Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: GerryM Date: 02 Sep 20 - 03:03 AM Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: GUEST,Redneckred Date: 02 Sep 20 - 12:47 AM Time's fun when you're catching flies. Oh dear, time to check the meds again. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: GerryM Date: 31 Aug 20 - 03:09 AM Guest Redneckred, you do realize that the post to which you are responding was made over 14 years ago, right? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: GUEST,Redneckred Date: 31 Aug 20 - 02:19 AM Sorry, "yours truly", I just don't get it. Leaving aside the "sequel" (which has no real connection with the original song), what is the "point of view that now is so obviously a misinterpritation of factual events (sic)"? I always thought the song was an impressionist account of a young man's growing up in a time when popular music was undergoing radical (and not in a political sense) changes. What are you talking about? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: Mrrzy Date: 28 Aug 20 - 12:58 PM Well, *I* thought it was interesting. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: Mrrzy Date: 25 Aug 20 - 03:00 PM Probably nothing new here for you knowledgeable folks but, like that old Doonesbury strip said, I didn't know half this stuff. Blicky. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: American Pie (Don McLean) From: Joe Offer Date: 24 Aug 12 - 11:53 PM Can you believe it's been 40 years? This month's AARP Magazine has a brief article and online slide show celebrating the 40th anniversary of the song, "American Pie." Here's the AARP commentary: A long, long time ago ... "'American Pie' is a dream," Don McLean said recently. "In a dream, you know, a loaf of bread will become a beautiful girl, and it makes sense." In other words, even the guy who wrote the most dissected, analyzed and argued-over song of the past 40 years doesn't have a clue what some of its rich cultural and political imagery means. And that makes us feel a whole lot better about taking a shot at getting under the crust of "American Pie." |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Effsee Date: 07 Aug 06 - 10:39 AM I've always heard it as "Whisky and Dry" as in Dry Ginger. Maybe that's the ex-barman in me! |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Steve Latimer Date: 07 Aug 06 - 12:19 AM I thought that the line was Whiskey in Rye, as in Rye New York. As a liquor, Rye is Whiskey, which is repetetive. "In Rye" is a neat play on words. I could be wrong. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Sorcha Date: 06 Aug 06 - 07:21 PM Well, I think it's rather priceless. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,yours truly, Date: 06 Aug 06 - 07:16 PM Seems like the standard fare of leftist blogs. Just more of the same old same old. In rereading the original song lyrics, I was taken by the slavish preoccupation with a point of view that now is so obviously a misinterpritation of factual events, masquerading as a quirky history lesson. The same holds true of the sequal, excepting of course the crudidity. One follows the other like a parody of a parody, and herein lies it's value, if you can call it that. Sorry for the cut/n/paste, but this could be educational. It was not meant to be a political statement of any kind, but rather, a study into the transition from one song into another ala the folk tradition. |
Subject: Lyr Add: AMERICAN LIE (parody of AMERICAN PIE) From: GUEST,yours truly, Date: 06 Aug 06 - 06:40 PM Here ya go! Cut/n/pasted from: www.satiricalpolitical.com Is this a parody of the song? ... or the politics? 'AMERICAN LIE' (The Long-Awaited Sequel to 'American Pie') By Don Davis A long, long time ago … I can still remember How my country, used to make me smile And I knew if, I had my chance That I would bring back, Cyrus Vance And maybe, we'd be peaceful, for a while But November 2000 made me shiver Paper chads in Palm Beach not delivered Bad news on the Court steps I couldn't take one more step I can't remember if I cried When I read the Court took Dubya's side But something touched me deep inside The day democracy died So Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie Drove my Chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry And FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" Did you write the book of hate? Against gays do you discriminate? If the Bible tells you so? And do you believe in upholding Roe? Can stem cells save your mortal soul? And can you teach me how to talk real slow? Well, I know that you're in love with Bush 'Cause I saw you take him up the tush You can't afford new shoes But you still won't vote for Bluu-uues I was a lonely Dem, down to my last buck Working red state precincts in a third-hand truck But I knew that I was out of luck The day democracy died I started singin' "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my Chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry And FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" Now for six years we've been on our own GOP graft grows like a rollin' stone But that's not how it used to be When the jester acted like a king or queen In a way that totally pissed John Dean And a police state, that's comin', for you and me Oh, and while the jester's looking down King Cheney stole his thorny crown Civil liberties, were adjourned No verdict was returned And while Condi shut out Richard Clarke The Neo-Cons war-gamed in the park And Congress sat out in the dark The day democracy died We were singing, "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry Them FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" Helter skelter in a summer swelter Cindy Sheehan in a Crawford shelter Two miles from the ranch, holding a faaaaaa -sssssst Her protest ended on the grass With FOX News tryin', to kick her ass With the jester, in a motorcade, flying past Now the aircraft carrier, fore-shadowed doom While the jester flew in on his broom Bush tried a victory dance Oh, but he never got the chance! 'Cause our soldiers tried to leave the field The insurgents and militias refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day democracy died? We started singing "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry Them FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" Oh, and there they were just, losing face An Administration in total disgrace With no time left to start again So come on, Rummy's troops be nimble, his troops be quick! Rummy sittin' there, just holding his prick Cause stupidity, is the devil's only friend As I watched the jester on the stage His back "bunched up" like my fists of rage No Kerry born in France Could spoil that satan's chance And as Iraq flamed high, throughout the night Killing both Sunnis, and Shiites I saw Karl Rove laughing with delight The day democracy died He was singing, "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry Those FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" I met a girl named Karen Hughes Who tried to feed us bullshit news But I just frowned and turned away I went down to the Congressional Floor Where I'd seen real oversight, years before But a Specter, said checks and balances, went away And in the streets: the ACLU screamed Bloggers cried, and the liberals dreamed But protest votes were token Diebold machines were "fixed," not broken And the three men I despise the most: Bush, Cheney, Rove, in hell they'll roast They all caught shit from Daily Kos The day democracy died And they were singing, "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry And FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" "This'll be the day the poor die" They were singing "Hi-Hi, Miss American Lie" Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee's not dry And FEMA boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day the poor die" |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: BuckMulligan Date: 05 Aug 06 - 09:09 PM the best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft agley (Burns) |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,Fidel Date: 05 Aug 06 - 05:18 PM This thread was supposed to parody American Lie. It was not supposed to be a music thread. Viva Rock N Roll! Viva Cuba! |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: BuckMulligan Date: 05 Aug 06 - 03:13 PM Nigel - yet another reason to eschew MaD's cover. But it does raise an interesting "folk process" notion. Will American Pie evolve, after Don McLean (and you & I and Madonna) are long dead, into something entirely different and otherwise meaningful based on what happens between now & then, in music or out? Presuming of course that it survives at all (and somehow I think it might). Or would it have to be a song that lends itself to more frequent performance in informal venues by less-than-hotshot performers (i.e. true "folk" singers)? And yes, this is a "what is folk" offshoot. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,Fidel Date: 05 Aug 06 - 03:01 PM Now that I have recovered I am eschewing Communisim. I am forming a new government based on the values enshrined in this song. Viva Rock N Roll! Viva Cuba! |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,Nigel Parsons (sans cookie) Date: 05 Aug 06 - 06:57 AM Micca, I think the missing intro can be put down to this being a transcription of the Madonna lyrics, although even those used part of the intro Here CHEERS Nigel |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Aug 06 - 03:56 PM Don McLean, who worked with Seeger in trying to get the Hudson River cleaned up and campaigned for other rivers certainly knew what a levee was. He was searching for a rhyme. And 'dry' somehow fits the feeling when the music died. I remember riding in an old car (make not remembered but it had a rumble seat) to the levee in college days, when I visited friends in LA, but I also would have sung about a Chevy to get the rhyme. Lots happened on the levees- too long ago and long before Holly in my case. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: BuckMulligan Date: 04 Aug 06 - 11:24 AM "February made me shiver" as in February 3, 1959 (the day the music died) |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh Date: 04 Aug 06 - 11:23 AM "That's the thing about great poetry - it's rife with meaning". I don't understand the relevance of this [absolutely true] statement to the Song Lyrics quoted. Is it true that when someone once asked D.M. what "American Pie" meant, he answered, "It means I don't have to work anymore"? |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,crazy little woman Date: 04 Aug 06 - 11:11 AM "An' fer heaven's sakes, the word is levee! (a levy is a tax, fee or tithe)" I don't think it matters, Q. Whoever produced this profitable doggerel had no idea what a levee is, because being dry is the normal state for a levee. However, the words "drove my Chevy to the levy" could mean that he drove it to the Department of Motor Vehicles to pay the smog tax. But wait - isn't levee also a French word for a party of some sort? Maybe he drove his Chevy to the levee and discovered to his chagrin that they weren't serving booze. That's the thing about great poetry - it's rife with meaning. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 04 Aug 06 - 09:49 AM slight aside.... as I mentioned in my usually little-read BS post "Postcard from Kalymnos 2006", I was surprised how many Europeans (Dutch, German, Austrian, Greek) knew the English words to this- usually better than I did! RtS |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,Gerry Date: 04 Aug 06 - 02:47 AM I believe RSK is Rich Kulawiec. I have on my computer a copy of a message Kulawiec posted to the Usenet newsgroup rec.music.folk (and crossposted to some other newsgroups) in April, 1993, with the subject, The Annotated "American Pie". I haven't done a close comparison, but the "program notes" in the DT seem to be pretty much the same as that Usenet post. I suppose the Usenet post is available on Google Groups for anyone who wants to take a closer look. One difference I spotted is that the Usenet post has some introductory material on how the annotations came about, and a long list of credits and a revision history at the end. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 03 Aug 06 - 09:35 PM Who is RSK?- who seems to have submitted the Notes to the DT. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: GUEST,Jim Date: 03 Aug 06 - 09:08 PM I once re-posted the "program notes" from the DT on a music forum where we were discussing the meaning of American Pie, and got an email from someone claiming to have authored the DT entry, and taking me to task for infringing on his copyright. I pointed him to the DT (this was in the pre-Mudcat days) and told him to make his case there. I've often wondered what became of it, but note that the article is still there. Anyone know of the purported authorship of the article in question? |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 03 Aug 06 - 06:07 PM Not only are the words there in the DT, but also the program notes explaining it all. An' fer heaven's sakes, the word is levee! (a levy is a tax, fee or tithe) Fidel, have you recovered from the operation? Reading your post, it doesn't look like it. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Michael in Swansea Date: 03 Aug 06 - 05:46 PM Right on Micca. Aren't the words in the DT anyway? |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Micca Date: 03 Aug 06 - 05:07 PM I always thought it started " Long,long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile and I knew if I had the chance I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while but January 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 but something touched me deep inside the Day the Music Died Bye, bye Miss American Pie drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye singin this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die" |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: black walnut Date: 03 Aug 06 - 04:59 PM Now I have an earworm! ~b.w. |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: Tattie Bogle Date: 03 Aug 06 - 03:52 PM Would you like to re-phrase that? with line-breaks, paragraphs, etc? Thanx for all the words anyway! |
Subject: RE: American Pie From: black walnut Date: 03 Aug 06 - 03:50 PM um.... |
Subject: American Pie From: GUEST,Fidel Date: 03 Aug 06 - 03:38 PM Bye, bye Miss American Pie drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry an them good ol' boys were drinkin whiskey and rye singin this will be the day that I die, this will 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, and do you believe in rock n' 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 cuz I saw you dancin in the gym you both kicked off your shoes and I dig those rhythm and blues. I was a lonely teenage bronkin buck with a pink carnation and a pick up truck but I knew I was out of luck, the day, the music, died. I started singin... Now for ten years we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a rollin 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 and 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 singin... Helter Skelter in a summer swelter the birds flew off with a fallout shelter, eight miles high and fallin fast, its the land that falled on the grass the players tried for a forward pass with the jester on the sidelines in a cast, now the half-time air was sweet perfume while the sergeants played a marching tune we all got up to dance oh but we never got the chance oh as 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 singin... Oh 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 candle stick because fire is the devils only friend, oh and as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clinched in fists of rage, no angel born in hell could break that satan's spell and as the planes climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial right I saw satan laughing with delight, the day, the music, died. He was singin... I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news but 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 lovers 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 singin... |
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