|
|
|
|
"American Pie" by Don McLean, is a very interesting song. After
listening to the lyrics and the song itself, there is a meaning to this song.
Each line of the lyrics has a special meaning to what Don McLean wanted to say,
but in his own special way.
If one was to look at each lyrics one by one, they will be able to find out the
big picture of the whole song. It tells a story of Mclean's favorite
performers, Buddy HOlly. American Pie was rumoured to be the name of the plane
that BUddy Holly died in.
In the begining of the song, he starts out saying, "A long, long time ago,
I can still remember how that music made me smile. ANd i knew if I had a
chance, that i could make those people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a
while." THis line is talking about how when he was a child he listened to
great performers of his time and how he could do the same and make other
teenagers happy with his song and make them want to dance and be merry.
"But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver, bad news on
the doorstep. I couldnt 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." This line is the day back in February 3, 1959 when Buddy
Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash. As a child,
McLean was a paper boy and the news papers that were being passed that day was
spreading "bad" news to everyones' doorstep and Buddy Holly's wife
was pregnent when he died and later she had a miscarage. That date, was also
refered to the "day music died."
"Bye bye Miss American Pie, I drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee
was dry. Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye, SIgning This'll be
the day that i die. THis'll be the day that i die." This is the chorus
line. Miss American Pie was someone McLean had dated as a teenager. It was
rumoured he was dating a Miss American candidate at the time. It is also
refering to saying good by to the plane that had all three performers. The
levee refers to a Movie called MIssissippi Burning, which was about three
college students registering to vote as black voters, but were killded and
dragged to a levee. Them good ol' boys refers to Holly, Valens, and Bopper.
Holly had a song called "That'll be the day" that had the lyrics,
"THat'll be the day that I die."
Looking through the other lyrics, McLean talks about everything going on during
the 50's, 60's, and the 70's. He talks about the death of John F. Kennedy. The
lyrics, "BUt that's not how it useed to be when the jester sang for the
king and queen, in a caot he borrowed from James dean and a voice that came
from you and me, oh and while the King was looking down, the jester stole his
thorny crown. THe courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned." best
describes it. The jester some say was Lee Harvey Oswald who shouted before he
was shot for the murder of the King. It also shows how the jester stole the
crown from the king by killing hime. The courtroom was adjourned and no verdict
was returned refers to how no one knows how Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy
with one bullet and hitting the vice president.
McLean also discusses other things that happened in the U.S. The lyrics,
"The players tried for a forward pass, with the jest on the sideliens in a
cast Now the half-time air was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching
tune we all got up to dance, oh but we never got the chance" refers to how
the Rolling Stones were waiting for a big opening, but couldn't happen until
The Beatles broke up. The jester in this line is refering to Bob Dylan, who
crashed his motorcycle in his hometown. The sweet perfume refers to the 1968
Democratic National Convention where they had released tear gas. THe marching
tune, was the draft started.
American Pie has lots of interpretations, but i believe that it refers to
things that happened to the U.S. that made music start to slow down, and how
things became better for the music to be what everyone loves. This song is a
very good song because it not only tells a story, but it also has a great
melody that matches what McLean wanted to say.