Where can I find a explanation of the lyrics of American Pie?

Question

No, Mr Football. I need an explanation of the lyrics, not the lyrics themselves!

Answer 1

There are lots of sites on the net that discuss the meanings of the lyrics of American Pie...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_(song)
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~choh/donpie.htm
http://wilstar.com/midi/americanpie.htm
http://oldies.about.com/library/weekly/aa082602a.htm


This is a great YouTube clip discussing all of the possible symbolism as the music plays in the background...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycgegp0KdE4

On Don MacLean's official website the following is written "Initially inspired by his memories of the death of Buddy Holly in 1959, ‘American Pie’ is autobiographical and presents an abstract story of Don McLean’s life from the mid 1950s until when he wrote the song in the late 1960s. It is almost entirely symbolised by the evolution of popular music over these years and represents a change from the lightness of the 1950s to the darkness of the late 1960s. This is also very symbolic of changing America during this era. In Don’s life the transition from light (the innocence of childhood) to the darker realities of adulthood probably started with the death of Buddy Holly and culminated with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 and the start of a more difficult time for America. In this 4 year period, Don moved from a fairly idyllic childhood existence, through the shock and subsequent harsh realities of his father’s death in 1961, to his decision in 1963 to quit Villanova University to pursue his dream and become a professional singer. "

You can find more info on his official site...
http://www.don-mclean.com/americanpie.asp

Hope this helps,
mum2MH

Answer 2

The song is about the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper in a 1959 plane crash after a concert. That date is commonly referred to as "the day the music died" because all three musicians were very popular at the time. If you listen to the lyrics, I've always interpreted the song to be Don Maclean's reaction to the tragedy. I imagine him as the little boy in the song with the paper route delivering newspapers with the headline about the crash.

Answer 3

While the overall meaning is about the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper, there are also many allegorical references to what happened in the aftermath.

The passage about the jester stealing the king's thorny crown is about Bob Dylan emerging to eclipse Elvis, for example. The jester on the sidelines in a cast is about when Bob Dylan broke his neck in a motorcycle accident.

Eight miles high and falling fast is about The Byrds fading and breaking up.

Helter Skelter in a summer swelter is about the violent summer of 1969, with the Tate Murders and Altamont.

The marching band refusing to yield is about the protest movement and a new day in rock, where the performers were taking control of their music instead of being bullied by record companies and their lackeys.

Jack Flash and the devil are references to a couple of Rolling Stones songs. McLean's experience watching Mick Jagger perform, perhaps, is about watching him on the stage? The Beatles had broken up, the Stones were the reigning kings of rock and roll..

Answer 4

Initially inspired by his memories of the death of Buddy Holly in 1959, ‘American Pie’ is autobiographical and presents an abstract story of Don McLean’s life from the mid 1950s until when he wrote the song in the late 1960s. It is almost entirely symbolised by the evolution of popular music over these years and represents a change from the lightness of the 1950s to the darkness of the late 1960s. This is also very symbolic of changing America during this era. In Don’s life the transition from light (the innocence of childhood) to the darker realities of adulthood probably started with the death of Buddy Holly and culminated with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 and the start of a more difficult time for America. In this 4 year period, Don moved from a fairly idyllic childhood existence, through the shock and subsequent harsh realities of his father’s death in 1961, to his decision in 1963 to quit Villanova University to pursue his dream and become a professional singer.

Answer 5

The explanation is the singer's feelings when Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash. At that time, they were the roots of Rock and Roll. My father always told me that he remembered when the plane crashed and people in his high school walked around crying and in total loss. I guess we should learn a lesson from that because today if someone in Rock and Roll dies in a plane crash people are more concerned with if they were on drugs, or what scandal surrounded them and not really concerned with the loss of human life and the impact that person played in the music industry. Knowing the background of the song makes you appreciate the song more I think.

Answer 6

Don Mclean basiclly used the death of Buddy Holly as the cornerstone of a commentary about events that occured from that point until the time the song was written which was very early 70's.

Answer 7

Basically the day the music died was the plane crash with Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper

Don't understand all the driving the chevy to the levy or the drinking whiskey and rye

Answer 8

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 old 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?
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 old 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 looking down,
The jester stole his thorny crown.
The courtroom was adjourned;
No verdict was returned.
And while lennon read a book of marx,
The quartet practiced in the park,
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died.

We were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old 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 a summer swelter.
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling 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 half-time air was sweet perfume
While the 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 singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
And 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 singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
And 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 singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old 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 singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."

Answer 9

Songmeanings.net is a community where people try to explain lyrics.

Answer 10

You can find information about the lyrics here:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/american-pie/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_(song)