A bit like when a child discovers that there is no Santa Claus. When he died on February 3, 1959, crashing with the plane, not only for many was the end of music, “the day the music die”, but for Don he represented the end of childhood dreams. Everyone seemed happy and carefree and even the lyrics of the songs were “idiots”, they just had to communicate happiness and will to live. A simple and idyllic world, and also naive. World War II was over, the Cold War had not yet reached the “Reganian” tension, the economy was experiencing a growth that seemed unstoppable, heroin and cocaine had yet to invade American cities, and the era of liberation was beginning for women. What were those years for the singer-songwriter and for many young Americans? I can still remember how that music used to make me smileĪnd I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people danceĭrove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dryĪnd them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Don McLean began writing the lyrics right after a historic accident in the 1950s. The refrain, not surprisingly, reads “bye bye American Pie”, or “goodbye American dream”. The female reference in the lyrics therefore serves to reaffirm certain roots: Don McLean thus wants to accuse the abandonment of values, of original history. In fact, the founding fathers adopted many traditions of the Indians who saw the birth of North America due to the descent of a woman from heaven. The female figure is intended as an American symbol. Therefore, the interpretation about an American sweet can still be valid.

It is true that the lyrics say “Miss American pie”, which might refer to a person. Let’s start with the title, which apparently makes no sense and instead …Īmerican pie could be intended as an American sweet.

American pie song references