THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

4-Don McLean-American Pie.

1971-Number 2 single. When it was re-issued in 1991 it reached Number 12.

Best Bit-At 4.01. When asked for the 1000th time what does American Pie really mean? McLean replied, ‘It means I don’t have to work anymore.’

In 2000 Madonna (see also best songs 774 and 587) committed one of Pop Music’s greatest crimes when she murdered the song with a sub standard karaoke version that was rightly slammed by many music critics. Surprisingly Don McLean gave her version his blessing, what he was thinking I do not know, but I can refer you to that earlier quote of his.

Donald McLean was born on October 2nd, 1945, in New Rochelle, New York, United States, although he will always be best remembered for ‘American Pie,’ there are also other songs that he wrote which have also been critically acclaimed. Don McLean can be filed under the Folk/Rock genre, having been influenced as a teenager by the American Folk quartet the ‘Weavers,’ 1955 recording ‘At Carnegie Hall.’ In later years McLean would befriend, and work very closely with the American Folk singer and social activist Pete Seeger, (1919-2014) (see also best songs 159.) who it is speculated is one of the artists (the king) that McLean is singing about in ‘American Pie’

The discography of Don McLean includes 21 studio Albums released between 1970-2020, and 16 singles issued between 1971-2012. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, six of those singles have reached the top 40, with ‘American Pie’ making the Number 1 spot for four weeks, and at that time at 8.42, it became the longest Billboard Number 1 song ever, until in 2021 when the Canadian singer Taylor Swift (see also best songs 847) topped that chart with ‘All Too Well,’ which clocks in at 10.13. In the UK Don McLean has had five top 40 hits with ‘Vincent’ in 1972, and ‘Crying’ in 1980, both reaching the Number 1 spot.

‘American Pie’ must be the most written about, and speculated upon song ever, with thousands of people giving their opinion about what the songs real meaning is, and who are the characters McLean is really singing about. Don McLean began writing ‘American Pie’ in 1969, and on completion it first appeared on his second studio Album of the same name when released on October 24th, 1971. The song was later issued as a single in November 1971, with the production being by Ed Freeman, who would go on to produce over 20 more Albums, as well as conducting orchestral arrangements for Cher and Carly Simon.

Don McLean was 14 years old and working as a delivery newspaper boy when he read the headline of February 3rd, 1959, that three of the era’s most prominent ‘Rock N’ Roll’ stars, Buddy Holly, (see also best songs 898 and 264) Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper (see also best songs 1017) had been killed in a plane crash after a concert. This event left a lasting impression on the young McLean who approximately 10 years later put pen to paper and wrote about the musical and political events in America during the 1960’s decade. ‘The day the music died’ is a reference to that plane crash, bringing to an end the more carefree and innocent 1950’s, and entering a new decade of turmoil and conflict, which was the 1960’s.

‘American Pie’ is a ‘disguised’ commentary of political and civil upheaval during the decade of the 1960’s, including the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’ a year earlier, McLean also addresses the Civil Right Movement, as well as the rise in drug use. The song also describes the death of Meredith Hunter, (1951-1969) which occurred at the ‘Altamont Free Festival.’ in December 1969, who was killed while ‘The Rolling Stones’ (see also best songs 933-662-452-160 and 77) were on stage performing, some have criticised the Stones for refusing to quit playing, while in his defence Jagger has said it would have been far worse to stop playing, as in his opinion it would have led to a riot.

‘American Pie’ itself is a reference to ‘apple pie,’ which is an unofficial symbol of the United States and one of its signature comfort foods, as seen in the popular expression ‘As American as apple pie.’ McLean who was influenced by the Pete Seeger song ‘Bye, Bye, My Roseanna’ has said that he had originally intended to use ‘Miss American apple pie,’ but ‘apple’ was dropped. ‘American Pie’ is a commentary on the political and musical changes that occurred during the decade of the 1960’s.

‘So bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry, and them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye singin’ this’ll be the day that I die, this’ll be the day that I die.’