October 24, 1971. It was fifty years ago today when musician Don McLean came into our lives. That was the day his album “American Pie” was released. A few weeks later, the title track became a huge hit single. It didn’t take long for some of the lyrics to become seared into our brains. They remain there five decades later.

If you don’t believe this, or more likely don’t want to admit it, read along with this:

So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good ol’ boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, “This’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die”

See! You not only knew the words; you were singing along. And now you’ll be hearing it in your head for the rest of the day. Well, sorry about that, but it is the fiftieth anniversary of the tune. Hopefully, it’s only one day.

And yes, I do realize that most of us sigh whenever we hear it, You probably turn it off long before the end because at a run time of eight minutes and thirty-three seconds “American Pie” is one long-ass song.

But, for one day we can celebrate Don McLean. We can celebrate the king and the jester. We can celebrate the day the music died. We can celebrate “American Pie.” Here’s to fifty years of an American classic.

Related Post: Fifty years of Little Feat

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