From meteorology.guide@miningco.com Tue Jun 16 11:46:45 1998 Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 06:55:36 -0400 From: Joseph Bartlo To: bconnell@mbhs.edu Subject: American Pie I hope this is not too long, but because I don't have a personal WWW site for placing my ideas regarding interpretation, I do so here. First I state that I think Don McLean is an excellent musician, and I greatly enjoy his music. With all of the ridiculous and perhaps not so ridiculous interpretations of American Pie which scrutinize every word, I understand why he won't talk (though it's hard to :) ), though I wish he would as a service to his fans. I begin stating that I'd be quite surprised if as much of the symbolisms and meanings I see discussed at WWW sites was intended. Neither do I think it is strictly chronologial. I think it expresses themes, attitudes, and ideas from c. 1959 to c. 1970, generally chronological, but sometimes variant. Most people write of their experiences, and I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few significant things mentioned are tales of personal experiences which few people would know about, but which fit the song and its basic theme very well. *I believe its basic theme is the decline (death) of the music he loved so much as a youngster, the tragic day it 'died' (began its decline - 3 FEB 1959), and how life in America (particularly as he perceives it) consequently lost its innocence and was 'turned upside down'. The idea of things being reversed from the way they are supposed to be is evident several times, so I denote references of it using an [R] below. That was the reality of the time the song was written, with so much conflict and uncertainty present. I offer my guesses (i.e., not facts !) & comments regarding each verse : Refrain : So bye-bye... This is the 'heart' of many songs - a repeated verse fitting well with the music and relating its basic theme and feeling. As many people mentioned, "American Pie" likely symbolizes all things good about America, of which the music Don loves is a key part. The story regarding bars in New York is quite believable. "This'll be the day that I die" is a twist of Buddy Holly's song [R]. (Sometimes I wonder if such 'accidents' happen as a reminder to be aware of what you are saying. I.e., someone saying goodbye is bad, but it's not the day you die !) The tragic day of his plane crash with Richie Valens & The Big Bopper was then (1959) called "the day the music died". Song : A long, long, time ago... This verse is personal experience - he delivered newspapers, and news of the plane crash during February (& Buddy Holly's widowed bride) made him very sad and 'touched him deep inside'. Buddy's music made him smile (he loved it !), and he dreamed that someday he might similarly do the same for others. The words "and maybe they'll be happy for awhile" interest me. Though almost certainly unintended, this implies that true happiness is uncommon - even if times are good ! - though the music provides it. *Perhaps also that good times are not really so good, and bad times not so bad !* (which Billy Joel mentions in -Keeping the Faith-). Did you write the Book of Love... I think most of the symbolism discussed is imagined - you can choose almost any phrase and it is mentioned in a song. Though being a musician, Don McLean likely heard & borrowed many popular phrases, and -Who Wrote the Book of Love ?- was almost certainly responsible for that line. Regarding the subsequent lyrics, music is a sacred thing for a musician (perhaps to the extent of being religious). During the ensuing years after the tragedy and the JFK assassination, many people began questioning God, the bible, and religion, feeling it 'let them down'. Pop music was becoming a religion of sorts - pop stars (particularly Bob Dylan & John Lennon) began being idolized as spiritual figures - and music became comparably sacred for much of the public also. But do you really have faith in any of this (God or them) ? and can they (particularly God) save you from your mortal human state ? were pertinent questions. The remainder of this verse simply uses high school dance, proms, pink carnations & pick-up trucks, sock-hops, etc. to develop the "American Pie" mood - the good things, fun, and innocence which was lost; and Don could be using a specific experience of his to accomplish this, as some people mentioned. He may have borrowed ideas from Marty Robbins, etc. for more effective symbolism. Now for 10 years... This *line* almost certainly refers to approximately 10 years after the tragedy, and "moss grows fat on a rolling stone quite likely does imply Moss' wallet growing fat because of the Rolling Stones. But more importantly, this is also an [R], and that's the main affect. *A rolling stone collected no moss, but now it does ! Things aren't the way they are supposed to be as they were before ("but that's not how it used to be") ! Then he 'goes back' to an earlier time when Bob Dylan (the Jester) sang for royalty (the Kennedys or Queen Elizabeth) - with the coat, the voice of the people, etc. "While the King was looking down..." almost certainly is about the JFK 'hit' - it was a surprise attack (when he was 'looking down'), thus Bob Dylan became the new 'king of the people' (certainly wouldn't be LBJ :) ), but not the real one. "No verdict was returned" - many questions lingered, and people were not satisfied with the Warren Report or much else they were told rgearding this - too many suspicious things (the limo driver possibly shot him because the other assassins missed, fatally speaking). "While (John) Lennon read a book on Marx" (communism interested him, and a cute 'play on words' with Lennin also !), "and the quartet practiced in the park" - probably the 'Sun million dollar' one, though possibly the Beatles (though how can John Lennon practice with them while he's reading ? - perhaps that's too picky). And they "sang dirges in the dark" - a sad time - the JFK mourning, etc. Helter Skelter in a summer swelter... References to the Beatles, the summer riots, the Byrds & Bob Dylan's album cover (fallout shelter) from which the Byrds 'flew high' with -Mr. Tambourine Man- - falling fast - their great popularity really didn't last long, for reasons mentioned (drug references so banned airplay, etc.). The "players" represent the last group of good guys & gals (musicians who tried keeping the spirit of "the music" alive), and the sergeants & marching band probably refers to the authorities & military pursuing the war in Vietnam, though possibly the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper's). The players' pass was incomplete ("landed on the grass"), and when the players tried taking the filed again (singing songs of peace & love, protesting the war & hate), the "marching band refused to yield" (no - we'll continue fighting, and you won't prevent us). "Do you recall what was revealed..." ? That his favorite mucicians and president can tragically die, that people's pleas for goodness & peace are ineffective, and any loving God or such seemingly wouldn't help. Evil triumphs over good - bad guys win ! [R]. If the marching band is the Beatles, then this conflict theory is invalid, though they possibly did help 'kill' the music he loved, though I doubt it - they weren't that bad, and agreed with many of the ideals he did. Oh there we were all in 1 place... Obviously using the term "Lost in Space" from the TV series, and referring to the "space race". Being 'spaced out' also - he uses several clever mutiple references. I don't think "all in one place" is literal so much as a 'we're all in this together' idea, and there's "no time left to start again" - i.e., we made this mess, and now must deal with it ! "Jack Be Nimble..." This is a twist [R] of the nursery rhyme 'Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over a candlestick'. This likely refers to the Candlestick Park, Beatles, and Rolling Stones stuff. I often think of a person who is an ardent fundamental Christian as 'the Bible' (because he often says, 'the bible says...'), so I can understand Mick Jagger being 'Jack Flash' because of the song & he is quick & nimble on stage. I met a girl who sang the blues... The entire song begins and ends with the same basic theme (an alpha to omega type of philosophy) - "the day the music died" - not only the specific day, but the ensuing events and consequences to him. Thus, I think Don refers to Billie Holiday. After the Buddy Holly tragedy, he "asked her for some happy news" - not literally, but to see if she would 'keep the music alive', "but she just smiled and turned away" - as mentioned, a figurative wistful smile before she "turned away"...died. So he "went down to the sacred store", where he "heard the music years before" - figuratively again - to a 'music store' where he could previously 'get the music which he loved to the extent of being scared to him' ! "But the man there said the music wouldn't play" - again, I don't think a real man - figuratively, the good music was gone - his favorite artists were not making records anymore ! The rest of the verse simply illustrates his feelings of despair (most people probably didn't care so much - but he's singing about HIS WORLD as much as OUR WORLD). The "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" are almost certainly the 3 musicians in the 3 FEB 1959 plane crash. Thus, the story begins & ends with this. (Interestingly, Neil Diamond has a beautiful song -The Story of my Life-, which expresses such an alpha-omega idea also regarding a personal relationship) Then the Refrain again, illustrating the basic theme. Even if Don McLean says something different, I may not believe it (considering other inadequate responses he gave).