American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

There are only 2 guitar parts here. The first (Gtr1) - Mike
Campbell - is a slightly distorted electric, and plays way up the
neck generally. Don't be scared by the outro solo - its pretty easy.
The second (Gtr2) - I assume this Mr Petty himself - is a clean
electric, and consists mostly of open chords.
The transcription is taken from the March 94 edition of Guitar School

Have fun!

Paul Hutchinson

American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

= = Hold notes for duration shown
~ = Vibrato
h = Hammer-on
p = Pull off
^ = Bend up a full note
/ = Slide up to
x = Left hand muted percussive note

Intro:

Gtr1
  +       +       +       +         +   +   +   +
+-10----10----10==================+=================+
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|-7-----7-----7===================|=================|
|-0-----0-----0===================|=================|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
+---------------------------------+-----------------+
|Gtr2    +        +       +       | +   +   +   +   |
+---------------------------------+-2--2------------+
|---------------------------------|-3--3--------3---|
0h2-----2-----2-----------2-------0h2--2--2-----2---|
|-0-----0-----0-----------0-------|-0--0--0-----0---|
|-0-----0-----0-------------------|-----------------|
+---------------------------------+-----------------+

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10----10----10------10--10101010+-10101010--1010101010----10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-----7-----7-------7---7-7-----|-7-7---7---7-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-|
|-0-----0-----0-------0-----------|-0-----0---0---------0-----------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+-------------2-------------------+
|-------------3---------------3---|-------3-----3-------------------|
0h2-----------2-----------2-------0h2-----2-----2-----------2---2---|
|-------0-----0-------------------|-0-----0-----0-------0---0---0---|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Play the next 2 bars 6 times:

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-1010101010101010101010--10101010+-10101010--101010101010--10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|
|-0-------------------------------|---------0-----------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0-0-----0---0-0-0---0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0---0---0---|
|/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5-----5-----5-------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

1st & 2nd Verses:

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-5===============+-7===============+-10==============+-12==============+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-----------------+-----------------+-------3---------+--------5--------+
|-----------------|-----------------|-------3---------|--------5------0-|
|-------2---------|-----------------|----0------------|-------------220-|
|-0--0--0---------|-----------------|----0------------|-----------------|
|-0--0------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0--0--0---------|
+-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-5===============+-7===============+-10==============+-12==============+
|-3===============|-5===============|-8===============|-10==============|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-------3---------+-----------------+-------3---------+----0---5--------+
|----3--3---------|-----------------|-------3-----0---|----2---2--------|
|-2--2--2---------|-----------------|----0--------0---|----2------------|
|-0--0------------|-----------------|----0------------|-2---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
+-----------------+-0--0--0-------2-+-3---------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-12-12===============+-------2---------+-------3---------+
|-10-10===============|-----------3-----|-----------------|
|---------------------|----2------------|----0------------|
|---------------------|-0---------------|-------------4---|
|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
+---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+
| +   +   +   +       | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+---------------------+-------2---------+-------3---------+
|-2--2--2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2--2--2-------------|---------------0-|-0--0------------|
|-2--2--2-------------|-0--0------0-----|-----------------|
|-0--0--0---------0h2-|----0------------|-----------------|
+---------------------+-------------0-2-+-3---------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-------0---------+-------5--------5+-------5---------+
|----0------------|-------5--------5|-------5---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-------------0-|-----------------|-2--2------------|
|-----------------|-0--0------------|-0--0------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-0---------------+-------5---------+-----------------+
|----0--------0---|----2--5---------|-----------------|
|-------------0---|----2--2---------|-----------------|
|-------2---------|-2--2--2---------|----2------------|
|-----------------|-0--0--0---------|-0--0--0-----0---|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-----------------+-----------------+
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-------2---------|
|-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---0-2---|
+-----------------+-----------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   |
+-----------------+-----------------+
|-------5---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-------2---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-2--2--2---------|-2--2--2---------|
|-0--0--0---------|-0--0-00---------|
+-----------------+-------------0-2-+

Chorus:

Gtrs 1+2
  +   +   +       +     +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +
+-------3-------------+-------5-------------+-------2-------7-+
|-------3-------------|-------5-------------|----3----------7-|
|----0----------------|---------------------|----2------------|
|---------------------|-2-------------------|-0--0------------|
|---------------0h2---|-0--0------------0h2-|-----------------|
+-3-------------------+---------------------+-----------------+

  +   +   +   +         +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+-----7-----7---------+-------3---------+-------5---------+
|-------------7-------|-------------0---|-------5---------|
|-9-^---9^------9p7---|-0--0------------|-----------------|
|---------------------|-0--0------------|-2--2------------|
|---------------------|-----------------|-0--0------------|
+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+

Play F# notes in brackets 1st time only

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10101010----10----10----10101010+-1010--10----10101010----10------+
|(7-7-7-7-----7-----7-7)--7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---|
|-7-------------------7---7-7-7-7-|-7-7---7-----7-7-7-7-7---7---0---|
|-0-------------------------------|---------------------0---0-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0-0---0-0-------0---0---0-0-|-0---0-0---0-0-----0-0---0---0---|
|/5----------/5----------/5-------|/5----------/5-------5---5---5---|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Go back and repeat verse and chorus sections

Interlude:

(Gtr1 - Slight Palm Muting)

Play the next 2 bars 3 times before moving on
  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------7-------------------|
|-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-5-6-7~~-----|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------x---5-------------------|
+-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5-------------------------+

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-5-----5-----5---------------5-6-|-7-----7-----7-------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------x-x-x-x-x-x-----|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------x-x-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+-3-x-x-3-x-x-3---x-x-x-x-x---3-4-+-5---x-5---x-5-------------------+

Play the next 2 bars 6 times altogether

  +       +       +       +         +       +       +       +
+-10----10----10----1010--101010--+-10101010----1010101010--10101010+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-7-----7---7-7---7-7-7---7-7-7---|-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-|
|-0-------------------------------|-------------------------0-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| +       +       +       +       | +       +       +       +       |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0-0-|-0---0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0-0-|
|/5----------/5-------------------|/5----------/5-------------------|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

Outro Gtr Solo:

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +      |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+

  +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
+----14-----14----+----14-----14--14+----14-----14----+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+
| +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +   | +   +   +   +      |
+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-------14--+----14-----14----12-+
|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15--------|-15----15----12/14--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------+

Repeat the last 4 bars to fade

Gtr1
+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7----10p7---8-p7---10p7---8-p7---|
|------7------7------7------7------7------7------7------7-|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---12p9---10p9---|
|------9------9------9------9------9------9------9--------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--15p12--14p12--|
|------12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12-----12|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+
|-17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--17p14--15p14--|
|------14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14-----14|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
+---------------------------------------------------------+

Enjoy!


==============================================================

American Girl
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tabbed by: Natty Morrison (yeah im a guy asshole, just a weird name)
m_natty2@hotmail.com


This is just the main riff of the song, i hope to have the solo up sometime soon.
Ok the song opens up with an open D chord, not barred, open chord.
He strums that while the bass line enters and plays.  Then the main
riff goes :   D   E   G   A

D                E
Well she was an american girl
G          A
raised on promises....and so on like that with all the lyrics

the chourus then comes in with a slightly different riff:
G   A   D   E....      I've noticed that this riff works slightly
better if the chords are played barred.  So when playing it u play the
G and A chords on the 3 and 5 fret positions, then move for both the
D and E chords to the 5 and 7 fret positions, making them root fifth
chords

G
Oh yeah
A
All right
D                 E
Make it easy baby
E
Make it last all night (make it last all night)
G
She was
A                 (open) D struming.
An american girl


Thats it!  Simple.  Im probably wrong so if i am just email me @
m_natty2@hotmail.com