John Mellencamp - Pink Houses

pink houses
john mellencamp

transcribed by : cpdmusic
E – mail : cpdmusic@hotmail . com

the song pink houses by john cougar mellencamp was written in 1983 , reached no . 8 on
billboard charts , and remains a rock radio staple to this day . it is recommended for
to intermediate guitar players . the song only uses a few basic chords , and has a pretty
main riff , based off of the G and Cadd9 chords .

riff :
G Cadd9 G
E | | – – – – – | | – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
B | | – – – – – | | – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
G | | – – – – – | | * – – – – – – – 0 – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – | – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D | | – – – – – | | * – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – | – – 2 – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | | – – – – – | | – – – 0h2 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – 2 – – 2 – – 2 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | | – – 3 – – | | – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – 3 – – – |

G Cadd9 G
– – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | |
– – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | |
– – – – – – – 0 – – 0 – – – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – | – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – * | |
– – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – 0 – – | – – 2 – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – * | |
– – 0h2 – – – – – 2 – – – – 2 – – 2 – – 2 – – 2 – – | – – 3 – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | |
– – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – 3 – – | – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – | |

chords :

intro :

riff

verse 1 :
G
theres a black man with a black cat

living in a black neighbourhood

hes got an interstate runnin through his front yard
F/C C G
you know he thinks hes got in so good

and theres a woman in the kitchen

cleanin up the evening slop
C
and he looks at her and says hey darling
G
i can remember when you could stop a clock

chorus :
C G
oh but aint that america for you and me
G G
aint that america , something to see , baby
C D
aint that america , home of the free , yeah
C
little pink houses for you and me

oh , for you and me

riff x2

verse 2 :
G
well theres a young man in a t – shirt

listening to a rock n roll station

hes got greasy hair , greasy smile
F/C C G
he says , lord this must be my destination

cause they told me when i was younger

said , boy , youre gonna be president
F/C C
but just like everything else , those old crazy dreams
G
just kinda came and went

chorus :
C G
oh but aint that america for you and me
G G
aint that america , something to see , baby
C D
aint that america , home of the free , yeah
C
little pink houses for you and me

oh , for you and me

riff x4

bridge :
F C G ( play 4 times )

verse 3 :
G
well theres people and more people

what do they know , know , know

go to work in some high – rise
F/C C G
and vacation down at the gulf of mexico , oh yeah

and theres winners , and theres losers

but they aint no big deal ,
F/C C
cause the simple man baby pays for thrills
G
the bills and the pills that kill

chorus :
C G
oh but aint that america for you and me
G G
aint that america , something to see , baby
C D
aint that america , home of the free , yeah
C
little pink houses for you and me

oh , for you and me
C G
oh but aint that america for you and me
G G
aint that america , something to see , baby
C D
aint that america , home of the free , yeah
C
little pink houses for you and me

oh , for you and me

riff x4