Since "American Pie” is one of the most often played songs in history, we will spare a little ink to help you better understand this masterpiece.

Despite what most listeners believe, “Ameri­can Pie” is not a tribute song — to Buddy Holly nor anyone else. It is, in fact, a song of protest. In early 1972 it became the No. 1 song in America. For nearly nine minutes Don McLean sings as the voice of American rock and roll as he knew it in the 1950s. When he sings “I,” it’s as if he is the spirit of the music and innocence of the ‘50s. The song is a retrospect of a whole era, not just the music.

Understanding that, let me share with you the essence of a feature story titled “American Pie -Analyzed,” written by William F. Griggs and printed in the May 1992 issue of the music collectors monthly, “Discoveries” Magazine: 

“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.”

This is the music of the ‘50s, as he remembers it. If he could play it again, people would smile.

“But February made me shiver-With every paper I’d deliver-Sad 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.”  McLean, once a newspaper carrier, recalls the February 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and three others.

“But something touched me deep inside-The day the music died.” The death of rock and roll music, not of Buddy Holly.

“(Chorus) Bye bye Miss American Pie-Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry-And good ol’ boys were drinking whiskey and rye-Singing this will be the day when I die.”  More about the ‘50s. Remember, the “I” is rock and roll music.

 “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 and roll-Can music save your mortal soul-Then you can teach me how to dance real slow.”  Besides “The Book of Love,” ‘50s music included some beautiful ballads. He is asking if music has become part of your life. If so, then you can teach him about today’s music, referring to the 1960s (when this song was written). As for “music saving your mortal soul,” McLean is referring to the bad, more modern music.

“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.”

 “Him” is ‘60s music (the other man). McLean prefers rhythm and blues.

 “I was a lonely teen-age broncin buck-With a pink carnation and a pickup truck-But I knew that I was out of luck-The day the music died.”  Laments ‘50s music being dominated by ‘60s music.

“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.”  The “10 years” is from 1959 to ‘69 when rock and roll was forgotten and “on its own.” “Rolling stone” refers to Bob Dylan and his hit “Like a Rolling Stone.” It made Dylan much money but the music of that era still seemed stagnate, thus, “moss grows fat,” etc. Things weren’t always that way, thus: “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.”  The jester is Bob Dylan and the king is Elvis. Dylan once performed for the queen in England wearing a leather jacket similar to those worn by James Dean. McLean is saying that although ‘60s music has taken over, it is still borrowing heavily from the ‘50s.

“And while the king was looking down-The jester stole his thorny crown-The courtroom was adjourned-No verdict was returned.”  While Presley was making lame movies, Dy­lan became immense. Then, there was “no ver­dict,” or no decision, whether Elvis would reclaim his crown.

“While Lennon read a book of Marx-The quartet kept practice in the park-And we sang dirges in the dark-The day the music died.”  The quartet, the Beatles, at the time, were doing some things as socially unacceptable as studying a Marx book. Meanwhile “we” from the ‘50s sang in the dark — played our music, if only for ourselves.

“Helter skelter, in the summer swelter-The Byrds flew off with a fallout shelter-Eight miles high and falling fast-They landed foul on the grass.  Some ‘60s music was influenced by drugs (“grass”), turning ‘Toul.” Things were falling fast. “Eight Miles High” was a drug-related Byrds hit.

"The players tried for a forward pass-With the jester on the sidelines m a cast-Now the halftime air was sweet perfume-While sergeants played a marching tune-We all got up to dance-But we never got the chance.”  The players, artists of the ‘60s, tried to change the music but the jester (Dylan) was there, al­though he was in a cast, referring to his near fatal accident. “Halftime air” means that between 1959 and 1969 (i.e. 1964) the Beatles burst on the scene. Stars from the ‘50s wanted to come back but couldn’t because the music had changed so much.

"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.”  Other artists tried (“to take the field”) but the marching band (the Beatles) refused to yield (they had become so popular they simply dominated).

"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.”  We were “all in one place” at the 1969 concert at Altamont, Ca.  Many there were high and “lost in space.” Jumpin’ Jack Flash is a Rolling Stones song (they headlined at Altamont). “No time left to start again” suggests things were to-tally out of control — the innocence of the ‘50s would never return.

“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.”  Seeing the ‘60s (Mick Jagger on stage) he (the spirit of the ‘50s) was outraged. As the concert continued into the night, he saw Satan laughing with delight (in a scuffle with the Hell’s Angels, one person was stabbed to death).

“I met a girl who sang the blues-And I asked her for some happy news-But she just smiled and turned away.”  The girl is Janis Joplin, and McLean asks for some happy news. She smiles but has none.

“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.”  He went looking for his kind of music, but found none.

“In the streets the children screamed-The lovers cried and the poets dreamed-Not a word was spoken-The church bells all were broken.”

“Children screamed” refers to the rioting. The lovers cried and the poets dreamed because the Viet Nam war had ended — an unpopular war that no one spoke about.

“And the three men I admired most-The father, son, and holy ghost-They caught the last train to the coast-The day the music died.”  The three who caught the last train (the train of death) are John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King.

According to the author of this analysis, Don McLean reviewed Griggs’ reading of “American Pie” and concurred with his interpretations. He reportedly told Griggs that he missed a few things, but when asked by the author to clarify, McLean “just smiled and turned away.”