American Pie by Don McClean is one of the most analyzed songs in rock and roll. This 8 and a half minute song looks at what happened to rock and roll – and America – in the decade after Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959. Don McClean has never fully explained the meaning of the song but there are references to Bob Dylan, Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Byrds, and Janis Joplin, as well as the JFK assassination, communism, the Manson Murders, and tragedy at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival.

On today’s Episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re putting American Pie under our musical microscope. We’re going to give our two cents on all of the symbolism in the song, look at what happened in America in the late 50s / early 60s, and talk about the impact of the Day the Music Died. 

Part of Pantheon Podcasts.

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Check out all of the songs we discuss in our episode playlist.

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