The Day The Music Died...

On February 3rd, 1959, a small chartered plane headed for Fargo, ND, from Clear Lake, IA, crashed in a field. All 4 aboard were killed. It was a tremendous & tragic loss to family, fans, & the music world at large. The victims included a pilot, as well as three well-known musicians. Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper (JP Richardson), & Richie Valens.

On a side note, about 7 years ago I was invited (by Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens) to attend The Buddy Holly Birthday Bash held in NYC at the Roseland. It was hosted by Paul McCartney, who had previously held the event in England before eventually bringing it stateside. It was a VERY cool star-studded event where I got to meet, or at least ogle some rock & roll greats. I was wearing one of those laminated VIP passes that hang from a lanyard, & even though a nobody, they must have assumed I was a somebody as I was wearing one & mingling. I wasn't about to ruin the charade at this once-in-a-lifetime event!

During the evening a small group of people came over to where Pat and me were standing, and I was introduced (albeit briefly) to Maria Elena, the widow of Buddy Holly! She was kind and gracious, and I told her it was an honor to meet her, to which she replied, the pleasure was hers-WOW! I'll NEVER forget that night!

As per USUAL, I've gone off on yet another of my WORDY tangents without even getting to the point of the actual post.

In 1971 Don McLean released an album that contained a song that would scale the charts to #1 in 1972. And that song was AMERICAN PIE. One of my favorite songs of all-time. An almost immediate classic I NEVER tire of, which holds up pretty damn well even in 2009!

The song, although mainly written about that terrible day in the winter of '59, is about so MANY other things of the times, woven throughout the amazing lyrics. The song clocks in (unedited) at a whopping 8 minutes, 33 seconds! When I was young I had bought it when the song was released on a 45rpm, (does anyone remember them?) & the song was so long it took up BOTH the a-side & the b-side!

So ladies & gentleman, & the ghosts of Christmas past, without further ado or BS, I bring you one of rock and rolls historical masterpieces!

AMERICAN PIE

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 door step
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

*CHORUS*
So bye-bye miss American pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and 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
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 your in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shows
Man I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pick up truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died

I started singin'
*REPEAT CHORUS*

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 as the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And while Lennon 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 singin'
*Repeat Chorus*

Helter Skelter in a summer swelter
The birds (Byrds) 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 half-time 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 singin'
*REPEAT CHORUS*

Oh and then 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 candle stick
'Cause fire is the devils 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 singin'
*REPEAT CHORUS*

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 cost
The day the music died

And they were singin'
Bye-bye miss American pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whisky and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

They were singin'
Bye-bye miss American pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die

-Don McLean