American Pie Analysis

The immensely popular song "American Pie", written by Don McLean, describes the "day the music died", and the decline of society in the following decade. This date, specifically February 3rd 1959, is marked by the deaths of influential musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson. McLean wrote the song to describe his feelings towards the deaths, and to describe the history of American music up to the date "American Pie" was written, using symbolism to describe events without directly naming them or those involved. McLean uses many different themes, including theology and time to describe this journey. Don McLean's "American Pie" uses symbolism to tell the story of American music and the "day the music died", and the events that lead up to the apocalypse. The first line in the song "A long, long time ago" (McLean) suggests a feeling of timelessness, which is often used in mythic stories and events. This line also refers to the narrator's (presumably McLean) youth, before he was a well-known musician. The following lines describe McLean's desire to bring joy to people through music and dance. "And I knew if I had my chance, that I could make those people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a while" (McLean). Music is often used symbolically as a connector with the universal and with the cosmos. "Music with its different harmonies, tones, tempi and instruments is a means of identifying with the life of the cosmos with all its fullness" (Chevalier 688). Dance can also be seen as a manifestation of the spirit and of life (272-273). During the time that McLean was a youth, dance was seen as a serious sign of affection, to a greater and more meaningful extent than it would later. Dance is a constant theme in the song, and as it progresses it is diminished to a more trivial role, to McLean's dismay. The next section dramatically alters the tone of the song from upbeat "…music used to make me smile" (McLean) to somber "But February made me shiver"