a video of don mclean explaining how the song american pie came about

Then we get several consecutive lines citing the excitement of meeting girls and dating in a more conservative era, before ideas like 'free love' loosened the moral standards of the day. Faith is addressed - faith in the Christian God, the Bible, and faith in rock 'n roll. 'Did you write the book of love?' is a reference to young teenage love, as well as the song 'Book Of Love' by the Monotones. The second verse of the song is jubilant - the rhythm picks up and the words describe the thrills of being a teen in the late '50s and early '60s. But there are many generally agreed-upon observations about characters and sentiment. Here's a primer on 'American Pie' - certainly not the authoritative translation, as such a thing is probably impossible. Like most good artists, McLean created something that engages the audeinces intelligence without telling you what to think. He's never offered any sort of detailed as to what his best-known song is really 'about.' And the truth is, when you put 'American Pie' under the microscope, you can figure out a plotline and a lot of ideas, but you've also got to admit that there may be other completely valid interpretations. At over eight minutes long, 'American Pie' is the longest song to ever reach #1 on the American pop chart.ĭissecting Don McLean's 'American Pie' has been a favorite pastime of music fans and pop historians, and McLean has, mostly, sat back and let people say what they want. For nearly 50 years, listeners have pondered the meaning of Don McLean's 'American Pie:' Is it all Buddy Holly, or is there some other story, or assortment of stories, happening? With a full cast of characters and vividly described settings, the song has a vast sweep, and in some ways is more like a movie than a pop song.

A video of don mclean explaining how the song american pie came about