Within every part of our lives, we are consistently making a point, arguing a belief, or rebutting some other aspect of our reality. Aesthetic pieces, most often songs and poems, argue a message both in the lyrics and in the meaning within them. “American Pie” by Don McLean, in a multitude of ways, reasons American memories and lives are closely interlaced with the music of the time period. The song speaks of the nostalgia that comes along with closing a chapter in time, a chapter that was good, youthful, and innocent.
The song “American Pie” itself was released in 1971 and, along with its album, reached #1 in the U.S. in 1972. Don McLean’s so-called One-Hit-Wonder has remained prevalent since it came out, with people having memorized the song word-for-word, yet, only some understand the meaning behind those lyrics. McLean wrote the song as a reflection of what was occurring in America during the 1960s with things such as the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, anti-war protests, and political assassinations. For McLean, it began with what he said to be the end of the happy ’50s, the tragic plane crash of Buddy Holly, JP “The Big Bopper,” and Richie Valens on February 3, 1959. The day the music died. During the song, he states, “But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” In this line, he references the plane crash that killed all three famous singers; soon after, February 3, 1959, became referenced as “The Day The Music Died.” The music that died is said to be the standard rock & roll song. The crash was the final blow to this music because these three were the only significant artists in the industry at that time. Don McLean was a 13-year-old paper boy when this occurred and as said at the beginning of the song, “But February made me shiver, with every paper I’d deliver. Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t take one more step.” These lines depict McLean as he learns of and accepts the death of a man he thought of as a role model, Buddy Holly. The death of Buddy Holly was a strong inspiration for the song and how rock and roll changed over the years.
As the music reaches the chorus, it is stated, “So bye-bye, Miss American Pie. Drove my Chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing, “This’ll be the day that I die. This will be the day that I die.” To this day, there have been many speculations on what he means when he says, “bye-bye, miss American pie.” He has yet to make any clear statements on what these lyrics mean, so it has been left for people to interpret themselves. In an interview with the Guardian McLean states, “People ask me if I left the lyrics open to ambiguity,” McLean later said in the same interview, “Of course, I did. I wanted to make a whole series of complex statements. The lyrics had to do with the state of society at the time.” He is (allegedly) referring to The Levy, a bar in his hometown of New Rochelle, New York. When he arrived at the bar to get a drink, good ol’ boys were drinking whisky and rye, but he missed the last call for drinks. So, therefore the levee was dry. What the “good ol’ boys” are singing originates from Buddy Holly’s song “That’ll be the day,” which eventually says, “That I die.” During the verse after these statements, McLean proceeds to say lines such as “Did you write the Book of Love, and do you have faith in God above if the Bible tells you so.” McLean continues to evoke the “good ol’ days” regarding songs such as “The Book of Love” by the Monotones. He also includes a Don Cornell hit, “The Bible Tells Me So.” There’s mention of sock hops and perhaps a reference to the Marty Robbins song “A White Sport Coat (with a Pink Carnation).” He often references dancing and how the new music of the 60s and 70s did not provide “suitable” dance music, which in the fifties, was very popular. Dancing slow was an essential part of early rock and roll dance events but declined in importance through the 60s as things like the 10-minute guitar solo and psychedelics gained prominence.
Don Mclean, throughout the song, renounces the feeling of nostalgia and gives the sensation of how a song can be associated with a moment. During a verse, McLean sings, “Now, do you believe in rock & roll?” This is from the song “Do You Believe in Magic?” by the Lovin’ Spoonful, written in 1965 by John Sebastian. One line from the song is about trying to educate a stranger “’bout rock & roll,” and another line, “the magic’s in the music, and the music’s in me.” The “magic” that John Sebastion was talking about is a song’s capability to stick in your head. Frequently, songs convey memories; this is what McLean refers to as “magic.” Many of his lyrics reference historical moments or what was happening at the time. He expresses that even though time has passed and the world is changing, these memories can live on through music.
Although the first verses of the song refer to the pain he felt over the death of Buddy Holly, many lines of the song relate to McLean’s childhood and other life experiences. Others come from songs, cultures, or things occurring in the world at the time. Some references are immensely personal, such as “Well, I know that you’re in love with him, I saw you dancing in the gym. You both kicked off your shoes, Man I dig those rhythms and blues” which refers to a youthful, lonely McLean, watching other kids have happy experiences. The personal aspects of the song give the listeners the ability to relate to and apply the lyrics to themselves. Regardless of the majority of the song being about things happening worldwide, Mclean made sure to intertwine his life experiences with those around him.
Though it is a short line, when McLean states, “man, I dig those rhythm ‘n’ blues,” its meaning entails a story. The history behind these lines is what makes this song evermore intriguing and gives it more depth. Don Mclean’s thoughtfulness when relating to his lyrics makes the song even more iconic. Furthermore, before rock and roll overtook the music industry, music was highly segregated, similar to much else in the U.S. at the time. According to History.com, the popular music of black performers for primarily black audiences was first called “race music” and later referred to as rhythm and blues. In the early 50s, as they were exposed to it through radio personalities such as Allan Freed, white teenagers began listening, too. According to workersliberty.org, Beginning around 1954, some music from the rhythm and blues charts started appearing on the overall popular charts as well, but often in cover versions by established white artists (e. g. “Shake Rattle and Roll,” by Joe Turner, covered by Bill Haley; “Sh-Boom,” by the Chords, covered by the Crew-Cuts; “Sincerely,” by the Moonglows, covered by the McGuire Sisters; LaVerne Baker, Tweedle Dee, and Georgia Gibbs). By 1955, some rhythm and blues artists, like Fats Domino and Little Richard, had obtained records on the overall pop charts. By 1956 Sun records brought elements of country and western to create the kind of rock and roll tradition that spawned Buddy Holly.
The song goes on to describe the world the day after the music died. The lyrics bring to life the emotions of the American people during this time of societal turmoil. Furthermore, the world was in a state of disarray, “And three men I admire most, the father, son, and holy ghost. They caught the last train for the coast. The day the music died.” Though it is unclear who specifically McLean is referring to by saying “The three men I admire most,” many speculate it to be Buddy Holly, JP “The Big Bopper,” and Richie Valens. When Don states, “They caught the last train for the coast.”, he is referring to the plane crash that killed the three. When Mclean sang, “The day the music died,” he spoke of the change in the music industry and how rock and roll music in its “purist form” was gradually surpassed by newer music.
Beneath American Pie’s complex lyrics, there lies a story; a story of a changing generation, a closure of a chapter in time, a chapter of what Mclean depicts as innocent and youthful. As well as the complicated lyrics, the instrumentals escalated the already impactful feeling and message it had on all the listeners. Every part of the song had a story behind it, making it enlightening to his listeners. Many aspects of the music can be left to interpretation, but that’s what made it so successful. ‘American Pie,’ dedicated to Buddy Holly, was an inspirational song, entailing a story of a generation ‘lost in space.’ The 8-minute and 37-second song cannot be summarized in just a few simple words, not because of its length, but because of its intricate story within its timeless lyrics.
MOOSE PRINTS 