Difference between revisions of "American Pie"

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Line 8: Line 8:
 
That I could make those people dance<br/>
 
That I could make those people dance<br/>
 
And maybe they'd be happy for a while<br/>
 
And maybe they'd be happy for a while<br/>
 
 
But February made me shiver,<br/>
 
But February made me shiver,<br/>
 
With every paper I'd deliver<br/>
 
With every paper I'd deliver<br/>
 
Bad news on the doorstep,<br/>
 
Bad news on the doorstep,<br/>
 
I couldn't take one more step<br/>
 
I couldn't take one more step<br/>
 
 
I can't remember if I cried<br/>
 
I can't remember if I cried<br/>
 
When I read about his widowed bride<br/>
 
When I read about his widowed bride<br/>
Line 22: Line 20:
 
So bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
So bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey in Rye<br/>
+
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye<br/>
 
Singing this will be the day that I die,<br/>
 
Singing this will be the day that I die,<br/>
 
This will be the day that I die<br/>
 
This will be the day that I die<br/>
  
Did you write the book of love<br/>
+
Did you write the Book of Love,<br/>
 
And do you have faith in God above,<br/>
 
And do you have faith in God above,<br/>
 
If the Bible tells you so?<br/>
 
If the Bible tells you so?<br/>
Now, do you believe in rock and roll<br/>
+
Now, do you believe in rock 'n' roll,<br/>
Can music save your mortal soul<br/>
+
Can music save your mortal soul,<br/>
 
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?<br/>
 
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?<br/>
 
 
Well, I know that you're in love with him<br/>
 
Well, I know that you're in love with him<br/>
'Cause I saw you dancing in the gym<br/>
+
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym<br/>
 
You both kicked off your shoes,<br/>
 
You both kicked off your shoes,<br/>
 
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues!<br/>
 
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues!<br/>
 
 
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck<br/>
 
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck<br/>
 
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck<br/>
 
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck<br/>
Line 43: Line 39:
 
The day the music died<br/>
 
The day the music died<br/>
  
I started singing
+
I started singing...<br/>
  
 
Chorus
 
Chorus
  
 
Now for ten years we've been on our own,<br/>
 
Now for ten years we've been on our own,<br/>
And moss grows fat on a Rolling Stone<br/>
+
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone,<br/>
But that's not how it used to be<br/>
+
But that's not how it used to be.<br/>
When The Jester sang for The King and Queen<br/>
+
When the jester sang for the King and Queen<br/>
 
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean<br/>
 
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean<br/>
In a voice that came from you and me<br/>
+
And a voice that came from you and me<br/>
 
+
Oh, and while the King was looking down,<br/>
And while The King was looking down,<br/>
+
The jester stole his thorny crown.<br/>
The Jester stole his thorny crown<br/>
 
 
The courtroom was adjourned,<br/>
 
The courtroom was adjourned,<br/>
No verdict was returned<br/>
+
No verdict was returned.<br/>
 
 
 
And while Lennon read a book on Marx,<br/>
 
And while Lennon read a book on Marx,<br/>
The quartet practiced in the park<br/>
+
The quartet practiced in the park,<br/>
And we sang dirges in the dark<br/>
+
And we sang dirges in the dark,<br/>
The day the music died<br/>
+
The day the music died.<br/>
  
We were singing<br/>
+
We were singing...<br/>
  
 
Chorus
 
Chorus
  
 
Helter Skelter in a summer swelter<br/>
 
Helter Skelter in a summer swelter<br/>
The Byrds flew off with a fall out shelter<br/>
+
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter<br/>
 
Eight miles high and falling fast<br/>
 
Eight miles high and falling fast<br/>
 
It landed foul on the grass<br/>
 
It landed foul on the grass<br/>
 
The players tried for a forward pass<br/>
 
The players tried for a forward pass<br/>
With The Jester on the sidelines in a cast<br/>
+
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast<br/>
 
 
 
Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume<br/>
 
Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume<br/>
While The Sargeants played a marching tune<br/>
+
While The Sergeants played a marching tune<br/>
 
We all got up to dance,<br/>
 
We all got up to dance,<br/>
 
Oh, but we never got the chance<br/>
 
Oh, but we never got the chance<br/>
 
'Cause the players tried to take the field<br/>
 
'Cause the players tried to take the field<br/>
The marching band refused to yield!<br/>
+
The marching band refused to yield<br/>
 
Do you recall what was revealed<br/>
 
Do you recall what was revealed<br/>
 
The day the music died?<br/>
 
The day the music died?<br/>
  
We started singing
+
We started singing...<br/>
  
 
Chorus
 
Chorus
Line 91: Line 84:
 
A generation lost in space<br/>
 
A generation lost in space<br/>
 
With no time left to start again<br/>
 
With no time left to start again<br/>
So come on Jack be nimble,<br/>
+
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick<br/>
Jack be quick<br/>
+
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick<br/>
Jack Flash sat on a candle stick<br/>
+
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend<br/>
Because fire is the devil's only friend<br/>
 
 
 
 
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage<br/>
 
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage<br/>
 
My hands were clenched in fists of rage<br/>
 
My hands were clenched in fists of rage<br/>
 
No angel born in Hell<br/>
 
No angel born in Hell<br/>
 
Could break that Satan's spell<br/>
 
Could break that Satan's spell<br/>
 
 
And as the flames climbed high into the night<br/>
 
And as the flames climbed high into the night<br/>
 
To light the sacrificial rite<br/>
 
To light the sacrificial rite<br/>
Line 106: Line 96:
 
The day the music died<br/>
 
The day the music died<br/>
  
He was singing
+
He was singing...<br/>
  
 
Chorus
 
Chorus
Line 116: Line 106:
 
Where I'd heard the music years before<br/>
 
Where I'd heard the music years before<br/>
 
But the man there said the music wouldn't play<br/>
 
But the man there said the music wouldn't play<br/>
 
 
And in the streets the children screamed<br/>
 
And in the streets the children screamed<br/>
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed<br/>
+
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed<br/>
 
But not a word was spoken<br/>
 
But not a word was spoken<br/>
 
The church bells all were broken<br/>
 
The church bells all were broken<br/>
 
 
And the three men I admire most<br/>
 
And the three men I admire most<br/>
 
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost<br/>
 
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost<br/>
Line 127: Line 115:
 
The day the music died<br/>
 
The day the music died<br/>
  
And they were singing
+
And they were singing...
  
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey in Rye<br/>
+
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye<br/>
 
Singin' this will be the day that I die<br/>
 
Singin' this will be the day that I die<br/>
 
This'll be the day that I die<br/>
 
This'll be the day that I die<br/>
  
 
They were singin'
 
They were singin'
 
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
Bye, bye Miss American Pie<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
 
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry<br/>
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey in Rye<br/>
+
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye<br/>
Singing this will be the day that I die...<br/>
+
Singing this'll be the day that I die.<br/>
  
 
==Significance==
 
==Significance==

Revision as of 02:29, 7 July 2004

Lyrics

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
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died

Chorus So bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing 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?
Now, 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
'Cause I saw you dancin' 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 that I was out of luck
The day the music died

I started singing...

Chorus

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
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 Lennon 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...

Chorus

Helter Skelter in a 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...

Chorus

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 candlestick
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend
Oh, 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...

Chorus

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 singing...

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' this will be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

They were singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die.

Significance

It is the last song played during all CTY dances, which places it on the list of High Holy Canon for nearly every site. This also includes Baby CTY, which does not always observe the same traditions as regular CTY.

Each site has different traditions/dances that go along with the song:


Saratoga Springs

  • The first verse and last verse are sung in a giant circle.
  • After the line "This will be the day that I die" every chants "Die, die, die, die. Live, live, live, live. Sex, sex, sex, sex. More, more, more, more."
  • During the line "You both kicked off your shoes" everyone kicks off their shoes.
  • Everyone screams at the line "And in the streets, the children screamed."

Siena

  • The whole camp linking arms in a giant circle and swaying and kicking alternate feet during the first and last verses.
  • Clapping hands once and then twice on the offbeats of the pre-choruses.
  • Shaking fists at the line "[My hands were clenched in] fists of rage."
  • Screaming after the line "And in the streets, the children screamed."
  • Not chanting after "This will be the day that I die."

Outside Links