What do you think the song Mrs. American Pie was about?

Question

The guy that wrote it Don Mclean talks about so many different subjects.

Answer 1

Here's my theory. It's written about famous musicians of the 60's, many of whom left the world behind. In between these references it's a nostalgic representation of America as perceived by Mclean growing up through the 50's and 60's.

Firstly, everyone knows about the links to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the big bopper. That's where he begins his story, as a teenager (paper boy lyrics) in the late 50's reminiscing about Buddy Holly and the impact of his death.

the second verse is about living in the 60's as a teenager in america

then the musicians come in in the third verse.

Bob Dylan, the people's singer, in the lines "when the Jester sang for the king and queen, in a coat he borrowed from James Dean, in a voice, that come from you and me"
Perhaps the lines that follow this refer to Bob Dylan going electric and no verdict had been returned on whether this was accepted or not. Bob dylan wore a similar Jacket to one James Dean wore in rebel without a cause on the cover of the freewheelin bob dylan

The Beatles in the line "Helter Skelter in a summer swelter", actually i can't quite remember that line, but it had helter skelter in there. The Byrds in the "Eight miles high and falling fast", and the line before it which actually mentions the byrds.
I think most of that part is refering to the drug use of musicians, in particular the beatles, during the late 60's.

The lines "it landed foul on the grass, the players tried for a foward pass, with the Jester, on the sidelines, in the cast", might refer to the influence Dylan was having on artists like the byrds, the band, beatles, hendrix, pretty much everyone.

"The sergents played a marching tune" links to sgt. peppers by the beatles, one of the first concept albums. Concept albums made a name for themselves by "refusing to yeild". So therefore the marching band, being the metaphor for the concept album, refused to yeild. lol, i'm getting there.

In the next verse theres a few dead musicians. Brian Jones in the lines "Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack flash sat on a candle stick" (rolling stones - jumpin jack flash). Brian Jones may also have been the subject of the line "and moss grows fat on a rolling stone"
"and as i watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage" may be about Jim Morrison exposing himself on stage. "no angel born in hell, could break that satan's spell" then would refer to Jimi Hendrix, who due to the music he was playing and the fact that he was black would make him satan to the older folk, and his playing did put a spell on his audiences.

"and there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again" refers to woodstock. No time left to start again means it's the end of the 60's and the end of an era.

the candlestick is slang for a needle, jack flash slang for heroine. They were all doing it.

The planes climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite might be the vietnam war, which would explain satan laughing with delight.

Finally, the last verse includes references to Janis Joplin, "a girl who sang the blues, i asked her for some happy news, she just smiled and turned away"

So Don went back to the sacred store, where he heard the music years before, being the music of Buddy Holly and such, real music. and the three men are obviously the three that died in a plane crash.

I dunno though, i think you can interpret each line differently, but the theme is pretty constant. When you examine it like this you get to see how really great the song is.

Check out some of the stuff on Wikipedia. The rolling stones stuff in partcular is pretty good

Answer 2

It's about the plane crash of Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. "The day the music died." The name of the plane that crashed was The American Pie.

Answer 3

I think it is about a formerly religious person losing his faith.

"...Did you write the book of love,
And do you have faith in God above,
If the Bible tells you so?
....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."

I think all of the other things he talks about in the song are what led up to his loss of faith

Answer 4

English~~

Answer 5

congrats. i haven't saw this question up here in about 3 days. my all time longest without seeing it. this is the most asked question on here man.
get VH1. they made a frickin rockumentary on this song alone.
it's about ritchie valens, big bopper and buddy holly dying in a plane crash. the day the music died.

Answer 6

He was so whacked out of his mind form all the boos and ghanga when he wrote that,. do you really expect it to make any sense? I mean,. he even talks about drinking int he song,. coincidence?,.. I think not!

Answer 7

JFK