According to the song's author and performer, what inspired him to write the song "American Pie"?

According to McLean (as posted on his website), this song was originally inspired by the death of Buddy Holly. "The Day The Music Died" in February 3, 1959, when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash after a concert. Don McLean wrote the song from his memories of the event

"Dedicated to Buddy Holly" was printed on the back of the album cover.

More Info: www.songfacts.com

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44 Comments

Caryn Gale

Great song! The song has references to many Rock and Roll icons as it's about the loss of innocence from the 50's era to the 60's era. The Jester is Bob Dylan, Lenin is Lennon, Marching band is Sgt. Pepper/Beatles, Jack Flash is Jagger/Rolling Stones, Girl who sang the blues is Janis Joplin, etc. My friends and I spent endless hours trying to figure out the references back in the day but now there's the internet.

Carol Focht Cheney

If you know the song the answer is there in it. The day the music died.

Jaime Irizarry

“And three men I admire most. The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. They caught the last train for the coast.” This is my favorite stanza. Great song!

Marian Spitzig

Loved the song from day one.

Johnny Rock

John Lennon was still alive in 1971 when American Pie was released.

Lisa G

Waylon Jennings gave his seat on the plane to The Big Bopper, because BB was sick.

Kay Agnew

John W Shreve, Somewhere in my cloud storage I have a picture of that last performance, some girl snuck in with a camera and that wasn't allowed but she took a picture anyhow!

Kay Agnew

Lisa Gordon, yes! I saw a live play, The Buddy Holly Story!

Annetta

I was just 1 years old.

Dolph

with Richie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P.Richardson, no relation) - Bobby Vee got his start as the stand in

bmcamilot

Don McClean's American Pie was produced and written for the loss of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper who died in a plane crash after their tour bus broke down and they had a coin toss to see who the third passenger would be and Ritchie won it and he didn't like to fly but it was so cold out decided to go on the plane a Beechcraft Bonanza, my Aunt and Uncle also owned one and it cost them their lives too in Michigan in the seventies. Very fast single engine plane but it was one of its downfalls too... Lots of deaths associated with the plane... To bad for all of them, but the night belongs to the stars...

enrique

You have the answer wrong

ronbt

For your information, Don McLean revealed later after the auction of the original manuscript of the song that it was written about the declining social system of America.