American Skin (41 Shots)

Bruce Springsteen

RockMedium for beginners4 chords

How to play it

Fingering diagrams for the shapes in this song. × = don't play, ○ = open string.

F#mDiagram coming soon

Chords & lyrics

Chord names sit directly above the word where you change.

 
                   
 
Intro: A     F#m     E     D 
 
A 
41 shots 
F#m 
41 shots 
E 
41 shots 
D 
41 shots 
A 
41 shots 
F#m 
41 shots 
E 
41 shots 
D 
41 shots 
 
A     F#m     E     D 
 
A 
41 shots... 
          F#m 
And we'll take that ride 
 E 
'Cross this bloody river 
D 
To the other side 
A           F#m 
41 shots... cut through the night 
                          E 
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule 
D 
Praying for his life 
 
            A 
Is it a gun, is it a knife 
D             A 
Is it a wallet, this is your life 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
    D          A 
No secret my friend 
         D                         E 
You can get killed just for living in 
               A 
Your American skin 
 
 
41 shots 
F#m 
41 shots 
E 
41 shots 
D 
41 shots 
 
A 
41 shots and 
                   F#m 
Lena gets her son ready for school 
          E 
She says "on these streets, Charles 
               D 
You've got to understand the rules 
       A 
If an officer stops you 
                   F#m 
Promise me you'll always be polite, 
             E 
That you'll never ever run away 
                     D 
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight" 
 
            A 
Is it a gun, is it a knife 
D             A 
Is it a wallet, this is your life 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
    D          A 
No secret my friend 
         D                         E 
You can get killed just for living in 
               A 
Your American skin 
 
 
41 shots 
F#m 
41 shots 
E 
41 shots 
D 
41 shots 
 
 
A     F#m     E     D 
 
A 
41 shots 
F#m 
41 shots 
E 
41 shots 
D 
41 shots 
 
            A 
Is it a gun, is it a knife 
D                   A 
Is it in your heart, is it in your eyes 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D            A    E 
It ain't no secret 
 
(It anin't no secret) 
 
A 
41 shots 
          F#m 
And we'll take that ride 
E 
Cross this bloody river 
D 
To the other side 
A 
41 shots 
             F#m 
And my boots caked in this mud 
       E 
We're baptized in these waters 
        D 
And in each other's blood 
 
            A 
Is it a gun, is it a knife 
D             A 
Is it a wallet, this is your life 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
D           A 
It ain't no secret 
 D           A 
(It ain't no secret) 
    D          A 
No secret my friend 
         D                         E 
You can get killed just for living in 
 
You can get killed just for living in 
 
You can get killed just for living in 
 
You can get killed just for living in 
 
You can get killed just for living in 
               A 
Your American Skin 
 
F#m     E     D 
 
A     F#m     E     D 
 
A 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
F#m 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
E 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
D 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
A 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
F#m 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
E 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in 
D 
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in

Details

Rating

Not rated yet

Chord set

A · F#m · E · D

Practice tip

Loop the first two chords slowly until the change is clean, then add the rest.