Don McClean Pays Tribute to the Fallen Stars
"American Pie" is an abstract story of the life of Don McLean starting with the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson in 1959 and continuing through 1970.
The importance of "American Pie" to America's musical and cultural heritage was recognized by the Songs of the Century education project which listed the song performed by Don McLean as the number five song of the twentieth century.
The song is also the longest #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time at more than eight and a half minutes; some Top 40 stations initially played only side 2 of the single, but the song's popularity eventually forced stations to play the entire song.
The importance of "American Pie" to America's musical and cultural heritage was recognized by the Songs of the Century education project which listed the song performed by Don McLean as the number five song of the twentieth century.
The song is also the longest #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time at more than eight and a half minutes; some Top 40 stations initially played only side 2 of the single, but the song's popularity eventually forced stations to play the entire song.
But What Do The Lyrics Really Mean?
The song's lyrics are the subject of much curiosity. Although McLean dedicated the American Pie album to Buddy Holly, none of the singers in the airplane crash are identified by name in the song itself. When asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean replied, "You will find many 'interpretations' of my lyrics but none of them by me... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence."
McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song, except to acknowledge that he did first learn about Buddy Holly's death while folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 4th, 1959.
Despite this, many fans of McLean, amongst others, have attempted an interpretation; at the time of the song's original release in late 1971, many American AM & FM rock radio stations released printed interpretations and some devoted entire shows discussing and debating the song's lyrics, resulting in both controversy and intense listener interest in the song.
McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song, except to acknowledge that he did first learn about Buddy Holly's death while folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 4th, 1959.
Despite this, many fans of McLean, amongst others, have attempted an interpretation; at the time of the song's original release in late 1971, many American AM & FM rock radio stations released printed interpretations and some devoted entire shows discussing and debating the song's lyrics, resulting in both controversy and intense listener interest in the song.
Buddy Holly Dead at 22
Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll."
His works and innovations were copied by his contemporaries and later musicians, notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and exerted a profound influence on popular music. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Holly #13 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
His works and innovations were copied by his contemporaries and later musicians, notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and exerted a profound influence on popular music. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Holly #13 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, Pilot also Dead
After the February 2, performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Ritchie Valens were taken to Clear Lake airport by the manager of the Surf Ballroom.
The four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza plane, departed for Fargo, North Dakota in a blinding snowstorm and crashed into farmer Albert Juhl's cornfield shortly after takeoff. The crash ended the lives of all three musicians, as well as that of the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson.
The four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza plane, departed for Fargo, North Dakota in a blinding snowstorm and crashed into farmer Albert Juhl's cornfield shortly after takeoff. The crash ended the lives of all three musicians, as well as that of the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson.
© 2010
