The DayThe Music Died

Buddy Holly by Eric May
@http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericmay/...




February 3
The Day The Music Died




Fifty four years ago our country tragically lost three of our most talented musicians of their time. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bobber were in the middle of a three week tour covering 24 Midwestern states when the Cessna 180 plane they were traveling in crashed in a corn field outside Clear Lake, Iowa. There were no survivors. 

You can read more about the crash at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Music_Died 
February 3rd was dubbed The Day The Music Died after the Don McLean song "American Pie".  American Pie was released in 1971 and was on a US hit for four weeks in 1972. 
  

Don McLean was born on October 2, 1945. Don was working his paper route when he read the headline announcing the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bobber. Their deaths greatly affected the young man. Many people have speculated the American Pie lyrics have held some cryptic message about the crash. Over the years reporters have asked him about the message he was trying to deliver with his song. Don would refuse to comment only to say the first verse of the song had released the the built up grief he had over the loss of Buddy Holly.  In 1993, Don McLean stated in an open letter to his fans. 
 "I have never discussed the lyrics, but have admitted to the [Buddy] Holly reference in the opening stanzas. I dedicated the album American Pie to Buddy Holly as well in order to connect the entire statement to Holly in hopes of bringing about an interest in him, which subsequently did occur... You will find many 'interpretations' of my lyrics but none of them by me. Isn't this fun? Sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence."

Despite the controversy, American Pie has become one of those iconic songs that has been embraced by generations. The song has been used in the show Brady Bunch and was used in the 2002 Chevy commercials. Madonna recorded the song in 2000. "Weird Al" Yankovic sung a parody of American Pie in his "The Saga Begins" song recounting the plot of the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace from the point of view of Obi-Wan Kenobi in 1999. 
AMERICAN PIE by DON MCLEAN
A long, long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile And, I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people dance, and... Maybe they'd be happy for a while But, February made me shiver with every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep - I couldn't take one more step I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride Something touched me deep inside the day the music died 
So, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
Did you write the Book of Love and do you have faith in God, above? If the Bible tells you so Now, do you believe in Rock and Roll? Can music save your mortal soul? And... Can you teach me how to dance real slow? Well, I know that you're in love with him, 'cause I saw you dancing in the gym You both kicked off your shoes - man, I dig those rhythm and blues I was a lonely, teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck, but... I knew I was out of luck the day the music died 
I started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
Now, for ten years we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a Rolling Stone, but... That's not how it used to be When the Jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he borrowed from James Dean In a voice that came from you and me Oh, and while the King was looking down the Jester stole his thorny crown The courtroom was adjourned - no verdict was returned And, while Lenin read a book on Marx the quartet practiced in the park, and... We sang dirges in the dark the day the music died 
We were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
Healter Skealter in the summer swelter - the Birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight Miles High and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass with the Jester on the sidelines in a cast Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume while the Sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance, oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field - the marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died? 
We started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
And, there we were, all in one place - a generation Lost in Space With no time left to start again So, come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick - Jack Flash sat on a Candlestick, 'cause... Fire is the Devil's only friend And, as I watched him on the stage my hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell could break that satan's spell And, as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite, I saw... Satan laughing with delight the day the music died 
He was singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
I met a girl who sang the Blues, and I asked her for some happy news She just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store where I'd heard the music years before, but... The man there said the music wouldn't play And, in the streets the children screamed, the lover's cried, and the poets dreamed, but... Not a word was spoken - the church bells all were broken And, the three men I admire most: the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, they... Caught the last train for the coast the day the music died 
And, they were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 
They were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die