Vocal Coach reacts to Don McLean - American Pie

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Vocal Coach reacts to reaction to analyses analyzes analysis of breaks down Don McLean - American Pie
Original Video without interruption: • Don McLean performs Am...
Check out Don McLean here: donmclean.com
Donald McLean III is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known to fans as the "American Troubadour" or "King of the Trail"
"American Pie" is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released in 1971 on the album of the same name, the single was the number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972 starting January 15
Songwriters: Don McLean
Producer: Ed Freeman
Genre: Folk Rock
Performed by Don McLean
* Don McLean - vocals, acoustic guitar
* Paul Griffin - piano, clavinet
* David Spinozza - electric guitar
* Bob Rothstein - bass, backing vocals
* Roy Markowitz - drums
* West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir - chorus
Date and Location
1972 London
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#vocalcoach #donmclean #americanpie #history #livemusic #reaction #bethroars

[@leonardoglesby1730]

I am 74 years old, in the dark ages of the early 70's I was at a Blood, Sweat, & Tears concert in UpState NY. The opening act was an unknown solo performer on a barstool with an acoustic guitar. He led an initially unresponsive crowd into what was his first live performance of "American Pie". We were all introduced to Don McLean who proceeded to enthrall us with his music leaving all of us somewhat underwhelmed with the headlining B,S,&T. A star was born.

[@leonardoglesby1730]

@stanroach2842 1971 seems right, and Laura Nyro would be more appropriate for him than BS&T. All I can say is when I saw him, no one attending that BS&T concert, myself included, had a clue who Don McLean was. We didn't even know who the opener was supposed to be. We were there to see BS&T. The entire crowd was indifferent to him, not even paying attention to him, we wanted to get to the featured performers. Until, starting with a monologue from his barstool, he won us over and introduced us to American Pie.

[@TheSpud1129]

He's an awesome songwriter, but a strange guy. Why he won't tell us the meaning of the song is baffling.

[@leonardoglesby1730]

@@TheSpud1129 American Pie relates to the 1959 deaths of Buddy Holly & J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) and the subsequent changes to music through the 60's.

[@TheSpud1129]

@@leonardoglesby1730 Yes, I know what it is about (did a thesis in college on it) but the refusal by Don to break it down (as a lot of people have asked for his thoughts and insight over the years) is a shame. There's speculation as to what each of the stanzas mean...but an explanation by the man would serve the masses well.

[@aaronbredon2948]

@@TheSpud1129 I suspect that many of the lyrics had more than one meaning. And you get out of it what you need to at any given time. Just like you can analyze many great works of literature and extract multiple subtexts and meanings. And like good Shakespearean actors have to show multiple conflicting emotions as they act. It’s not a simple thing - there are one or more main meanings, one or more emotional contexts, and a bunch of other stuff included in every word.

[@jasonremy1627]

His song "Vincent" will bring you to tears. It's so achingly beautiful and heartbreaking.

[@bloodybutunbowed291]

I did my thesis in my creative writing class on this song. There are a LOT of cultural and historical references in the lyrics of this song. A timeless masterpiece. 1. ‘Drove My Chevy To The Levee But The Levee Was Dry’ There was an advertisement for Chevrolet sang in 1953 by Dinah Shore who was a top-charting female vocalist of the 40s and 50s. The fact it was now dry refers to the change in the social climate in the 60s compared to the 50s. 2. ‘Singin' This'll Be The Day' - in the chorus Likely refers to Buddy Holly's song "That'll Be the Day." 3. ‘But February Made Me Shiver’ Of course refers to the deaths of Buddy Holly, along with singers the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, and pilot Roger Peterson, who perished in a plane incident on February 3, 1959. Their small aircraft went down on a snowy late night after a concert in Clear Lake, IA. (Made me shiver - plane crashed in a blizzaed_ 4. ‘With Every Paper I'd Deliver / Bad News On The Doorstep / I Couldn't Take One More Step’ McLean worked as a newspaper delivery boy. And on February 3, 1959, the "bad news" was Buddy Holly's demise, on the cover of every paper that he delivered. 5. ‘When I Read About His Widowed Bride’ Buddy Holly was married to his young wife, Maria Elena Santiago-Holly, for only six months when he perished. His widowed, pregnant new bride was so traumatized by the news of his demise that she had a miscarriage. 6. ‘The Day The Music Died’ Since there was the loss of all three rock musicians in the same incident was seen as a tragedy, and in McLean's mind, marked the end of a musical era that would never be reclaimed. 7. ‘Did You Write The Book Of Love?’ "The Book of Love" is a famous song by The Monotones, a group from Newark, NJ. The song was released in 1958, topping pop and R&B charts. It must have left an impression on young McLean. As the lyrics to the song go: "I wonder, wonder who, mmbadoo-ooh, who...Who wrote the book of love" 8. ‘If The Bible Tells You So?’ "The Bible Tells Me So" was written by Dale Evans in 1955 and recorded by a handful of singers the same year. It was a pop(ish) version of the of the Sunday school song "Jesus Loves Me" 9. ‘You Both Kicked Off Your Shoes' Refers to sock hops. Teenage dance parties in the '40s and '50s that involved playing popular music in gymnasiums or community halls. Kids were told to take their shoes off to protect the varnish on gymnasiums and dance floors. 10. ‘With A Pink Carnation And A Pickup Truck’ In 1957, Marty Robbins released the heartbreak song "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)" about a young man "all dressed up for the dance" and "all alone in romance." 11. ‘And Moss Grows Fat On A Rolling Stone’ A year after Bob Dylan released "Like a Rolling Stone" in 1965, he was involved in a motorcycle accident that made him lie low for a year or two at the height of his career. He had just transformed himself from a folk singer to an electric guitar-playing rock musician, which caused a lot of controversy within the American music scene. Some people believe McLean's intention was to highlight the evolution of music between the '50s and early '70s while also pushing the action of the song into the '60s. 12. ‘When The Jester Sang For The King And Queen’ Bob Dylan is the jester, Pete Seeger is the king, and Joan Baez is the queen. Bob Dylan opened for them at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963, where the three of them sang Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" together on stage. 13. ‘In A Coat He Borrowed From James Dean’ On the cover of his 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Dylan wears a red windbreaker similar to the one worn by James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause. 14. ‘And While The King Was Looking Down’ Reference to Pete Seeger looking down on the way Bob Dylan experimented with music in the 1960s. 15. ‘The Jester Stole His Thorny Crown’ Bob Dylan the jester became the king, taking the crown when he won hearts with his brand of folksy rock 'n' roll. Some people believe he took the crown from Elvis, the "King of Rock 'n' Roll." Others stick with Pete Seeger. 16. ‘The Courtroom Was Adjourned / No Verdict Was Returned’ Referring to the JFK assassination. After he was slain in 1963, the man accused of the slaying, Lee Harvey Oswald, was himself slain. Therefore, "no verdict was returned" because no trial actually occurred. Also, the Warren Commission showed no real explanation to the event. 17. ‘And While Lennon Read A Book On Marx’ The popular theory is that he's singing about the Beatles becoming more political with their music as tensions soared in the '60s. The Beatles, adored by American youth, were deemed inappropriate by older generations who thought their music was too rowdy. Also, the Beatles released songs like "Revolution" in 1968, whose message is in line with the Communist writer Karl Marx, known for The Communist Manifesto.

[@bloodybutunbowed291]

18. ’The Quartet Practiced In The Park’ The quartet is likely the Beatles: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. 19. ‘And We Sang Dirges In The Dark’ A dirge is a funereal song of mourning, and there were a lot of funerals in the '60s: President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy among them. The line could also refer to the Vietnam conflict; many drafted service members sent overseas never made it back home. 20. ‘Helter Skelter In A Summer Swelter’ "Helter Skelter" is a song the Beatles released in 1968, a year of political and social turmoil in the United States. The next August, "in a summer swelter," followers of Charles Manson (who called for a racial war he referred to as "Helter Skelter") brutally slayed five people, including the actress Sharon Tate. 21. ‘The Birds Flew Off From A Fallout Shelter’ Some fans speculate this is a reference to the '60s rock band The Byrds. A fallout shelter is a euphemism for a drug treatment center, which one of the band members checked into after being caught with illicit substances. 22. ‘Eight Miles High And Falling Fast’ Eight Miles High is the title of a 1966 album by The Byrds. It is considered one of the first real trippy records. The sound of the album was influenced by plenty of experimentation with acid. 23. ‘It Landed Foul On The Grass’ Referencing the counterculture's overt use of weed. 24. ‘With The Jester On The Sidelines In A Cast’ In 1966, Bob Dylan (the Jester), was in a very bad motorcycle accident that had him laid up and in a cast. He didn't want to go to a hospital so he moved in with the small-town doctor, Doctor Ed Thaler, and his family, staying in the third-floor bedroom of their home until he healed. 25. ‘While Sergeants Played A Marching Tune’ The Beatles released their album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in 1967. It was an album where they changed their style making traditional "rock n roll". Experimenting with different soundscapes, introducing instruments such as brass horns and sitars. 26. ' 'Cause The Players Tried To Take The Field / The Marching Band Refused To Yield’ Talking about the protest movement that seemed to peak in the late '60s and early '70s, from Chicago protests at the Democratic National Convention to the one at Kent State in Ohio where the National Guard opened fire on a bunch of students. 27. ‘Oh, And There We Were, All In One Place’ Woodstock. The 1969 music festival in Bethel, NY, brought together more than 400,000 people in one weekend. Many of the most well-known rock musicians of the time performed, including Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. The festival is viewed as the height of American hippie culture. 28. ‘Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick / Jack Flash Sat On A Candlestick’ A mashup of the "Jack Be Nimble" nursery rhyme and the 1969 song "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by the Rolling Stones released on their album "Live'r Than You'll Ever Be". The album sold poorly, so this could be read as an insult to the Stones for not coming up with a good comeback to the Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". 29. ‘Cause Fire Is The Devil's Only Friend’ The Devil is seen to be represented by the Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The Rolling Stones' music portrays rebellion and estrangement, and the pull away from a more innocent time was perceived earlier in the '50s and early '60s music as well as the world in general. 30. ‘No Angel Born In Hell / Could Break That Satan's Spell’ "Angel" refers to the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, which started a riot at the 1969 Altamont Free Concert in California. They were hired to provide security during a performance by the Rolling Stones, and an 18-year-old Black man was stabbed by a member of the motorcycle group (some say for trying to pick up on a white girl). The events of the day are considered by some to be the day the "free love" movement ended. 31. ‘I Met A Girl Who Sang The Blues’ The "girl" could be Janis Joplin, the rock singer with a very bluesy voice who perished from taking illicit substances in 1970. Her hits "Piece of My Heart" and "Me and Bobby McGee" were considered anthems for the hippie generation. 32. '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’ Don McLean is possibly talking about the loss of interest in '50s music at record stores. When he released the song in 1971, perhaps he was suggesting no one cared about music from this bygone era anymore. 33. ‘And In The Streets, The Children Screamed’ In recent years leading up to the song's creation, thousands of young people across the country were involved in various protest movements, which led to confrontations with law enforcement or other groups. 34. 'And The Three Men I Admire Most / The Father, Son, And The Holy Ghost' Since Don McLean was raised Catholic, bringing religion in at the end of the song makes sense. The sacred holy trinity he speaks of, however, catches "the last train for the coast," likely a sign McLean believes America lost its moral foundation in 1959, the year of Buddy Holly's plane crash

[@MegaDirtyberty]

@@bloodybutunbowed291 Interesting reading.

[@garymaidman625]

Yes, interesting reading, however, being that McLean himself doesn't speak about the meaning of the song, it's all interpretation. It may be right, at least some of them, but it may also be wrong. You also forgot about 'A generation lost in space' referring to the space race and in particular two events, the Apollo 11 mission with the walking on the moon of 1969 and the Apollo 13 mission of 1970 which ended in a catastrophic failure of the mission.

[@garymaidman625]

@@icenine8793 being this is a commentary on events in society, I'm much more inclined to believe it is about the space race. Again, he hasn't come out and clarified, so it's all conjecture, but that's how I'm taking it, the space race was much more significant than a TV show.

[@garymaidman625]

@@icenine8793 nope, I've always thought Lennon read a book on Marx was a clever play on words.

[@christianm7220]

One of the best songs in the history of Rock and Roll! Just spectacular how well written this song is! Nobody tells stories like this anymore.

[@keitmo]

His live version of Vincent (from the same show, I believe) is outstanding.

[@garymaidman625]

I saw him in concert earlier this year, during his last world tour and both songs were done and despite him being in his 70s and not having the same vocal range anymore, both were excellent.

[@PhilliptBates]

All of the imperfections in this performance make this a "perfect" performance, something today's music will never understand, unfortunately.

[@wordragon]

There are no imperfections. Everything is humanly perfect. The way a real bard/troubadour would do it.

[@nickbarber3315]

todays "music" is more about dancing than it is about music

[@victoryak86]

So true. Have you listened to Fil’s channel Wings of Pegasus? He’s got a bunch on this as well.

[@PhilliptBates]

@@victoryak86 Yes! I love his channel. He makes some great points with this software. I also love Rick Beato's channel. His music knowledge is inspiring and he breaks down old songs, as well as newer ones, if they are worthy. He recently did an analysis of The Weekend's "Blinding Lights" which was very good, but that was about songwriting and producing rather than autotune. He has spoken at length anout autotune, though.

[@victoryak86]

@@PhilliptBates I’ll have to check that out. I’m subscribed to both of these guys, my favorites for all things music analysis. I enjoyed Fil’s thing recently on the Eagles basically lip syncing their recent concerts. Pretty enlightening.

[@wattheheck6010]

US Servicemen (Air Force, Navy & Marines) wore this record out on the juke box in 1971-73 Iceland where I was stationed and worked at the NCO club. We all sang the chorus. The Vietnam War was raging and we choked on the bile of a US President committing crimes to stay in power (Watergate scandal), while we chased Russian subs and bombers post Cuban Missile Crisis testing America's resolve. "American Pie" captured our lost youth and the passing of early rock and roll legends. Two of Don McLean's other hits were "And I Love Her So" and my favorite, "Castles in the Air." Thanks for posting, Beth!

[@michaelpond6386]

This is what happens when you own a song. It’s yours to play with you are so comfortable with it you can add things without fear. He is really having fun, connecting with his audience.

[@rickkraus4853]

He freaking harmonizes with the audience, what an artist! 12:55

[@vaughnnewman8903]

Saw him in concert with my family. This album was released the year I was born. A classic American Folk song, written and performed with a potent melancholy; simple yet powerful. Describing how he felt reacting to the news of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper dying in a plane crash- the Day the Music Died. Be sure to check out another great song of his- Vincent.

[@auckalukaum]

I love that he likes Weird Al's version so much that he has to try to not sing Al's lyrics when he does this song live now

[@antivanti]

For real? Because that's what's going on in my head whenever I hear this 😅

[@FFVison]

@@antivanti NGL, I found myself slipping into those lyrics too at times.

[@shaneeslick]

Me also especially at the start of each verse & chorus 😁

[@MoMoMyPup10]

I didn't even know Al did a parody of this, so I have no such dilemma 😁

[@gregsteele806]

@@MoMoMyPup10 Don't listen to it then. It will live rent free in your head for the rest of your life! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

[@bobzimmerman1282]

I love the fact that he can trust the audience to be so solid on the melody in the chorus that he feels free at times to either drop his vocal and just add a guitar strum, or to harmonize with them, sometimes a high harmony and sometimes a low.

[@marshabailey1121]

Very perceptive of you to see how this song is still relevant 50 years later. This is how Don was in conceet back in the day...just Don, his guitar and the audience. He even had us singing rounds! I was privileged to see him at the Playhouse in Winnnipeg a few times in the 70s. Love him!

[@Munchkin895]

What absolutely captivates me to this day with this particular performance is how seamlessly he reacted and harmonized with the audience. It's like a musical symbiotic relationship and it's positively mesmerizing every time I watch. Don is truly a one of a kind. ❤

[@orangeandblackattack]

His tear reminds me of something: I used to drive by the crash site all of the time in Clear Lake, IA, and not one trip did I ever not take a pause and play a Buddy Holly song on my stereo. I think about it everytime. And I wasnt even born when it happened. But my dad grew up with Buddy and I had the original 45 rpm records from the 50s which I played all of the time. My parents record collection gave me a wide appreciation of music.

[@billwyatt2449]

He used the audience as his background singers while playing with the lead vocals. Song really seems right for the times we are in. God Bless

[@cherrypickerguitars]

I was 13 yrs old when I first heard this song (the same age as the “story teller”). I had just become familiar with Buddy Holly in 1971. Very very quickly I became familiar with Richie Vallens and the Big Bopper! I was feeling like music was dying at the time - the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis, and Jim Morrison had all just occurred. This is an extremely important song in my personal music history! Peace

[@jakesmith5278]

Love love his simple beautiful voice. What a song writer.

[@johnroop9625]

GOTTA DO "Vincent" from same show!!! It's BEAUTIFUL!!!

[@RoGueNavy]

There is a documentary on the origin of this song, and the process that he went through to write it. It was such a wonderfully done documentary. It left me in tears.

[@QuicknStraight]

Yeah, it was really interesting.

[@oldmanghost219]

I'll have to find it. Thank You for letting us know.

[@RoGueNavy]

@@oldmanghost219 Paramount + and Roku.

[@oldmanghost219]

There so many real life events in this song that i have to go back each time to remind me of all of them. Of course I know what the reference to "His Widowed Bride" is. That would be Ritchie Valens and Janis Joplin is the "lady who sang the blues" And a few others. Don McLean drew inspiration for the song from his childhood experience delivering newspapers during the time of the plane crash that killed early rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper: He was 13.

[@reedthompson8365]

Classic song. It's loaded with cultural references, and while I don't dispute that "the day the music died" referenced the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), I don't think anyone knew about a widowed bride any of the three left behind. That, I presume, was a reference to Jacqueline Kennedy. Several other commenters have called attention to Don McLean's song "Vincent," which is lovely, poetic, and tragic. His best work, in my opinion.

[@dukejohnson1956]

Buddy Holly had a widowed bride who suffered a miscarriage the day after his death due to her grief. Almost certainly a reference to her

[@ottermg]

I'm so happy you used this version, I have waited so long for you to do a reaction to this amazing song. It brings tears, goosebumps, fear, anger, acceptance, not many songs can do all of that 😊

[@wp9860]

"American Pie," an absolute classic. RIP Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper"... Luv ya, Beth!

[@memorylanemodelcars]

This Sings about the Plane Crash Which yook the Lives of Buddy 2:09 Holly (First line References a Widowed Bride Buddy's Wife),The Big Bopper & Richie Valens Feb 3 1959 called the Day the Music Died

[@lifelover515]

Don is/was a fine singer-lyricist-ongwriter whose considerable quality output is often overlooked in the shadow of this pop masterpiece.. Thanks Beth and RIP Buddy, Richie, and J.P., but especially Buddy.

[@fnjesusfreak]

He took off so fast he couldn't sustain himself, as is typical of a lot of one-hit wonders whose first song is just out in the stratosphere.

[@thomashardman108]

Would love to hear your reaction to ‘Vincent’ from this same performance. Great insightful job as always!

[@drcornelius8275]

I remember staying at a hotel with my parents on a trip to Mt. Rushmore around 1978. We were at one of those Howard Johnson's with a bar/restaurant and towards the end of dinner there was a woman who started performing on stage. After a song or two she started playing this song and suddenly everyone joined in. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone in the place was singing the chorus very loudly. It was very special... you would never see that today.

[@foxtanker4055]

Imperfectly perfect!

[@mikedahms3600]

My freshman year in college this came out and has continued to be one of my very favorite songs. Thanks for sharing it on your channel. 73, Mike

[@laraismyname821]

I used to be friends with a DJ at the local classic rock station in Atlanta & this was their 'bathroom break song'. They loved it. It was the longest break they'd get all shift.

[@williamwhalen746]

After Eagle's "Hotel California," this is probably the most analyzed song for meaning ever written. Any chance of watching the longest song to go to number 1, Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant." As far as the current music scene if you want to listen to longer songs then listen to funeral doom. A great song in this genre is Bell Witch's "Mirror Reaper" off the album of the same name. If you're up for the challenge, it is 83 minutes long, and in my opinion quite enjoyable.

[@geraldkramer267]

The song is so powerful, especially for those like me who were "there" when the music died. Every reference in the song is a memory that I can picture and hear in my head. Don McLean still makes money (royalties) from the song-$500,000 a year according to him.

[@memorylanemodelcars]

The line While the King Was Looking Down Refers to Elvis (King of Rock n Roll)¡ the Jester Stole His thorny Crown (Refers to Bob Dylan)

[@memorylanemodelcars]

Helter Skelter Refers to Charles Manson Murders

[@legendsofabhaile]

This song was our tradition, middle school through high school, this song got requested to end every school dance, we'd all end up arm in arm in a giant circle screaming it at the top of our lungs

[@legendsofabhaile]

my best friends got married, they were part of the crew that made sure this got requested - sure enough, wrapped the reception with this banger.

[@terryjohinke8065]

I am a musician - classically trained then onto guitar at 13 in 1969. Buddy Holly Brought three bar chord songs and added a Coda and changes of key in a single song ( think " That'll Be the Day"). Mclean recognises him in thi song. Music came alive then, not died, thanks to Buddy. All the other mentions of other artists are true to the bone. As to a performance -Wow! One man's voice and a guitar and so many references to ideas in the sixties and to the future. Probably the most brilliant song I've ever heard - and I do remember it's release. The fact that the audience know most lyrics is testimony to that.

[@jackarmstrong1838]

Absolutely Iconic. Arguably, one of the greatest pop/rock songs ever.Is a song ever been so personal for one man? I mean, he isnt talking about himself, but he appears to be crying. This song takes so much out of me, and puts it back..........

[@BarrySowder]

Beth, radio once led the way to songs being shorter. Now the Spotify free logarithm is leading the way because the shorter the songs are, the more often commercials between the songs can be played. Is there irony there?🤔 Also the THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: THE STORY OF DON MCLEAN'S AMERICAN PIE documentary is superb

[@rodgerlocher1762]

Two other great storytellers I would love to hear your feedback on are Jim Croce (any song besides Bad Bad Leroy Brown) and Passenger. Love your insight! Thanks!

[@chetstevensq]

The history of rock and roll from the "innocence" before the death of Buddy Holly to the "fall" at the tragedy of the Altamont concert with the Rolling Stones. There used to be a PBS series from Chicago called Soundstage which was a ton of artists doing acoustic versions long before MTV thought they invented that. The Harry Chapin concert is especially notable for just raw singing and killer lyrics. The song Sniper haunted me for years after.

[@SouthCarolinaPicker]

.. A good friend has performed with MrMLean across the USA and Australia .. says he's a genuine, down to Earth fellow .. BlessedBe, MissBeth

[@ericbatemanrodgers]

The song is about the day Buddy Holly Ritchie Valence and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash

[@itzel1735]

Hard to believe Ritchie Valens was only 17.

[@bbraun3381]

And how he felt about the new artists that took their place. Rolling Stones (Helter Skelter), The Birds (8 Miles High), Elvis (The King), Bob Dylan (The Jester), The Beatles (Sergeant’s Marching Band), John Lennon (read a book on Marx), Mick Jagger (Jumping Jack Flash and the Devil at a concert where The Hell’s Angels were reportedly assaulting concert goers resulting in deaths), Janis Joplin (girl who sang the blues).

[@coinneachmaclellan3121]

​@itzel1735 Buddy Holly was only 22...Eddie Cochran was 21 when he died in a car accident a year later...

[@itzel1735]

@@coinneachmaclellan3121 It was all so sad.

[@TheSlandis]

I was a teen in the 70s and me and my friends loved this song. We had the single which, of course, we had to flip because it was so long. The historical touch points mean so much more today because he captured a feeling in a point in time. For example the references to Lennon and "Lost in space" were such contemporary moments. Nonetheless the verses were so deep and personal to any human. Clearly this song still means so much to Don as he is crying as he plays.

[@blueboy4244]

I had it on 8 track and it changed tracks in the middle of the song

[@khristianacampbell3356]

My sister was killed in a car accident!! She was 17 and I 16! It probably took 35 years until this song didn’t absolutely crush my soul! Every time I hear this song it completely encompasses that moment! Although I feel music saved my life! This is a song about my sister!

[@oldmanghost219]

,Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant." ... I 2nd that one. Also a song written about Don McLean...Roberta Flack - "Killing Me Softly"

[@AVGuyhall]

Great song, thanks for reacting to it. I used to be a radio DJ. This and Alice's Restaurant were the go to songs when you needed to take an extended bathroom break while on the air.

[@craigw1911]

A hometown hero of New Rochelle, NY. Great voice and great lyricist.

[@zippymacadoo6336]

Yay New Rochelle! Small world 😊

[@craigw1911]

@@zippymacadoo6336 Queen City of the Sound!

[@zippymacadoo6336]

This was my Dad's album. To this day "On The Amazon" is my favorite of his. It sparked my love of words ❤

[@BethRoars]

📖 Get your signed copy of my album Fable here: www.bethroars.com/shop ☀ Check out "Power Of The Wolf" 🐺 on Spotify: open.spotify.com/track/6upx97y9sUZUrH8HqrFuyC?si=8c8fe984518940dd 🥁 Become a Patreon Supporter: www.patreon.com/bethroars

[@MrMjp58]

As well as writing two of the greatest pop songs ever recorded, he was a captivating performer. I recently saw a BBC special he made c.1978. I found it mesmerising.

[@user-ll2yj3hy4c]

I love to see an English crowd singing "American Pie."

[@RichardinNC1]

This is one of those songs you know will become a classic on first listen!

[@ladycatsinger]

When this song came out, a local radio station did a version where they explained all the references. The widowed bride was Buddy Holly's wife Maria Elena, who was pregnant at the time. The quartet practiced in the park was the Beatles performing at Candlestick Park. The Jester on the sidelines in a cast is Bob Dylan after he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident. The players tried to take the field but the marching band refused to yield refers to Kent State. That is all I can remember off the top of my head, but it has been 50+ years.

[@greypossum1]

When asked one of many times what the song meant, he said "It means I will never have to write another song in my life."

[@nateroseman]

You have great strength in resisting singing along with it. I certainly couldn't help myself.

[@kimzwolinski9919]

Holy crap 😭 seeing him cry got me 💔

[@user-te2hh1zz1g]

I love long songs especially this one. This song is excellent!!! In my book it gets 5 stars. One of the most diverse lyric songs.

[@jeffguillemette3890]

You should really hear his beautiful vocal performance on his song Vincent 👍

[@terryeverson7302]

This song got me through Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) at Tigerland, Ft Polk. WLS kept me sane!!!

[@amr21106]

I watched the documentary he did about the impact this song has had and it was really interesting.

[@HT-in-Alabama]

I can remember this coming out of the AM radio in my 1962 VW back in the 1970s, now it brings a tear to my eyes.

[@itzel1735]

This always was such a sad to me. And I’ve heard it hundreds of times. I like the 50th anniversary version he did with Home Free too. But it seems a bit more upbeat. And Don’s voice has held up better than many of his contemporaries.

[@captaindunsell8568]

I met AG and had a chance to thank him for all of his good music … and still have an autographed Alice’s Restaurant…

[@Sethy.666]

I always forget this song is almost 9 minutes long, because listening to it never feels like it’s that long.

[@rickdupuis8195]

It’s very reminiscent of Bob Dylan’style! If you listen to his phrasing you can hear it.

[@grichard1585]

I saw Laura Nyro and McLean opened for her. He asked someone to come up on stage to act as a human music stand. A girl went up and turned the pages in a note book while he sang this song that he had just written because he hadn't totally memorized the lyrics. BTW, you should listen to some Laura Nyro...another amazing singer/songwriter.

[@DeansMayhem]

A wonderful, classic performance. And NO pitch correction! Give me a "real" performance over auto-tune any day of the week

[@almartin4]

Beth, These events occurred just as I was finishing the final year in high school; ready to graduate in June of 1968. So they have many memories for me. In the early 1970s, when the lady in your life decided you were not up to her standard that became a difficult time for a man. The Vietnam War was still going on and so was the draft of soldiers. Like in previous wars, you had two options: - Wait for the draft and get what they chose for you - Enlist and choose what you would like to do I was lucky and they let me get training then off to Germany, instead of Vietnam. This song was just as popular there as here. No church bells for me either. Regards

[@Popson2wheels]

Home Free and an older McLean did this song together. He still has a good voice. Give it a listen.

[@maggiebucklin9520]

This is just one of those songs that brings you back. I wasin the band and we alwys sang it on the bus on the way home from footbll games, it would get us thru wins or losses so well and also helped us sing so much better, maybe lol!

[@vernhoke7730]

It was a couple of years before I heard the full version of this song. The radio cut was almost half as long as the album cut. Back in the early seventies popular radio, AM stations, didn't play songs much longer than 3 minutes.

[@dvidgonzales8376]

Remember driving home after cool winter days living across from the California state capital in 1971 having experience two previous different years there and being a little lost

[@tom_lahr]

...My favourite hymn...timelessly good! It was the best English school lesson on text interpretation at the time (as I remember). 💕

[@Drewnah]

Hearing great music like this, and being able to still enjoy amazing music like Buddy’s always puts me in a good mood.

[@joolz4848]

I have not heard that for quite some time, Thanks for that.

[@JPVLDRodrigues]

A quite accurate history of the musical ans societal scene of the 60s and 70s. The disenchantment following the fall of the ideals of the 60s.

[@willynillylive]

Nice verses good audience singing along

[@robertanderson6929]

This was the first Karoke song before anyone knew what Karoke was. Back when bars had jukeboxes if this song played the entire bar would sing along..at least with the chorus.

[@robinbeerman4726]

A history lesson on American music and culture of the day.

[@captainkangaroo4301]

Well it’s about time you got around to this masterpiece. When I first bought the record 50 years ago I had to listen to it more than 20 times to decipher all the references.

[@jolinkarlsson8569]

I get chills everytime i listen to it it’s a good song but chilling they were are very young most of them were in their early 20s and the youngest one of them were only 17 only a couple of years younger then me (i’m 20) RIP only the good die young

[@leftcoaster67]

When asked about what the song means. "It mean's I never have to work again..." LOL

[@roybarbara4756]

Definitely YES to Home Free with Don Mclean. By the way your hair is gorgeous!

[@declanmagee58]

I met a girl who sang the blues. And I asked her for some happy news. Oh Janis. Oh Janis.

[@daveheesen9174]

when DM was asked in an interview what American Pie meant to him...he said It means I never have to work again

[@frankbolger3969]

Excellent take on what I thi9nk is possibly the greate4st song in the po/rock era. I was in high school when it was released, and it's hard to convey what a powerful impact it had on the teens of that era. They couldn't stop talking about and guessing about the meaning of its dense and fascinating lyrics. A classic! I have always felt thyat there was nothing so dramatic as a single performer with his lone guitar keeping a large audience mesmerized with his/her masterly storytelling. Dylan, McLean, John Prine, Baez, Joni Mitchell, Kenny ,Rankin Gordon Lightfoot and countless others.

[@sagefoole]

Lady Beth, can I respectfully recommend that you follow this up with Weird Al's "The Saga Begins?"

[@jamespowers8826]

I was in college when this song came out (yeah, I'm old), the Vietnam war was driving daily protests on college campuses, and we all assumed at the time that it was a protest song. Fifty thousand young American men died in a Vietnam, a pointless proxy war between the U.S. and Soviet Union which we finally abandoned in defeat. The song became an anthem of pointlessness and hopelessness for a generation of young men. I listened to an interview with McLean at the time of the song's release where he was asked what the song meant. He stated that it meant nothing, he was just rhyming words and phrases. Which is why it was so successful. Each person could pour their own meaning into it.

[@sissykinz]

I received extra credit for making a small presentation for a music history class because of this song and the history behind it. This song is based on the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. They were the "big" rock and roll artists before the Beattles in the UK Elvis in the US. I grew up on this song and it's one of my favorites!

[@jameswiiliams6506]

He reviewed the 60s after Buddy Holly was killed. It was darkwith upbeat music. Brilliant

[@zlionsfan]

When I was in high school, or maybe middle school, I had a teacher, I think for English class (in the US), who had us dissect lyrics from popular songs for a week or so. I don't remember what the other songs were that we did, but I remember this one ... I was not at all interested in writing in those days, but I did like music, so this would seem like a great assignment, right? Except ... there's a lot of lyrics, obviously 😂I vaguely remember that the in-class discussion took a long time and surprisingly even a teenager could reach his limit of discussing rock lyrics in class. I still listen to the song and enjoy it every time, but I always find myself calling back to that class and to what we thought the lyrics could mean.

[@wp9860]

Beth, if you're digging through the archives, consider Marty Robbin's classic "El Paso." The finest cowboy or gunfighter ballad without question, in a genre of which Robbins was the premier expositor. This is also a long piece.

[@clivemortimore8203]

A pre punk song from my youth I have always liked. And to think the girls I went out with wore those trendy hip clothes. I liked your comparison with Ren.

[@charliepeterson7168]

Love your songs on spotify.

[@kallsop2]

I was 8 or 9 when this came out and I didn't quite understand it's complete meaning, but as I grew older it all started to make sense. In high school I had a sociology and contemporary affairs class that the teacher had us go through the lyrics and discuss the meanings in the song. Even to this day I sing along with this anytime I hear it. So many great reflections of my youth. I agree we have lost all the great story tellers like Don McLean.

[@BRIDINC1972]

I Sang this one night in a pub sing along, with a bus load of Americans in. They were all amazed and delighted that I Sang every verse, unlike the current radio generation who only seem to know half of it. Good times in a holiday destination in Ireland.

[@rodneygriffin7666]

As a musician, Music is as a necessity as food, water, clothing and shelter to me. I could not exist in this world without it. The day the music died is the day we all die.

[@curiousman1672]

THEE lyrical masterpiece. To assemble those lyrics, and the layers of meaning, so skillful. Damn shame we can't learn.

[@TheReeldeel15615]

❤ this song! Great reaction❤

[@Mclint9171]

Season in the sun (terry jacks) would be a good one to react to some day.

[@dylans2376]

Greatest song ever written