American Pie

Kurt L Moore

“American Pie”
The Day the Music Died

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
Singing
This will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die

Don McLean wrote “American Pie” in 1971, recorded it the same year and enjoyed tremendous success with it in 1972 as it hit the charts. Ever since Don penned the words and lyrics to “American Pie,” it has been a colorful part of our Americana musical lexicon. It is said that he wrote the song in tribute to Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. According to Don McLean, himself, Buddy Holly inspired him to write it. Since that time there have been many scholars trying to unravel the meaning of the song, and for each scholar, there is yet another meaning. Bottom line is; it was a song that stuck with us simply because it was written with great lyrics, great music and had a sound we all liked. I never, in all the years I have heard Don McLean, and others, perform “American Pie,” tried to derive meaning from the words. I just simply enjoyed it as great music.
Incidentally, when asked what the words to “American Pie” meant, Don McLean said, “It means I never have to work again.” To this day, Don has refused to tell what the lyrics meant. Many pseudo-scholars believe the song to be a history of rock and roll up until 1971.

“American Pie,” a show now playing at the Branson Mall Theater, is a living tribute to Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. All of whom were killed when their rented Beechcraft Bonanza, crashed just outside Mason City, Iowa. Going against folklore, I have to tell you that the plane they crashed was not named “American Pie.” The plane had the identification number N3794P; that’s it. It had taken off from an airfield in Clear Lake, Iowa, during a snowstorm and flew about eight miles before coming down in a field. The prevailing theory is that the snow was coming down so heavily, that the pilot could not tell the difference between air and ground. He simply drove the plane into the earth. No other explanation has ever been offered.

Throughout the years, since the crash, there has been a growing list of people who were said to have given up their seat in that plane, to another, and were fortunate enough to survive. From what I have personally heard, there were enough people said to have given up their seats that quite possibly the Clear Lake, Iowa airfield would not have held them all. So let’s set the record straight. One person, who by the toss of a coin, gave up his seat to Ritchie Valens, was Tommy Allsup, one of the band members. Waylon Jennings, a seventeen-year-old kid and bassist for the group, also gave up his seat on the plane to the Big Bopper, lived and went on to become a country super-star and legend. Now you know the truth. There were only two persons who gave up their seat on that ill-fated flight, February 3, 1959. The day that Don McLean believed the music died.

Now it is time for you to have your own slice of “American Pie.” The show, “American Pie” is playing a limited engagement at the Branson Mall Theater and you are invited. There is almost an eerie quality to the show that I have not seen with many other shows. The three tribute artists playing homage to Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper and Buddy Holly are, for all to see and hear, dead ringers for the stars. Since most of us did not get the chance to see this trio of stars perform in person, now is your golden opportunity. The music, talent and the star’s looks are right on the money.

This is one show you will not want to miss. This is a rare chance to see three much heralded stars perform. It is almost as if they were stepping from the other side of a snowstorm, from a field in Iowa, and the plane crash in 1959 never happened.

The day the music died
And they were singing,
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy………..

Editor’s Note: “American Pie,” played a limited engagement at the Branson Mall Theater. If and when it returns, you will not want to miss it.