AMERICAN PIE

Don McLean

American Pie LyricsA long, long time ago...I can still rememberHow that music used to make me smile.And I knew if I had my chanceThat I could make those people danceAnd, maybe, they’d be happy for a while.

But february made me shiverWith every paper I’d deliver.Bad news on the doorstep;I couldn’t take one more step.

I can’t remember if I criedWhen I read about his widowed bride,But something touched me deep insideThe day the music died.

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 ryeSingin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."

American Pie

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 ‘n 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’ buckWith a pink carnation and a pickup truck,But I knew I was out of luckThe day the music died.

American Pie LyricsI 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 ryeAnd singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."

Now for ten years we’ve been on our ownAnd 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 deanAnd a voice that came from you and me,

American Pie

Oh, and while the king was looking down,The jester stole his thorny crown.The courtroom was adjourned;No verdict was returned.And while lennon read a book of marx,The quartet practiced in the park,And we sang dirges in the darkThe day the music d`ied.

We were singing,So bye-bye, miss American pie.Drove my chevy to the levee,But the levee was dry.Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and ryeAnd singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."

American Pie LyricsHelter 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 half-time air was sweet perfumeWhile 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 revealedThe day the music died?

We started singing,"bye-bye, miss american pie."Drove my chevy to the levee,But the levee was dry.Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and ryeAnd singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."

American PieOh, and there we were all in one place,A generation lost in spaceWith no time left to start again.So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick!Jack flash sat on a candlestickCause fire is the devil’s only friend.

Oh, and as I watched him on the stageMy hands were clenched in fists of rage.No angel born in hellCould break that satan’s spell.And as the flames climbed high into the nightTo light the sacrificial rite,I saw satan laughing with delightThe day the music died

He was singing,"bye-bye, miss american pie."Drove my chevy to the levee,But the levee was dry.Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and ryeAnd singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."

American Pie Lyrics

I met a girl who sang the bluesAnd I asked her for some happy news,But she just smiled and turned away.I went down to the sacred storeWhere 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 coastThe day the music died.

The End

Bye, Bye Miss American Pie

This line is a metaphor

A metaphor is comparing two things without like or as

This is a metaphor because it is saying how American culture is done for as everyone knows it after the plane crash

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Mood

This song has a lot of moods. It starts out slow, so the mood is down and really unhappy. However as the song goes on the song picks up the tempo and becomes more energetic and happier, although the words of the song still aren’t the happiest. So the song is an unhappy song that gives off a happy and fun sound.

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Music used to make me smile.

This is imagery

Imagery is using words to help you see what is going on

You can see how happy these people’s music used to make him very happy

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Oh, and while the king was looking down,The jester stole his thorny crown.

This section of the song is a rhyme scheme

The rhyme scheme is aa, bb, c, dd

A rhyme scheme is two or more lines that end rhyming the line before it

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I met a girl who sang the bluesAnd I asked her for some happy news

This is a rhyme scheme

The scheme is aa, b, cc, and d

This rhyme scheme is the first two lines rhyme then the 3rd and 4th lines

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The Day the Music Died

On February 3, 1959, just after 1 a.m., a tragic crash over Clear Lake, Iowa, took place on a small private plane. Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens were the most well known people on that plane. The plane was head to Fargo, N.D. However it never make it to its destination. The bands had to rent the plane after their concert in Clear Lake because the bus was so cold that it was unbearable. However there wasn’t enough space so only these few people could catch the flight. They never made it far from the airport before a snow storm hit and caused the plane to crash just past Clear Water.

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Rock and RollNew in the 1950’s and into the 60’s, Rock and Roll shook the foundation of music as everyone knew it. Several different popular types of music from across the world helped to created the new type of music. Rock and Roll only started small at small clubs, and small radio stations, but with the creation of American Band Stand in the late 60’s, rock and roll took off. It was also the cooler young people music because most parents didn’t like the faster beat, crud lyrics, and the types of dances that went along with the music.

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Rolling Stones

Started in 1962, the Stones were a big part of rock and roll and very popular. They were originally from London but their music went world wide. They started as a basic blues band, but once switched to rock, became popular quick. By the mid- 60’s they were the number two band in the world, right behind the Beatles. They revolutionized the use of instruments in rock and roll.

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Charles Mansion

Charles Mansion is an American criminal and charged for conspiracy. He also started the organization known as the Mansion family, or just “the family.” Mansion was put into jail and when he was released, started the conspiracy group. He was referred to as Helter Skelter first by the Beetles, but later a book was called Helter Skelter as well as the reference in American Pie.

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Buddy Holly

Holly was one of the great singers before the age of Don McLean. He was born as the youngest of four in Texas, but was always strongly influenced by the African-American music that he grew up listening to. His first few albums were all blues and other song types, but after hearing Elvis sing, he was always rock and roll. He was an instant hit and loved by everyone up until his death, “The Day the Music Died.”

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Ritchie Valens

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Ritchie was the first Rock and Roll star out of Chicago. He died during the plane crash along with the others, and his family was devastated. They live in San Francisco today. Ritchie’s career never really took off, but for the short time that it was there, he was well known and respected. He had written several songs, most of which became hits. It is a shame that he died as young and early into his career as he did.

Don McLean

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Don McLean was born on October 2nd 1945 in New York. From a young age he had always be into music and spent hours listening to the radio and old records. Don attended Villanova for just four months before leaving to start his music career while attending night classes at Iona College. In 1969, Don recorded his first album, “Tapestry,” and was a decent success for his first. Then in 1971 he started his international career with the release of “American Pie.” The song was a hit and within a week of being released became a number one hit on the radios and record sales. This song was his biggest success and one of the greatest songs in the 20th century. Through his career he had four big albums that all hit top 10’s throughout Europe and the United States. Don McLean is still alive to this day and lives in Maine on a huge estate with his wife and two children.