Why
do we have music? Why do we have art at all? It is because art is
that part of the savage beast that is not so savage, or so it seems.
It is a more 'spiritual' way to express ourselves and get our message
across over and over that can also be used to get a subversive
message across.
Don
McLean wrote 'American Pie' because of the death of Buddy Holly, as
he has stated. But McLean also said that because of the impact of
these deaths, the song represented “the turn from innocence of the
'50s to the darker, more volatile times of the '60s—both in music
and politics.”
“For
some reason I wanted to write a big song about America and about
politics, but I wanted to do it in a different way,” McLean stated.
I
have also thought for several years that McLean was describing the
beginning of the political turn from a Republic to socialism and
eventually to communism. The Jester, to me, represents evil and many
researchers believe that is Bob Bylan, who is Jewish. Dylan was a
fan of populist folk legend Woody Guthrie, who is Arlo Guthrie's son,
a known supporter of communism.
'No
verdict was returned' could be a reference to the assassination of
JFK because the shooter was killed also and it did not go to court.
It has been theorized that this is a metaphor for the growing
inability of America to form a consensus on anything, even the music
that had once held them together.
Very
telling about this political connection to communism are these words,
“And while Lenin read a book on Marx...A quartet practiced in the
park ” Not only did Karl Marx create communism, but Vladimir Lenin
put it into action with the overthrow of the Russian Czar in 1917.
Also, John Lennon read about Karl Marx, which introduced the radical
politics into the music of The Beatles.
Senator
Joseph McCarthy not only rid our Federal government of “Jewish-Soviet
spies” but the 200 or so Jews he could not bring to trial, he
banned from making subversive movies and songs until about 1965.
That was exactly when the '60s Revolution began producing murderers
such as Charles Manson, who was more than willing to change the
system and bring down 'the establishment.'
In
the late '40s a group called the Weavers, a quartet, folk group, came
about and were imitated later by people like Bob Dylan, The Kingston
Trio and Peter Paul & Mary. In the same vein and doing some of
the Weavers' songs are Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Seeger was an
original member of the Weavers and along with band mate Lee Hays and
Woody Guthrie, they formed the Weavers.
When
Seeger, who had communist affiliations, refused to testify regarding
his political affiliation, his popularity waned. He was vocally
against Senator McCarthy. He managed to help inspire a generation of
Folk troubadours, including protegee Bob Dylan. Seeger is now
affiliated with the Clearwater Festival, which raises money for
environmental preservation.
This
quartet managed to have a career that spanned four years and over
four million in record sales. Their members were brought before the
House Commitee on Un-American Activities during the McCarthy era of
the 1950s, and disbanded soon after. This band enjoyed some
popularity on the radio until their leftist "subversive"
tunes resulted in the questioning of their popularity.
So,
Don McLean hinted at all the subversiveness happening in music and
politics during the '40s '50s by weaving together all those incidents
that lead to the music dying and becoming subversive. He also
noticed the American “inability to form a consensus on anything”
as it changed. Neither did the White Russians.
"American Pie"
by Don McLean
[Intro]
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
But February made me shiver
With every
paper I'd deliver
Bad 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
But something touched me deep inside
The day the
music died
[Chorus]
So bye-bye, Miss American
Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them
good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' "This'll
be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die"
[Verse
1]
Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in
God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Now do you believe in rock
and roll
Can music save your mortal soul
And can you teach me
how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with
him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off
your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely
teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But
I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
[Chorus]
I
started singin' bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the
levee, but the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinkin'
whiskey and rye
Singin' "This'll be the day that I
die
This'll be the day that I die"
[Verse 2]
Now
for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a
rollin' stone
But 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
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh, and while
the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The
courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And
while Lenin read a book on Marx
A quartet practiced in the
park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music
died
[Chorus]
We were singin' bye-bye, Miss American
Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
Them
good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' "This'll
be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die"
[Verse
3]
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off
with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast
It
landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With
the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now the halftime air was
sweet perfume
While the sergeants played a marching tune
We all
got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'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?
[Chorus]
We started singin' bye-bye, Miss
American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was
dry
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And
singin' "This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day
that I die"
[Verse 4]
Oh, and 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 candlestick
'Cause fire is the devil's only
friend
Oh, and 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
He was singin' bye-bye, Miss
American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was
dry
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And
singin' "This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day
that I die"
[Outro]
I met a girl who sang the
blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled
and turned away
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
And in the streets, the children screamed
The lovers
cried and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The
church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire
most
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last
train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were
singin' bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee,
but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey
and rye
Singin' "This'll be the day that I die
This'll be
the day that I die"
[Chorus]
They were singin'
bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the
levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And
singin' "This'll be the day that I die"