American Pie As Explained By Don McLean
Released in 1971, Don McLean’s American Pie has been hailed as a musical masterpiece. At over eight minutes long, it is one of the longest songs to ever top the Billboard Hot 100. Aside from its catchy sound and instantly recognisable chorus, American Pie is also very well-known for its distinct lyrics.
With its opening verses quite clearly describing the aftermath of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, McLean’s phrase “the day the music died” has been popularly used to refer to the tragedy. However, the rest of the song’s words are far more vague and open to interpretation.
For decades, McLean has refused to explicitly divulge the song’s full meaning. This has led to all manner of debate and analysis about the true story behind American Pie. Everybody from casual fans to seasoned musical experts have put forward their own interpretations of the iconic song.
However, starting in 2015, when McLean auctioned off the original manuscript for the song, he has been more forthcoming about American Pie’s actual meaning. Now, over 50 years after its release, Don McLean himself has gone over the lyrics he wrote half a century ago and has put to rest many of the long-held interpretations and speculations that…
