’Til the Day I Die

“The day that I died.”

Lyric from “American Pie,” the song. It is Number 9 on my all-time greatest list and is a favorite sing-along song in the Burke household. It will retain that status despite the 2022 documentary streaming on Paramount+ titled “The Day the Music Died: American Pie.” A well-meaning sibling suggested I watch it. I was reluctant but after repeated reminders, I gave in and watched it. Big mistake.

I have always held in high esteem a musician who declines to explain a thoughtful song, instead saying that the song’s meaning was up to the listener. George Harrison said that, among other greats. Don McLean, the author and performer of “American Pie,” used to say that. For a long time. But, that wouldn’t sell a documentary very well, so Don let it rip. 

Most of the documentary was feel good, patriotic material, reminding us of the Vietnam War, domestic turmoil, and American resolve all meshing to get our country through the rough 1960s. The song itself starts off sad, melodic really, gets happy, and wistful, then ends mournful. The documentary is mostly rah-rah for America and Don McLean, other than a few wanderings into obscurity. It does a fair job of explaining the development of the song, which was interesting.

I was pretty happy with it, until BOOM! There was no spoiler warning when suddenly, Don told what a particular verse meant. Huh? 1) Don, you’ve always said you wouldn’t do that, and 2) That’s not my interpretation of the lyric! How could he? Then he did it again. And maybe one more time, but by then I was blocking out his lyrical explanations as best as I could. The rest of the show I was on edge, nervous that he was going to open his trap again.

Years ago, my friends Charles Bond, Larry Lee, and I were on a trip when the song came on. At Charles’ suggestion, I explained the lyrics as best as I knew them and afterward Charles suggested I should write a column about it. I declined because my interpretation, as a young teen hearing the song for the first time in the high school parking lot, combined with my later, more educated, wise, suave, and debonair self may differ from the uneducated masses. Who was I to explain a timeless song to others? Especially when the author had declined to do so?

I still won’t do it. Until the day I die.