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What Does American Pie Mean

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Have you ever listened to the song “American Pie” by Don McLean? Have you ever really listened to the lyrics and understood their meaning? The song “American Pie” was released in 1971, and was a hit in 1972 for about four weeks in January.

In this song, Don McLean used illusions, metaphors, and symbolism to reference the ending of the perfect America. I found this theme through the lyrics of the song by looking through the different illusions, metaphors, and symbolism and their deeper meanings. At the beginning of the song, Don McLean talks about the deaths of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, marking the ending of an era of early rock and roll. He continues to go on about other famous musicians and events in the 1950s and …show more content…

The repeated line, “the day the music died,” was an illusion referencing a plane crash in 1959 that killed early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, marking the ending of the culture, values, and era of early rock and roll. Another illusion that was used in “American Pie” was in the line “when the jester sang for the king and queen.” This was a reference to Bob Dylan - the jester, Elvis Presley - the king, and Connie Francis - the queen of rock and roll in the late 1950s. Another famous part of the “American Pie” song was when Don McLean talked about the famous Woodstock event in 1969. “Oh, and there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space.” The generation is represented by the 400,000 to 500,000 mostly young people “all in one place” and lost in space talking about how everyone was high on drugs, while the Woodstock was …show more content…

The line “moss grows fat on a rolling stone” is a metaphor talking about how people are always moving, avoiding their problems and cares. “And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost” this was a metaphor for the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martian Luther King Jr. This could also be a metaphor for the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Janis Joplin. Both Jimmy Hendrick and Janis Joplin died of an overdose. McLean had another metaphor about the king, queen, and the jester “when the jester sang for the king and queen.” Some people interpret this as a reference to the Kennedys - the king and queen of “Camelot” - who were present at a Washington DC civil rights rally featuring Martin Luther King, and Bob Dylan performed

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