"American Pie" is Poetry

It's hard for me to not like a certain genre or type of music. My favorite is classic rock, one of my favorite songs being "American Pie" by Don McLean. I've been around a plethora of classic songs like this one within my family, but this one has always been one I loved. The rhythm. McLean's gentle, passionate voice. The vibe. However, it wasn't until recently that I paid close attention to the lyrics and the larger meaning of the song. After reading What is Poetry? by Perrine, this was one of the first songs to pop in my head as an example of poetry.

Aside from delivering an exceptional piece of music, McLean is doing much more than just writing a song. Rather, every word has a purpose and he talks about a pivotal time in American society. American Pie covers the time period of 1959-1970. This was a time in America, after World War 2 and The Great Depression, when people enjoyed life and the music it had to offer. The music industry was booming with stars, including Buddy Holly. The song is based on Holly and other big names who were killed in a plane crash. The three legends and the last rock and roll stars killed were Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper.

The repeating line, "The day the music died," not only is powerful due to its repetition, but it also symbolizes this tragic occasion that took place. What does McLean mean by this song? What's his message? Music truly did die when those guys went down. The American Dream was no more in a music sense. Don McLean's hero was Buddy Holly and his death left a mark on McLean and inspired him to write "American Pie."

The 1960's were rough in America. Yes, some music was reborn, but it never was the same. Moreover, the protests that were going on failed and the nation never found that freedom or American dream. In Verse 4, it says, "The players tried for a forward pass." McLean is revealing that there were constant attempts at freedom and happiness but there was failure again and again. Ultimately, the larger theme he is getting at throughout his song is that, as humans, we must accept the tragedies that occur. We must recognize that we can't try to be the people we once were. Be something we haven't been. Or bring back something that was heroic. "Bye bye, Miss American Pie." Through each word and verse, McClean develops this larger, complex idea. "American Pie" is more than just a song. It represents years of the high and low points of society and music.

Perrine argues that poetry creates significant new experiences for the reader and that it causes them to gain an awareness or understanding of their current or previous world. Poetry isn't just the language we communicate with. It communicates experience and because of this, it is multidimensional.

Don McLean impacts my senses, emotions, intelligence, and imagination every time I listen to his song. The poem's opening verse has, "And I knew if I had my chance/That I could make those people dance/And maybe they'd be happy for awhile./" I felt I was taken through his thought process when listening to this attentively. His language here allows us to understand what his music influences meant to him. Also, this is followed up with, "But February made me shiver/With every paper I'd deliver/Bad news on the doorstep./" He was a paperboy and he had to find out the hard way what had happened to Buddy and the other guys. The diction of shiver and February illustrates the cold, dark physical nature of the situation as well as the dark place he was in mentally. Later in the poem, he refers back to the fact, "Now for ten years we've been on our own." He suggests all these opportunities to dance and fight back but how they never succeeded as a country who hoped for a safe, productive place. This line is multidimensional because ten years makes me imagine the type of struggles he went through individually and it allows me to understand his theme that there was always adversity that stands in the way of a potential opportunity.

It wasn't just the music that died. Society died. And Don McLean died a little inside. He shows this through every part of his song, that is also a poem because of its deeper meaning, rare use of language, and ability to show experience.

"American Pie" Lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/donmclean/americanpie.html