Don McLean – Bad Girl (Guitar)

Capo 1
Key
-

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Chords

(Notes and tips at the bottom)
[Chords shapes]
                                            (Shapes for verse 2/outro)
    D7            Dm7            AM7     A6       A     Gmaj7    G6     Fmaj7    F6
e|---5---|---5------------|   |---4---|---x---|---5---|---2---|---0---|---0---|---x---|
B|---7---|---5----- 5-h/6-|   |---5---|---7---|---5---|---3---|---3---|---1---|---3---|
G|---5---|---5--5--7------|   |---6---|---6---|---6---|---0---|---0---|---2---|---2---|
D|---0---|---0------------|   |---x---|---x---|---x---|---0---|---0---|---3---|---3---|
A|---x---|---x------------|   |---0---|---0---|---0---|---x---|---x---|---x---|---x---|
E|---x---|---x------------|   |---x---|---x---|---x---|---3---|---3---|---x---|---x---|
"Bad Girl" - Tapestry Album 1971 - Don McLean [Intro] Am7 Em Am7 Em [Verse 1]
Am7        Em        Am7                Em
'Round and round the years go round and round

Am7                 Em          Am7        Em
And many a dream is lost in the nasty city sound
[Chorus] C A7 D7 G7 C A7 Bb7 A7 F Fm C A7 D7 G7 C G7
 C                     A7   D7        G7
Now she's down and out,    everyone's above her

C          A7      Bb7        A7
Tried everything a gal could try

F             Fm          C      A7
She takes the notion that nobody loves her

D7           G7     E7
And here's a reason why

A7
She came to the city like a good gal should

D7
Found a little pad in a bad neighbourhood

F#7                               B7
She learned about life and it was quite a shock

        E7             E7            E7
But now she knocks 'em down with the best on the block

      F#7     B7      E7           A7 G7 F#7
Ah, right!
[Spoken] N.C. Yeah, and it's really a shame too, 'cause she was her daddy's pride and joy. [Verse 2] Amaj7 A7 Amaj7 A7
Amaj7   A7  D7          Dm7                 Amaj7      A7
Daddy,      won't you buy that pretty dolly for me?

D7           Dm7           Amaj7     F#7
It's the only toy I'd ever wanted

          Bm7           G#7         C#m7
Won't you take me for a walk in the park?

   AM7            A6          AM7 A6
I love the big brass band

 Gmaj7           G6         Gmaj7 G6
And the chestnut stand

Fmaj7          F6         Fmaj7 F6 Em7
And that sad old man...
[Verse 3]
Am7        Em        Am7                Em
'Round and round the years go round and round

Am7                 Em          Am7        Em
And many a dream is lost in the nasty city sound
[Chorus] C A7 D7 G7 C A7 Bb7 A7 F Fm C A7 D7 G7 C G7
 C                     A7   D7        G7
But she's down and out,    everyone's above her

C          A7      Bb7        A7
Tried everything a gal could try

F             Fm          C      A7
She takes the notion that nobody loves her
[Outro] AM7 A Gmaj7 G6
              Gmaj7      G6
(Spoken) Ah, but she's wrong, you know.
Fmaj7 F6
Fmaj7   F6
Because...

           Em7
I love her.
Notes: *Song sounds good with strumming, however the chords are very specific *At the end of the first chorus, I suggest you do a barred A7 down to the barred G7, and down to the F#7. Should be easier, hopefully *The D7 and Dm7 part is a bit tricky since it's not the regular barred chord, however, if it's too difficult you can compromise as it doesn't sound too different *If you have suggestions, please feel free to message me Thanks for viewing! This song is one of Don's greatest, and yet again, it is painfully and criminally underrated. It is another instance of the album's themes of the toxicity of the city-life, again shown through a father and daughter relationship. In contrast to Three Flights Up's father and daughter relationship, the "Bad Girl" in this song appears to be the one who falls short, as the song expresses the daughter's meaningful childhood. Such a shame a beautiful song is nearly unheard of.