There's no possible quick explanation of the details in the song, but overall, it's loaded with references to events/artists/songs in music history going back to the plane crash in 1959 that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richrdson). Buddy Holly in particular is one of the most significant contributors to rock and roll. His song "That'll be the Day" is referenced in the refrain, and that song itself is a reference to John Wayne's 1956 movie "The Searchers". "The day the music died" is a reference to that plane crash. A few quick (and grossly underrepresented) references: The King is Elvis Presley, The Jester is Bob Dylan, and The Marching Band is The Beatles. You might find it interesting to do some research into interpretations of the incredibly fascinating and poetic lyrics.
I agree. However, I wish people would just do a quick search on Vincent Van Gogh prior to reacting to "Vincent". If they know nothing about the great artist, they will miss point of the song. Just my opinion.
The anthem of a generation who were born into a world of war, civil strafe, and political turmoil, the 60's. What brought us sanity was the music, great music.
I was in the 6th grade when this song came out (1972). Every Friday, our home room teacher at our school played the number one song on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. I think this one was played for 6 straight weeks.
That plane crash was pretty devastating in the states back in the day, so singing bye bye miss american pie was a way of saying things will never be the same here now because it was the day that music died. But really, he bounces thoughts around about his youth with humor and just plain rhyming connections to go off on a tangent. Also people would allude to something basic to life (music) being "as american as apple pie" so that kind of fits around the whole song. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! :)
One of the most famous songs of all time. Look on YT for videos that explain the lyrics, there are several and there is a lot to unpack there, but basically it's about the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, three stars of 50's rock & roll. It's about the loss of innocence in American pop culture that marked the transition from the 1950's into the turmoil of the '60's. The original lyrics to this song were auctioned off in 2015 for $1.2 million. Thanks for sharing this one!
I can’t imagine what it would be like for a young lady like you to hear this for the first time, and try to make any kind of sense out of the lyrics. Those of us who were teenagers at the time got some of it and the other parts we argued about. 😝 Some of us thought the jester was Mick Jagger. Some thought the lyrics referred to very specific events, some of us saw double meanings all over the place. There were a lot of widows that we cried over for example, from the first verse, the widows of JFK, RFK, MLK…
One of the problems for a British audience, especially then, but still now, is understanding some of the American references made in the song, like marching bands and American football. This song means far more to an American audience than for people elsewhere, because of its American specific references and themes, but some are universal enough to cross over the Atlantic divide. The loss of Buddy Holly, being "the day the music died", and innocence, which is represented by "Miss American Pie", the sweet, innocent 'apple-pie' young American, that we say Bye-bye to. There is plenty of debate and text on the full meanings within this song, which you can find and spend hours going down the rabbit hole on, if you are so interested and inclined.
Great reaction. Nobody understood this song at the time, but it still became a huge hit because we all reacted to it as you did with wonder and admiration.
Very much enjoying your reactions! This has to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. There are so many references and cryptic lyrics that it’s nearly impossible to explain in detail all the meanings. And some things can only be explained by Don McLean himself. I want to add in general the song is about the day 3 wonderful artists and a pilot were killed in a plane crash. That was the day the music died. The song references so many other talents such as Elvis Presley, the Sargents, the birds, Rolling Stones and so many others. The death of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens along with the pilot really affected Don McLean.
"The quartet practiced in the park" and "Sargents played a marching tune" are reference to the Beatles> "Helter Skelter in a summer swelter" are both references to the 1968 Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" and to the horrible "Tate and LaBianca murders done by the followers of the madman Charles Manson, who instructed them to go out and kill, that summer. **** RERE **** Go on line and look up "CHARLES MANSON and the MANSON MURDERS" to learn more about that. Sadly Manson was obsessed with the Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" and totally misinterpreted it as a subliminal message to start a race war. Which it is NOT! Manson was a crazy, scary person.
I was a 7 year old kid when the plane crash occurred in a cornfield near Clear Lake, Iowa in February 1959. My parents liked Holly and we lived about 15 miles from Clear Lake, so we drove to the crash site the day after. We weren't alone. Lots of people drove out from Clear Lake, Mason City and nearby towns. The crash was at least a quarter mile from the road, and the police were not letting anyone into the field of course. Most people just stood along the side of the road trying to catch a glimpse. You could see the parts of the e but that was it. The pilot was in his 20s, very inexperienced, not trained from flying by insstrument, and the weather was blizzard conditions. Crash was blamed on the weather & pilot error and lack of training.
Don's song Vincent is another amazing track - the live version from this concert just wraps you up in his music and lyricism. If you haven't listened to it yet, you owe it to yourself.
The day the music died was referring to a plane crash that killed Buddy Holly ,Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. I"ll be 72 soon but it seems like yesterday when that happen. We we're all in the car going up town when it was announced on the radio.I'll never forget my mother breaking down and crying. I started crying because of the big bopper I loved him. I remember my grandpa pulling my pony tail and saying hello baby the big Bopper had a song.called chantilly lace , and that's how the song would start.That was a strange day.No one talked it was nothing but silence.When you went to stores, people weren't even talking. Yes that was the day music died . Yes these men were on their way to becoming superstars which they were already superstars but they would had been so much greater and it was all taken away.
Did you write the" book of love" - a 1959's doo wop song. The Jester = Bob Dylan, The King = Elvis, The Quartet and Sergeants and Marching Band all refer to the Beatles. So many 1960's references RND simply would not know or understand. "I met a girl who sang the blues" = Janis Joplin, who died in 1970. But you're doing great RND! just fix the volume...
Thx Rere! Wonderful reaction! Don McLean explains the meaning in several interviews differently each time so I personally believe that a bit of vague language is captivating and alluring! There’s a saying “as American as mom’s apple pie!” Even though apple pie is European! Love n peace!
Rere, you might also like a live performance of Cry Like An Angel by Shawn Colvin at The Austin City Limits venue. Just her and her guitar. There's a YT clip of that posted n 2009, but I think the actual performance was in the early 90's? Good stuff.
Bet your thinking WTF. It's to much to break it all down here. Basically just about every line is a major cultural even between 1959 and 1971 in the USA.
You need to redo the video with louder audio the words are way to important to miss you have to listen to the words and decipher what they mean and it's too hard to do it when you can't hear it
Umm, hate to mention this but you're so close to your mic every exhale is recorded as a low rumble like distant thunder. It's really distracting not to mention sometimes being louder than the music
Great reaction...I like your videos and your dedication and focus in actually listening to the songs. I grew up on these 60s and 70s songs you listen to, but I would love to hear your reaction to a newer rock band like The Warning which is a three piece power trio with a punk/hard rock edge and have some really current takes on society in their lyrics. A song like Animosity or Disciple, both live (always live with these girls) at the Teatro Metropolitan.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
There's no possible quick explanation of the details in the song, but overall, it's loaded with references to events/artists/songs in music history going back to the plane crash in 1959 that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richrdson). Buddy Holly in particular is one of the most significant contributors to rock and roll. His song "That'll be the Day" is referenced in the refrain, and that song itself is a reference to John Wayne's 1956 movie "The Searchers". "The day the music died" is a reference to that plane crash. A few quick (and grossly underrepresented) references: The King is Elvis Presley, The Jester is Bob Dylan, and The Marching Band is The Beatles. You might find it interesting to do some research into interpretations of the incredibly fascinating and poetic lyrics.
Ok thank you
Buddy Holly, if not invented, was one of the first to use over dubbing. Became a great producer in such a short time.
Great job!
@@allenkrueger8352 I think it was Les Paul, but I wouldn't swear by it.
vincent by don mclean is one of the most beautiful songs i've heard. it's a tribute to vincent van gogh.
I agree. However, I wish people would just do a quick search on Vincent Van Gogh prior to reacting to "Vincent". If they know nothing about the great artist, they will miss point of the song. Just my opinion.
Don had a huge hit with his emotional song “Vincent” which you will enjoy I am sure.
Oh, hell yes. Gotta react to "Vincent."
The anthem of a generation who were born into a world of war, civil strafe, and political turmoil, the 60's. What brought us sanity was the music, great music.
I was in the 6th grade when this song came out (1972). Every Friday, our home room teacher at our school played the number one song on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. I think this one was played for 6 straight weeks.
I was in 7th grade. My English teacher devoted a couple of days to going through the lyrics with us and helping us decipher what they meant.
Nice reaction.Vincent , from the same concert is fabulous..you'll love that.
ALSO RECOMMEND:
His song about Vincent Van Gogh
…Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
That plane crash was pretty devastating in the states back in the day, so singing bye bye miss american pie was a way of saying things will never be the same here now because it was the day that music died. But really, he bounces thoughts around about his youth with humor and just plain rhyming connections to go off on a tangent. Also people would allude to something basic to life (music) being "as american as apple pie" so that kind of fits around the whole song.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! :)
One of the most famous songs of all time. Look on YT for videos that explain the lyrics, there are several and there is a lot to unpack there, but basically it's about the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, three stars of 50's rock & roll. It's about the loss of innocence in American pop culture that marked the transition from the 1950's into the turmoil of the '60's. The original lyrics to this song were auctioned off in 2015 for $1.2 million. Thanks for sharing this one!
Probably the best and most talked about lyrical composition in pop/rock history.
I can’t imagine what it would be like for a young lady like you to hear this for the first time, and try to make any kind of sense out of the lyrics.
Those of us who were teenagers at the time got some of it and the other parts we argued about. 😝
Some of us thought the jester was Mick Jagger.
Some thought the lyrics referred to very specific events, some of us saw double meanings all over the place. There were a lot of widows that we cried over for example, from the first verse, the widows of JFK, RFK, MLK…
I absolutely love your reactions!! Respectful listening and honest and thoughtful reaction. Thank you! Take care!
One of the problems for a British audience, especially then, but still now, is understanding some of the American references made in the song, like marching bands and American football. This song means far more to an American audience than for people elsewhere, because of its American specific references and themes, but some are universal enough to cross over the Atlantic divide. The loss of Buddy Holly, being "the day the music died", and innocence, which is represented by "Miss American Pie", the sweet, innocent 'apple-pie' young American, that we say Bye-bye to. There is plenty of debate and text on the full meanings within this song, which you can find and spend hours going down the rabbit hole on, if you are so interested and inclined.
Great reaction. Nobody understood this song at the time, but it still became a huge hit because we all reacted to it as you did with wonder and admiration.
Very much enjoying your reactions! This has to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. There are so many references and cryptic lyrics that it’s nearly impossible to explain in detail all the meanings. And some things can only be explained by Don McLean himself. I want to add in general the song is about the day 3 wonderful artists and a pilot were killed in a plane crash. That was the day the music died. The song references so many other talents such as Elvis Presley, the Sargents, the birds, Rolling Stones and so many others. The death of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens along with the pilot really affected Don McLean.
"The quartet practiced in the park" and "Sargents played a marching tune" are reference to the Beatles> "Helter Skelter in a summer swelter" are both references to the 1968 Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" and to the horrible "Tate and LaBianca murders done by the followers of the madman Charles Manson, who instructed them to go out and kill, that summer. **** RERE **** Go on line and look up "CHARLES MANSON and the MANSON MURDERS" to learn more about that. Sadly Manson was obsessed with the Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" and totally misinterpreted it as a subliminal message to start a race war. Which it is NOT! Manson was a crazy, scary person.
I was a 7 year old kid when the plane crash occurred in a cornfield near Clear Lake, Iowa in February 1959. My parents liked Holly and we lived about 15 miles from Clear Lake, so we drove to the crash site the day after. We weren't alone. Lots of people drove out from Clear Lake, Mason City and nearby towns. The crash was at least a quarter mile from the road, and the police were not letting anyone into the field of course. Most people just stood along the side of the road trying to catch a glimpse. You could see the parts of the e but that was it. The pilot was in his 20s, very inexperienced, not trained from flying by insstrument, and the weather was blizzard conditions. Crash was blamed on the weather & pilot error and lack of training.
Don's song Vincent is another amazing track - the live version from this concert just wraps you up in his music and lyricism. If you haven't listened to it yet, you owe it to yourself.
The day the music died was referring to a plane crash that killed Buddy Holly ,Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. I"ll be 72 soon but it seems like yesterday when that happen. We we're all in the car going up town when it was announced on the radio.I'll never forget my mother breaking down and crying. I started crying because of the big bopper I loved him. I remember my grandpa pulling my pony tail and saying hello baby the big Bopper had a song.called chantilly lace , and that's how the song would start.That was a strange day.No one talked it was nothing but silence.When you went to stores, people weren't even talking.
Yes that was the day music died . Yes these men were on their way to becoming superstars which they were already superstars but they would had been so much greater and it was all taken away.
It's all about people ,events T.V. refernces ,music figures who died you name it it's all referenced !
Check out 'Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)'
Did you write the" book of love" - a 1959's doo wop song. The Jester = Bob Dylan, The King = Elvis, The Quartet and Sergeants and Marching Band all refer to the Beatles. So many 1960's references RND simply would not know or understand. "I met a girl who sang the blues" = Janis Joplin, who died in 1970. But you're doing great RND! just fix the volume...
Just a guy, a guitar and a microphone; it doesn’t get more naked than that👏
Thx Rere! Wonderful reaction! Don McLean explains the meaning in several interviews differently each time so I personally believe that a bit of vague language is captivating and alluring! There’s a saying “as American as mom’s apple pie!” Even though apple pie is European! Love n peace!
History kesson of American culture and music in the sixtues.
Try checking out Madonna's cover version of this song. It was made almost 30 years later and is quite different in sound, but also very nice IMO.
I've never heard a live version of this.
You offer such an appealing mix of ideas and feelings.
You would like his Vincent very much
Don McLean said in an interview that is the song was not about one thing it was about many events going on in the 60's 70's
Check out his song about Vincent Van Gogh as well.
If you think this was good, his best and most iconic song is undoubtedly Vincent. Listen to that. It will blow your mind
Rere, you might also like a live performance of Cry Like An Angel by Shawn Colvin at The Austin City Limits venue. Just her and her guitar. There's a YT clip of that posted n 2009, but I think the actual performance was in the early 90's? Good stuff.
Do "Vincent!" Epic song to Van Gogh !
Please react to "Vincent" by Don McLean live.
❤. You need to hear Vincent by him next!
Thanks for the recommendation
Bet your thinking WTF. It's to much to break it all down here. Basically just about every line is a major cultural even between 1959 and 1971 in the USA.
The audio is almost unheard. I can not turn the volume up high enough on my device.
Anthem
There's a problem with your audio. Try the lyric version.
Ok thank you for this
We heard YOU fine, but music video way too low. And pronounced mc-LANE
Ok thank you for this feedback
You need to redo the video with louder audio the words are way to important to miss you have to listen to the words and decipher what they mean and it's too hard to do it when you can't hear it
Volume very low 😢😢😢
Hi! You have your volume turned down real low. Can't hear the song at all.
Sorry, can't hear it.
I can't hear the song
The live version is pretty bad compared to the single. 😢
Umm, hate to mention this but you're so close to your mic every exhale is recorded as a low rumble like distant thunder. It's really distracting not to mention sometimes being louder than the music
you wont understand our music
Great reaction...I like your videos and your dedication and focus in actually listening to the songs. I grew up on these 60s and 70s songs you listen to, but I would love to hear your reaction to a newer rock band like The Warning which is a three piece power trio with a punk/hard rock edge and have some really current takes on society in their lyrics. A song like Animosity or Disciple, both live (always live with these girls) at the Teatro Metropolitan.