# Don McLean Speaks Out (American Pie) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 20, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733 "2007-06-20T16:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dchmello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@dchmello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dchmello)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/41 "2013-03-16T00:07:59Z")
Trust me, if my school had a PORN squad, we would not have refused to yield! ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/42 "2013-03-16T09:34:23Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > Haha. But of course that would properly be spelled “POHM squad”. 😕 [[URL=“http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=viewEndecaCategory&categoryId=550219&sp=true&BP=10679&cm\_mmc=google-_-Toys+and+Novelties±+Adlucent-_-Pom+Pom±+%28Search+0-11%29-\_-c578ae080fae4f5781dad4249140e416&ms=search&gclid=COeznNr2gLYCFQ-znQodHRsA7Q&kwid=c578ae080fae4f5781dad4249140e416”] **Pom Poms** - On Sale Now - OrientalTrading.com](http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=CQ-Zh3DtEUfutBO3j6QGusIDoAd2X-oACjdujhByz6LIdCAAQAigDULzH0qkHYMmW94zkpKwToAGn3dLrA8gBAaoEIk_QDVPNNI_Sszxe1BvdvAQ3EksEwNxg-oPgiJfEs7WOIxiAB8GirRQ&sig=AOD64_0l4TZ2wLS5lrvFP8I-iEpS1nu0VQ&ved=0CDsQ0Qw&adurl=http://tracking.deepsearch.adlucent.com/adlucent/Redirector%3Fkwid%3Dc578ae080fae4f5781dad4249140e416%26adid%3D7415889917%26retailer%3Dotc%26url%3Dhttp://www.orientaltrading.com/bpentry%3FcategoryId%3D550219%26sp%3Dtrue%26BP%3D10679%26cm_mmc%3Dgoogle-_-Toys%2Band%2BNovelties%2B-%2BAdlucent-_-Pom%2BPom%2B-%2B%2528Search%2B0-11%2529-_-c578ae080fae4f5781dad4249140e416%26ms%3Dsearch) [[URL=“http://www.omnicheer.com/Pom-Poms/In-Stock-Cheer-Pom-Poms/?sc=OMPOMS1”]Cheerleading **Poms** - $3.95 - omnicheer.com](http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=Ci8El3DtEUfutBO3j6QGusIDoAbyh9LICjLqc7RjG3KeeAwgAEAMoA1CIgojgBmDJlveM5KSsE6AB5Nz7_gPIAQGqBBhP0B0D-DSO0rNlX-w89HIWCyhg5__XwsGAB4SjhAE&sig=AOD64_2KjUdu-KgZXwDgr8vk0vZzXEhs5A&ved=0CEIQ0Qw&adurl=http://www.omnicheer.com/Pom-Poms/In-Stock-Cheer-Pom-Poms/%3Fsc%3DOMPOMS1) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/43 "2013-03-16T10:37:08Z")
Prisoner Of His/Her Majesty. ---
**Author:** ![sunnyone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@sunnyone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunnyone)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/44 "2013-03-19T07:31:12Z")
Cecil qutoed Don, “The three men I admire most/ The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/ They caught the last train for the coast:…” Cecil then said, “As for the coast, could be the departure of the music biz for California.” Probably the truest interpretation of the times. As for interpreting the song, Don said… “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.” No explanation needed. The mystery is part of the gift. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/45 "2013-03-19T17:03:28Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Prisoner Of His/Her Majesty. Right (thanks). It’s a term most commonly heard in Australia, usually preceded by “whingeing”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/46 "2013-03-19T19:17:38Z")
Damn. Why didn’t I ever hear of tryouts for the high school porn squad? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/47 "2013-03-20T03:54:32Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > Right (thanks). > > It’s a term most commonly heard in Australia, usually preceded by “whingeing”. and I believe usually followed by “bastard” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![corporate\_raider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@corporate\_raider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corporate_raider)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/48 "2014-03-13T03:27:00Z")
what a jerk why can’t you just tell us what the damn lyrics mean already ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/49 "2014-03-13T11:04:47Z")
> [@corporate\_raider](#): > > what a jerk why can’t you just tell us what the damn lyrics mean already Because then we’d stop talking about it. You realize, of course, that a lot of popular songs are just meaningless nonsense. Both Paul Simon and David Bowie have admitted to just stringing together words and phrases that sound good but mean absolutely nothing in some of their songs. It doesn’t pay to get too worked up about this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/50 "2014-03-14T18:43:07Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Because then we’d stop talking about it. > > You realize, of course, that a lot of popular songs are just meaningless nonsense. Both Paul Simon and David Bowie have admitted to just stringing together words and phrases that sound good but mean absolutely nothing in some of their songs. It doesn’t pay to get too worked up about this stuff. 'Strewth. John Lennon said the same thing many times. Comments like that really do make me respect songs like “Garden Party,” where practically every word can be traced, rather unambiguously, to concrete references - and the song is still as catchy as anything out there. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/51 "2014-03-14T19:43:35Z")
> [@dchmello](#): > > Trust me, if my school had a PORN squad, we would not have refused to yield! You’d have to be careful when and where to be aggressive. B-E aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/52 "2014-03-20T16:10:39Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Something I’m curious about from McLean’s reply to Cecil: > > It sounds like he is suggesting Kasem claims to have spoken to him, when he had not. Was Kasem ever called out for it? Probably not, and never will be. > [@StusBlues](#): > > 'Strewth. John Lennon said the same thing many times. You can’t discount the influence of altered states when it comes to song writing. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/53 "2015-02-15T03:41:24Z")
**Update of 2007 thread:** The Guardian reports that McLean will be auctioning off the original manuscript and notes for American Pie. [INDENT]“The writing and the lyrics will divulge everything there is to divulge,” McLean, 69, told Reuters. [/INDENT] [Going for a song: American Pie manuscript to be auctioned | Pop and rock | The Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/13/don-mclean-sells-american-pie-manuscript-saying-all-will-be-revealed) ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/54 "2015-02-15T04:32:56Z")
Don McClean was interviewed on NPR either yesterday or today and I’ll be damned if I can find a link. Maybe it was a repeat from an older interview. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/55 "2015-02-18T03:38:36Z")
I read once somewhere that the “official” name of the song is “The Day The Music Died” (that being the final line of each stanza). Does anyone know if that’s true? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733/56 "2015-02-18T03:52:08Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I read once somewhere that the “official” name of the song is “The Day The Music Died” (that being the final line of each stanza). Does anyone know if that’s true? Doesn’t look like it: [American Pie (song) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_(song)). And note the SD reference in footnote 6. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-speaks-out-american-pie/408733.md?page=2)