American Pie Lyrics

[mrjones]

A while back, somebody asked about the song "American Pie", and someone else posted up a really fine and detailed explanation of the lyrics. I've searched unsuccessfully for that thread. Could someone point me in the direction of that post please?

We were cruising today and that song was on. My 12yo daughter asked about the meaning of that song. I explained to her as best as I could, but I wanted her to read that post.

TIA

[Bigdogjim]

There is so much packed into that song.

Not enough space here to go into detail.

Put the song in to google:)

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."

[LIGHTNIN1]

You can go to see him sing it live 9/18/2010 in your state . On that date he will be in Austin and at the Woodlands.:sing:

[mrjones]

Somebody here did go phrase by phrase telling what they thought each line was referring to, like the helter skelter line and the Charles Manson murders. It was a long post, but I just can't find it with the search feature.

[Motorhead350]

Somebody here did go phrase by phrase telling what they thought each line was referring to, like the helter skelter line and the Charles Manson murders. It was a long post, but I just can't find it with the search feature.

That was BigDogJim.

I can sum it all in one date... 2/3/1959

[MM03MOK]

This is what you want....here's the thread. Searched with "McLean."

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?p=668900&highlight=mclean#post668900

[mrjones]

THANKS MARY!!! That's what I was looking for!

[Bluerauder]

THANKS MARY!!! That's what I was looking for!

Or this version of the explanation too ......

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.

Comments: "That music used to make me smile" very much represents the happier optimism of the 1950s in America. He also identifies Buddy Holly by the month of his death (February) and the "widowed bride" he left behind. Holly's passing had a profound effect on McLean: as it will become clearer in the next verse, this music and the simple innocence and optimism of it has its corollary in the psychology of America in the fifties, so that the day the music died becomes the day the innocence and optimism died - blow number one. McLean delivered papers as a boy.

Soo..Bye, bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye?
Singing this will be the day that I die
this will be the day that I die

Comments: "American Pie" was not name of the aircraft that Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens died in, as is often assumed. But rather it is a simile to apple pie, an American icon. The Chevrolet itself is a familiar icon of 1950s America. Also, given that a drive to a levee carries the suggestion of romance in a car, we can almost see him on a date here. But the date is over, the levee is dry - someone he once loved has betrayed him; something that once gave him sustenance has evaporated. One of Holly's hit songs was "That'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
Then you can teach me to dance real slow
Well I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancing in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Then I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
but I knew that I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'...

Comments: Here, he is saying that America as a whole was beginning to shift from faith in God to faith in music. Dancing began decreasing in the 60s, due to psycedelia and the 10-minute guitar solos. The "pink carnation" reference is an obvious reference to Marty Robbins' hit single that had the words "A white sport coat and a pink carnation…"

Bye, bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye?
Singing this will be the day that I die
this will be the day that I die

Now for 10 years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling 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
In a voice that came from you and me
And while the King was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
While Lennon read the book of Marx
The quartet kept practice in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died

Comments: McLean is writing this song in the late 60s, about 10 years after the plane crash that killed Holly, Valens, and the Big Bopper. The "rolling stone" comment can be attributed to either Bob Dylan, who sang "Like a Rolling Stone" or the Stones themselves. Or both. The jester is clearly talking about Dylan, who played in England for the Royal Family. In the movie "Rebel without a cause", James Dean's character lends a red windbreaker to a man who gets shot and killed. And while the King (Elvis) was looking down, the jester (Dylan) stole his thorny crown (#1 in the hearts of the fans)… John Lennon literally studied Marxism around this time period. The quartet practicing in the park refers to the concert the Beatles had at Shea Stadium in NYC. A "dirge" is a funeral song, which makes sense, since they "sang" them the "day the music died".

Helter Skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off with the 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 halftime air was sweet perfume
While 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

Comments: McLean starts flying fast in this verse, shifting gears rapidly. Helter Skelter was a song on the Beatles' White album that inspired Charles Manson to lead his followers in the infamous murders committed. He begins talking about drugs in the next part, with "Eight miles high" a reference to a Fifth Dimension song banned because of drug-oriented lyrics. "Landed foul on the grass" is referencing one of the Byrds who was busted for marijuana. The "jester on the sidelines in a cast" refers again to Dylan, who spent nine months in seclusion after a terrible motorcycle accident. The following lines ("Cause the players tried to take the field/The marching band refused to yield") are about the Kent State massacre in 1970, where four students were killed and nine wounded. The players are the Ohio National Guard members who gunned the anti-war idiots down.

Bye, bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye?
Singing this will be the day that I die
this will be the day that I die

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 candle stick
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend.
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 flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw satan laughing with delight
the day the music died.

Comments: This verse is entirely made up of references to the tragic events that took place at the Altamont Motor Speedway, California in the fall of 1969 at a Rolling Stones concert. "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Sympathy for the Devil", both songs by the Stones, were played at the concert. A riot ensued, and McLean blamed Mick Jagger here ("As I watched him on the stage my hands were clenched in fists of rage") for not stopping the riot by simply stopping the band from playing anymore. The notorious motorcycle group "Hell's Angels" were hired for security, and a fan was killed by one of them, resulting in Satan laughing with delight "the day the music died" even more than it already had…

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 Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
They were singin'

The girl who sang the blues is Janis Joplin, who died at a very young age (smiled and turned away). The next 7 lines are all reactions to the plane crash, as well as to America having lost its mind over the years. The three men compared to the holy trinity in this analogy are obviously Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper.

**Interesting fact** The tragic flight was originally supposed to haul Holly, Valens, and country music start Waylon Jennings; however, Holly approached Jennings' bassist and asked if Jennings would mind giving up his seat for friend the Big Bopper. Jennings agreed to take the bus, but with some friendly fun poked at Buddy Holly. Holly said jokingly, "I hope your bus stalls on you!" Jennings playfully responded, "Yeah, well I hope your plane crashes!" As you might guess, those words went on to haunt Jennings every day for the rest of his life. Jennings passed away in 2002.

Bye, bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye?
Singing this will be the day that I die
this will be the day that I die

[N40GL]

... and his explanation of the Star Wars saga:

"The Saga Begins"

A long, long time ago
In a galaxy far away
Naboo was under an attack
And I thought me and Qui-Gon Jinn
Could talk the federation into
Maybe cutting them a little slack
But their response, it didn't thrill us
They locked the doors and tried to kill us
We escaped from that gas
Then met Jar Jar and Boss Nass
We took a bongo from the scene
And we went to Theed to see the Queen
We all wound up on Tatooine
That's where we found this boy...

Oh my my this here Anakin guy
May be Vader someday later - now he's just a small fry
And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye
Sayin' "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"
"Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"

Did you know this junkyard slave
Isn't even old enough to shave
But he can use the Force, they say
Ah, do you see him hitting on the queen
Though he's just nine and she's fourteen
Yeah, he's probably gonna marry her someday
Well, I know he built C-3PO
And I've heard how fast his pod can go
And we were broke, it's true
So we made a wager or two
He was a prepubescent flyin' ace
And the minute Jabba started off that race
Well, I knew who would win first place
Oh yes, it was our boy

We started singin' ...
My my this here Anakin guy
May be Vader someday later - now he's just a small fry
And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye
Sayin' "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"
"Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"

Now we finally got to Coruscant
The Jedi Council we knew would want
To see how good the boy could be
So we took him there and we told the tale
How his midi-chlorians were off the scale
And he might fulfill that prophecy
Oh, the Council was impressed, of course
Could he bring balance to the Force?
They interviewed the kid
Oh, training they forbid
Because Yoda sensed in him much fear
And Qui-Gon said "Now listen here"
"Just stick it in your pointy ear"
"I still will teach this boy"

He was singin' ...
My my this here Anakin guy
May be Vader someday later - now he's just a small fry
And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye
Sayin' "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"
"Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"

We caught a ride back to Naboo
'Cause Queen Amidala wanted to
I frankly would've liked to stay
We all fought in that epic war
And it wasn't long at all before
Little Hotshot flew his plane and saved the day
And in the end some Gunguns died
Some ships blew up and some pilots fried
A lot of folks were croakin'
The battle droids were broken
And the Jedi I admire most
Met up with Darth Maul and now he's toast
Well, I'm still here and he's a ghost
I guess I'll train this boy

And I was singin' ...
My my this here Anakin guy
May be Vader someday later - now he's just a small fry
And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye
Sayin' "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"
"Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"

We were singin' ...
My my this here Anakin guy
May be Vader someday later - now he's just a small fry
And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye
Sayin' "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"