Rusty Old American Dream Chords

KeyC CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays511

Rusty Old American Dream by David Wilcox is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of C. It uses the chords C, F, G, Am, D, Bm and A. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
C
Text
16
Speed
  			C                                      F                 C 
Well, I don't look all that ragged for all the time it's been, 
                                        G           
But I'm weakened underneath me where my frame is rusted thin. 
    C                                 F      C 
And this year's state inspection just barely passed 
                                        
Won't you drive me 'cross the country, boy, 
     G                C 
This year could be my last. 


      F                C               G                 C 
I'm a tailfin road locomotive from the days of cheap gasoline, 
            F                       C          Am 
And I'm for sale by the side of the road going nowhere, 
  F         G        C 
A rusty old American dream. 


C                                        F   C 
I rolled off the line in Detroit back in 1958, 
                                         G 
Spent three days in the showroom, that's all I had to wait. 
          C                            F       C 
I've been good to all who owned me, so have no fear; 
                                    G             C 
C'mon, boy, put your money down and get me out of here! 


      F                C               G                 C 
I'm a tailfin road locomotive from the days of cheap gasoline, 
            F                       C          Am 
And I'm for sale by the side of the road going nowhere, 
  F         G        C 
A rusty old American dream. 


     C                      
This car needs a young man to own him 
                        F 
One who will polish the chrome, 
       F                       C 
I will give you the rest of my lifetime, 
    Am                    D 
But don't let me die here alone. 

Just jump me some juice to my battery, 
                        G 
Give that old starter a spin, 
                       D                    Bm 
Hear me whir, sputter, backfire through the carberator, 
    G         A         D 
And roar into life once again. 


      G                D 
I'm a tailfin road locomotive, 
        A                   D 
You can polish my chrome so clean 
       G                D        Bm 
We can fly off into the sunset together, 
  G         A        D 
A rusty old American dream 
        Bm 
Still a runnin',  
G         A        D 
Rusty Old American Dream 
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante