We regret the error, as that information would have impacted the decisions made about the interview and segment. Don McLean is celebrating 50 years since his song, 'American Pie,' on the state of late 1960s America topped the charts and became a pop music icon. We did not come across this information during our research into the song and documentary. Since this interview aired it has been brought to our attention that Don McLean pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges in 2016.

From family tragedy to social change, to bust-ups in the recording studio and the song’s impact today.ĭon McLean opens up about this latest project, the art of songwriting, and why the three men he admires most are “the father, son, and the holy ghost.” Like the original song, the film covers a lot. history the way that singer/songwriter Don McLean’s. Until now.Ī new documentary streaming on Paramount Plus takes viewers beyond the phrase “the day the music died” and its association with a plane crash in 1959 that killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. JBy Jim Allen Don McLean - Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images There’s probably no other song that encapsulates a moment in U.S.

American Pie is the (early) Baby Boomer coming-of-age story, as the chronology of the song runs roughly from 1959 to 1971, the year America Pie was released. In the last 50 years, the exact meaning of the lyrics has remained open to interpretation. I believe American Pie by Don McLean makes a reference to the JFK assassination. Don McLean’s “American Pie” broke the songwriting rules.Īt nearly nine minutes long, it was the lengthiest song to have ever entered the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in late 1971. Evidence That American Pie Is About Buddy Holly What Don McLean Has Said About American Pie The Songs Main Action Takes Place Over The Course Of Decade.

What is song american pie about