle close
7D 6D 5D 4D 5D--- R--------------
Hang on to a dream

6B- 7D- 8D-- 6B 7D-- 7B- 8D-- R------
On the boats and on the planes
9B- 8D-- 8D- 7B- 7D- 7B- 7D- 6B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
6B- 7D- 8D-- 7D-- 7B-- 7D- 8D-- R------
Nev - er look - ing back a - gain
9B- 8D-- 8D- 7B- 7D- 7B- 7D- 7D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

5B---- R-------
Home,
5B- 5B- 6B-- 6D-- 7D- 7D- 7D- R---------
don't it seem so far away
4D- 4D- 7B- 7B- 7D-- 8D- 6D- 6D-- R-------
Oh, we're trav - el - ing light To - day
4D- 4D- 7B- 7B- 7D- 6D--- R---------
In the eye of the storm
4B- 4B- 6B- 6B- 5D- 5B--- R--------------
In the eye of the storm

5B---- R-------
Home,
5B- 5B- 6B- 6B- 6D- 7D- 7D- 7D- R--------
to a new and a shiny place
7D- 7D- 7B- 7B- 7D- 8D- 8D- 8DR--------
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
7B- 7B- 7B-- 7D- 6D- 6D-- R--------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm
7D- 6D- 6B-- 6B-- 5D-- 5B---- R------------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm

5D- 6D- 7B-- 6D- 6D-- 7D- 7B-- R------
Ev - ‘ry - where a - round the world
9D- 7B-- 7B- 7D- 6D- 7D- 6D- 5D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
5D- 6D- 7B-- 5D-- 6D-- 7D-- 7B--- R----
Ev - ‘ry time that flag's un - furled
9D- 7B-- 7B- 7D- 6D- 7D- 6D- 5D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

6B- 7D- 8D-- 6B 7D-- 7B- 8D-- R------
Got a dream to take them there
9B- 8D-- 8D- 7B- 7D- 7B- 7D- 6B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
6B- 7D- 8D-- 7D-- 7B-- 7D- 8D-- R------
Got a dream they've come to share
9B- 8D-- 8D- 7B- 7D- 7B- 7D- 7D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

9D- 7B-- 7B- 7D- 6D- 7D- 6D- 5D-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
9D- 7B-- 7B- 7D- 6D- 7D- 6D- 5D-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
9D- 7B-- 7B- 7D- 6D- 7D- 6D- 8D--8B--8B-- R----------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca, To - day,
8B-- 8B-- R------------, 8B-- 8B-- R------------, 8B-- 8B-- R------------, 8B-- 8B-- R-----
To - day, To - day, To - day, To - day

6D- 6D- 7D- 6B- 6D- 7D--, 8B-- 8B-- R-
My coun-try 'tis of thee, To - day
7B-- 7B-- 7D- 7B- 7D- 6D-- R--,
Sweet land of lib - er - ty
8B-- 8B-- 7D-- 6D-- 6B-- 6D--- R----
To - day, Of thee I sing
8B-- 8B-- R-
To - day,
4B- 7D- 7D-- 8D-------, 8B-- 9D-- R------------, 8B-- 9D-- R-----------, 8B-- 9D--
Of thee I sing, To - day, To - day, To - day

SOLO TUNED

45B---- R-----
Far
2D- 3D- 45B-- 2D- 3D- 45B-- R--------
We've been trav - el - ing far
6D- 45B-- 4D-- 3D--- R-------
With - out a home
2D- 4D- 3D- 2D- 1D-- 2D--- R--------------
But not with - out a star

45B---- R-----
Free
2D- 3D- 45B-- 2D- 3D- 45B--- R------
On - ly want to be free
6D- 45B- 4D-- 3D--- R------
We hud - dle close
4D 3D 2D 1D 2D--- R--------------
Hang on to a dream

3B- 4D- 5D-- 3B 4D-- 45B- 5D-- R------
On the boats and on the planes
7B- 5D-- 5D- 45B- 4D- 45B- 4D- 3B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
3B- 4D- 5D-- 4D-- 45B-- 4D- 5D-- R------
Nev - er look - ing back a - gain
7B- 5D-- 5D- 45B- 4D- 45B- 4D- 4D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

2B---- R-------
Home,
2B- 2B- 3B-- 3D-- 4D- 4D- 4D- R---------
don't it seem so far away
1D- 1D- 45B- 45B- 4D-- 5D- 3D- 3D-- R-------
Oh, we're trav - el - ing light To - day
1D- 1D- 45B- 45B- 4D- 3D--- R---------
In the eye of the storm
1B- 1B- 3B- 3B- 2D- 2B--- R--------------
In the eye of the storm

2B---- R-------
Home,
2B- 2B- 3B- 3B- 3D- 4D- 4D- 4D- R--------
to a new and a shiny place
4D- 4D- 45B- 45B- 4D- 5D- 5D- 5DR--------
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
45B- 45B- 45B-- 4D- 3D- 3D-- R--------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm
4D- 3D- 3B-- 3B-- 2D-- 2B---- R------------
Free - dom's light burn - ing warm

2D- 3D- 45B-- 3D- 3D-- 4D- 45B-- R------
Ev - ‘ry - where a - round the world
6D- 45B-- 45B- 4D- 3D- 4D- 3D- 2D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
2D- 3D- 45B-- 2D-- 3D-- 4D-- 45B--- R----
Ev - ‘ry time that flag's un - furled
6D- 45B-- 45B- 4D- 3D- 4D- 3D- 2D-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

3B- 4D- 5D-- 3B 4D-- 45B- 5D-- R------
Got a dream to take them there
7B- 5D-- 5D- 45B- 4D- 45B- 4D- 3B-- R-----
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
3B- 4D- 5D-- 4D-- 45B-- 4D- 5D-- R------
Got a dream they've come to share
7B- 5D-- 5D- 45B- 4D- 45B- 4D- 4D-- R-------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca

6D- 45B-- 45B- 4D- 3D- 4D- 3D- 2D-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
6D- 45B-- 45B- 4D- 3D- 4D- 3D- 2D-- R------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca
6D- 45B-- 45B- 4D- 3D- 4D- 3D- 5D--6B--6B-- R----------
They're com - ing to A - mer - i - ca, To - day,
6B-- 6B-- R------------, 6B-- 6B-- R------------, 6B-- 6B-- R------------, 6B-- 6B-- R-----
To - day, To - day, To - day, To - day

3D- 3D- 4D- 3B- 3D- 4D--, 6B-- 6B-- R-
My coun-try 'tis of thee, To - day
45B-- 45B-- 4D- 45B- 4D- 3D-- R--,
Sweet land of lib - er - ty
6B-- 6B-- 4D-- 3D-- 3B-- 3D--- R----
To - day, Of thee I sing
6B-- 6B-- R-
To - day,
1B- 4D- 4D-- 5D-------, 6B-- 6D-- R------------, 6B-- 6D-- R-----------, 6B-- 6D--
Of thee I sing, To - day, To - day, To - day


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Member since Jan-20-03
2179 posts
Oct-15-06, 10:01 PM (PST)
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1. "RE: AMERICA, by Neil Diamond."
In response to message #0
 
Dan,

Based on your comment and what I remember about the song, it modulates. That is, it changes keys.

It's a fairly common songwriting trick for creating tension and surprise in a song. Country music uses modulation quite a bit. The common song modulations are going up a half-step or whole-step one or more times in a song.

This song appears to go from the key of F to G to A to F#m and back to F. If you play along with the song, you should switch harmonica keys when appropriate. If you are not playing with the recording, you can just use one harmonica.

Play on,
Dave Gage


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