American Pie

Song by Don McLean, Album: American Pie, Released: 1971

A long, long time ago 
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile 
And I knew if I had my chance 
That I could make those people dance 
And maybe they'd be happy for a while 

But February made me shiver 
With every paper I'd deliver 
Bad news on the doorstep 
I couldn't take one more step 

I can't remember if I cried 
When I read about his widowed bride 
But something touched me deep inside 
The day the music died 

So bye, bye, Miss American Pie 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry 
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die 
This'll be the day that I die 

Did you write the book of love 
And do you have faith in God above 
If the Bible tells you so? 
Now do you believe in rock and 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' buck 
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck 
But I knew I was out of luck 
The day the music died 

I started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry 
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
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 own 
And 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 Dean 
And a voice that came from you and me 

Oh, and while the king was looking down 
The jester stole his thorny crown 
The courtroom was adjourned 
No verdict was returned 

And while Lennin read a book on Marx 
The quartet practiced in the park 
And we sang dirges in the dark 
The day the music died 

We were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry 
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die 
This'll be the day that I die 

Helter 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 halftime air was sweet perfume 
While 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 revealed 
The 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 ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
And singin' this'll be the day that I die 
This'll be the day that I die 

Oh, and there we were all in one place 
A generation lost in space 
With no time left to start again 
So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick 
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend 

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage 
My hands were clenched in fists of rage 
No angel born in Hell 
Could break that Satan's spell 

And as the flames climbed high into the night 
To light the sacrificial rite 
I saw Satan laughing with delight 
The 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 ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
And singin' this'll be the day that I die 
This'll be the day that I die 

I met a girl who sang the blues 
And I asked her for some happy news 
But she just smiled and turned away 
I went down to the sacred store 
Where 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 coast 
The day the music died 

And they were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry 
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
Singin' this'll be the day that I die 
This'll be the day that I die 

They were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry 
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye 
And singin' this'll be the day that I die