Description
“American Pie” by Don McLean is one of the most iconic folk rock songs of the 1970s. Released in October 1971 as part of McLean’s album American Pie, and later issued as a single by United Artists Records, the song was written by Don McLean and produced by Ed Freeman. It was recorded on May 26, 1971, at Record Plant in New York City. (Wikipedia)
Musically, “American Pie” is a long-form folk rock song with a narrative structure that feels closer to musical storytelling than a standard pop single. The main instruments include acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, clavinet, bass, drums, tambourine, and backing vocals. The recording features Don McLean on vocals and acoustic guitar, David Spinozza on electric guitar, Paul Griffin on piano and clavinet, Bob Rothstein on bass and backing vocals, and Roy Markowitz on drums and tambourine. The final chorus also includes multi-tracked backing vocals credited to the “West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir.” (Wikipedia)
The song became a major commercial and cultural success. In the United States, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 and stayed there for four weeks. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. With a full length of 8 minutes and 42 seconds, “American Pie” was unusually long for a hit single and was originally split across both sides of a 7-inch record. (Wikipedia)
Lyrically, “American Pie” is famous for its mysterious and symbolic references to American culture, rock and roll history, and the social changes of the 1950s and 1960s. The repeated phrase “the day the music died” refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. However, the song goes beyond that tragedy, using the loss of early rock and roll innocence as a metaphor for a wider cultural shift in America. (Wikipedia)
One of the biggest curiosities about “American Pie” is that Don McLean spent decades avoiding a full explanation of the lyrics, often saying that interpretations should be left to listeners. In 2015, his original manuscript and notes were sold at auction for $1.2 million, revealing more context about the song’s meaning. McLean later described the song as a kind of morality piece about things “heading in the wrong direction.” (Wikipedia)
Another interesting detail is that the phrase “American Pie” connects with the idea of apple pie as a symbol of the United States, national identity, comfort, and nostalgia. The song’s title therefore works on two levels: it sounds simple and familiar, but it also points to a deeper reflection on American culture. (Wikipedia)
Lyrics
A long, long time ago
I can still remember how that music
Used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Did you write the book of love?
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Now, do you believe in rock 'n' roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Now, for ten years, we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh, and while the king was lookin' down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And while Lenin read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Helter-skelter in the summer swelter
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and fallin' fast
It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Oh, and there we were, all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again
So, come on, Jack, be nimble, Jack, be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
And in the streets, the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
They were singin': Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
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Songs links
Specification
“American Pie” by Don McLean is one of the most iconic folk rock songs of the 1970s. Released in October 1971 as part of McLean’s album American Pie, and later issued as a single by United Artists Records, the song was written by Don McLean and produced by Ed Freeman. It was recorded on May 26, 1971, at Record Plant in New York City. (Wikipedia)
Musically, “American Pie” is a long-form folk rock song with a narrative structure that feels closer to musical storytelling than a standard pop single. The main instruments include acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, clavinet, bass, drums, tambourine, and backing vocals. The recording features Don McLean on vocals and acoustic guitar, David Spinozza on electric guitar, Paul Griffin on piano and clavinet, Bob Rothstein on bass and backing vocals, and Roy Markowitz on drums and tambourine. The final chorus also includes multi-tracked backing vocals credited to the “West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir.” (Wikipedia)
The song became a major commercial and cultural success. In the United States, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 and stayed there for four weeks. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. With a full length of 8 minutes and 42 seconds, “American Pie” was unusually long for a hit single and was originally split across both sides of a 7-inch record. (Wikipedia)
Lyrically, “American Pie” is famous for its mysterious and symbolic references to American culture, rock and roll history, and the social changes of the 1950s and 1960s. The repeated phrase “the day the music died” refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. However, the song goes beyond that tragedy, using the loss of early rock and roll innocence as a metaphor for a wider cultural shift in America. (Wikipedia)
One of the biggest curiosities about “American Pie” is that Don McLean spent decades avoiding a full explanation of the lyrics, often saying that interpretations should be left to listeners. In 2015, his original manuscript and notes were sold at auction for $1.2 million, revealing more context about the song’s meaning. McLean later described the song as a kind of morality piece about things “heading in the wrong direction.” (Wikipedia)
Another interesting detail is that the phrase “American Pie” connects with the idea of apple pie as a symbol of the United States, national identity, comfort, and nostalgia. The song’s title therefore works on two levels: it sounds simple and familiar, but it also points to a deeper reflection on American culture. (Wikipedia)
Specification
“American Pie” by Don McLean is one of the most iconic folk rock songs of the 1970s. Released in October 1971 as part of McLean’s album American Pie, and later issued as a single by United Artists Records, the song was written by Don McLean and produced by Ed Freeman. It was recorded on May 26, 1971, at Record Plant in New York City. (Wikipedia)
Musically, “American Pie” is a long-form folk rock song with a narrative structure that feels closer to musical storytelling than a standard pop single. The main instruments include acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, clavinet, bass, drums, tambourine, and backing vocals. The recording features Don McLean on vocals and acoustic guitar, David Spinozza on electric guitar, Paul Griffin on piano and clavinet, Bob Rothstein on bass and backing vocals, and Roy Markowitz on drums and tambourine. The final chorus also includes multi-tracked backing vocals credited to the “West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir.” (Wikipedia)
The song became a major commercial and cultural success. In the United States, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 and stayed there for four weeks. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. With a full length of 8 minutes and 42 seconds, “American Pie” was unusually long for a hit single and was originally split across both sides of a 7-inch record. (Wikipedia)
Lyrically, “American Pie” is famous for its mysterious and symbolic references to American culture, rock and roll history, and the social changes of the 1950s and 1960s. The repeated phrase “the day the music died” refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. However, the song goes beyond that tragedy, using the loss of early rock and roll innocence as a metaphor for a wider cultural shift in America. (Wikipedia)
One of the biggest curiosities about “American Pie” is that Don McLean spent decades avoiding a full explanation of the lyrics, often saying that interpretations should be left to listeners. In 2015, his original manuscript and notes were sold at auction for $1.2 million, revealing more context about the song’s meaning. McLean later described the song as a kind of morality piece about things “heading in the wrong direction.” (Wikipedia)
Another interesting detail is that the phrase “American Pie” connects with the idea of apple pie as a symbol of the United States, national identity, comfort, and nostalgia. The song’s title therefore works on two levels: it sounds simple and familiar, but it also points to a deeper reflection on American culture. (Wikipedia)
Specification
“American Pie” by Don McLean is one of the most iconic folk rock songs of the 1970s. Released in October 1971 as part of McLean’s album American Pie, and later issued as a single by United Artists Records, the song was written by Don McLean and produced by Ed Freeman. It was recorded on May 26, 1971, at Record Plant in New York City. (Wikipedia)
Musically, “American Pie” is a long-form folk rock song with a narrative structure that feels closer to musical storytelling than a standard pop single. The main instruments include acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, clavinet, bass, drums, tambourine, and backing vocals. The recording features Don McLean on vocals and acoustic guitar, David Spinozza on electric guitar, Paul Griffin on piano and clavinet, Bob Rothstein on bass and backing vocals, and Roy Markowitz on drums and tambourine. The final chorus also includes multi-tracked backing vocals credited to the “West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir.” (Wikipedia)
The song became a major commercial and cultural success. In the United States, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 and stayed there for four weeks. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. With a full length of 8 minutes and 42 seconds, “American Pie” was unusually long for a hit single and was originally split across both sides of a 7-inch record. (Wikipedia)
Lyrically, “American Pie” is famous for its mysterious and symbolic references to American culture, rock and roll history, and the social changes of the 1950s and 1960s. The repeated phrase “the day the music died” refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. However, the song goes beyond that tragedy, using the loss of early rock and roll innocence as a metaphor for a wider cultural shift in America. (Wikipedia)
One of the biggest curiosities about “American Pie” is that Don McLean spent decades avoiding a full explanation of the lyrics, often saying that interpretations should be left to listeners. In 2015, his original manuscript and notes were sold at auction for $1.2 million, revealing more context about the song’s meaning. McLean later described the song as a kind of morality piece about things “heading in the wrong direction.” (Wikipedia)
Another interesting detail is that the phrase “American Pie” connects with the idea of apple pie as a symbol of the United States, national identity, comfort, and nostalgia. The song’s title therefore works on two levels: it sounds simple and familiar, but it also points to a deeper reflection on American culture. (Wikipedia)
