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Path: utzoo!watmath!wateng!ajvernon
From: ajvernon@wateng.UUCP (Andrew J. Vernon)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Lyrics to American Pie
Message-ID: <2441@wateng.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 13:00:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: wateng.2441
Posted: Wed May 29 13:00:35 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 30-May-85 02:46:19 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 38


	Awhile back I was discussing Don MacLean's music with a friend. Of 
course the subject of the meaning of the lyrics to American Pie was brought 
up. I had been told that the whole song had no meaning -- it was just simply
meant to be nonsensical (supposedly, when asked about the meaning of the
lyrics, this is what Maclean originally said). However at a later date,
Maclean admitted that the song was actually a statement and all the lyrics
did indeed have meaning (the entire song is allegorical).
	I was wondering if anyone knows the meaning of all the lyrics. If this
has been previously discussed on the net, could someone mail me the
translations? If the subject hasn't arisen before, please mail responses and
I'll summarize to the net.

	To start things off, here are a few of the lyrics I do know about:

"the day the music died" - Buddy Holly's death
"the quartet practised in the park" - the Beatles
"eight miles high and falling fast" - refers to the demise of the Birds(?)
				      after the release of their song (can't
				      remember which) that was purported to
				      be about drugs.
"the jester" - Bob Dylan (later, when he's "on the sidelines with a cast" 
	      refers to Dylan after his motorcycle accident)
"Satan" - refers to Mick Jagger (also a reference to the Rolling Stones
         "hiring" of the Hell's Angels to crash a concert (?) )

Of course the list goes on. I am particularily interested in knowing who
are "the three men I admire the most / the father the son and the holy 
ghost".

-- 
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Andrew Vernon
Computer Communications Networks Group
University Of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont.
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