Allegory of American Pie by Do Essay Example

1959 when Holly chartered a plane for his tour to Fargo, North Dakota. Originally planning to travel with Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup, J.P. Richardson convinced Jennings to give up his seat while Allsup lost his seat in a coin toss to Richie Valens. Sadly, the pilot of the plane, Roger Peterson, only had a license for visual flight and was not certified for instrument plane flight.

On February 3rd of that year, amidst a series of events that night, the pilot lost control of the plane despite believing he was steering it upwards - leading to a straight-down crash. This tragic incident resulted in the instant death of all four men on board (Jordan). Since then, this day has become famously known as "The day the music died".

The song "American Pie" captures its main theme through its chorus and represents an authentic expression of American rock and roll artistry. It symbolizes Chevy as an iconic representation of America; however, there has been a decline in original rock and roll within the industry represented by "levee", resulting in a lack of water (or talent) flowing through it.The well-known line "This'll be the day that I die" was taken from Buddy Holly's song called "That'll be the Day". In the chorus of this song, Holly sings the line "That'll be the day that I die", which depicts his death and the subsequent rise of teen idols like Frankie Avalon and Fabian in McLean's song "American Pie". Despite a seemingly positive tone, the narrator feels left out while America's youth dances with these idols in the gym. He realizes that his chances of finding love are slim as

it is given to them instead. One important line in this verse is "Can you teach me how to dance real slow...", which was significant during rock and roll's early days but lost popularity when acid rock and lengthy guitar solos became more prominent. Moving on to the third verse set in 1970, the narrator reflects on present times. The phrase "moss grows fat on a rolling stone" signifies a negative situation related to either Bob Dylan's song "Like a Rolling Stone" or The Rolling Stones band. In both cases, it suggests that this metaphorical "rolling stone" has stopped moving and become stagnant, resulting in moss growth. This indicates that music has become stagnant. Don McLean references this shift by saying "that's not how it used to be", referring to Buddy Holly's time.Bob Dylan is portrayed as a jester in this song, with his enigmatic songs resembling riddles. The album cover features Dylan wearing James Dean's famous red windbreaker from Rebel Without a Cause, symbolizing the borrowed coat. Likewise, the mention of a stolen crown alludes to Elvis Presley. However, when Dylan takes the crown, it signifies that there was no true king at that time, as represented by "the courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned." The quartet practicing in the parks refers to the Beatles and their rising fame in Europe before the British Invasion. A clever wordplay is made with Lenin reading a book on Marx, drawing parallels between Vladimir Lenin and John Lennon who share similar communist ideals.
The fourth verse extensively discusses the decline of rock and roll. "Helter Skelter" connects the British Invasion with social unrest experienced by American

students during the mid-1960s. Although released later, it reflects events during this period. Dylan's folk-rock sound conveys various messages about nuclear war, Vietnam War, and oppressive capitalism.These protest songs were accompanied by notable events such as riots in LA and Detroit as well as demonstrations at the Democratic convention in Chicago.
Charles Manson also associated his murders with "Helter Skelter." Additionally,marches for civil rights and against Vietnam War played a significant role (Jordan). McLean aimed to convey that drugs had detrimental effects on musicThe song "Eight Miles High" by The Byrds depicts the negative impact of marijuana, also known as "grass." During this time period, the Beatles had a significant influence on rock music. Bob Dylan's image was affected by an alleged motorcycle accident that some doubt actually happened, making him appear like a sidelined jester. The mention of "half time" may suggest widespread drug use in the mid-60s. The sergeants mentioned could refer to either the Beatles' Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band or symbolize the military and draft through their marching music. This context reveals that drugs played a major role in causing rock and roll to decline during this era. According to McLean, rock music reached its peak during Buddy Holly's era but gradually declined during the Teen Idol and social protest eras, hitting its lowest point during the self-destructive hippie and drug-use era. The fifth verse mainly focuses on Woodstock and a concert by The Rolling Stones at Altamont Raceway. McLean's attitude towards his generation seems pessimistic as he portrays Woodstock as the only place where they felt a sense of belonging while feeling lost and running out of time elsewhere. He also

mentions the chaotic Altamont concert where violence erupted, resulting in a young man being killed by Hells Angels who were hired as security guards based on advice from Grateful Dead.The mentioning of "Jack Flash" in the lyrics alludes to Mick Jagger, lead singer of The Rolling Stones.The line about him sitting on a candlestick represents the final live performance of the Beatles at the Beatles Candlestick Park concert. Jack has managed to overshadow the Beatles and gain popularity, which disappoints McLean as he observes from the sidelines. He sees the positive impact of the Beatles' music slipping away. The image of Satan laughing at flames rising into the night may symbolize Jimi Hendrix burning his guitars during Monterey Pop Festival. In the last verse, there is a sad conclusion with a slowdown in music and focus on death. The woman referred to as singing blues is Janis Joplin, whom McLean considered one of rock and roll's last hopes. However, her turning away symbolically represents her death. The sacred store signifies the record company where McLean goes to request a contract for his song. Sadly, they reject it stating that its folksy nature or length will hinder its saleability. The "children" screaming refers to four students who were killed at Kent State University during a protest.The crying "lovers" symbolize mournful hippies who lament the end of their era while dreaming "poets" represent musicians like Simon and Garfunkel and McLean himself who continue creating new songs (Jordan). Overall, "American Pie" conveys a sense of despair for the future of rock and roll through broken church bells in its lyrics.
The song 'American Pie' pays tribute to three influential

figures in rock history - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (also known as The Big Bopper) - whose tragic plane crash marked their departure from the music scene. Despite challenges such as its lengthiness not fitting on a 45 record, 'American Pie' achieved tremendous success in 1972. It also served as inspiration for Roberta Flack's recording of 'Killing Me Softly With His Song,' paying tribute in return.

Fortunately, folk rock was just a passing phase in American pop music; folk music itself evolved into more of a historical genre rather than maintaining popularity. This transformation coincided with the rise of 'acid rock,' featuring artists like the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane. Bob Dylan's composition 'The Times They Are A-Changin'' similarly captures the shifting times and the need to adapt to them.

Survival in this changing world requires adaptation and keeping pace; otherwise failure awaits. The sixties represented an era characterized by immense societal change, political shifts, and transformative music that deeply influenced the twentieth century. The civil rights movement led to advancements in black equality while many Americans fled to Canada to avoid the draft. People were pushing boundaries and achieving things they never thought possible such as landing on the Moon.

Amidst all these changes, music remained a constant companion.During the 1960s, new genres like doo-wop, folk, and acid rock emerged. Ska also became popular during this time period. Artists such as the Grateful Dead and the Jimi Hendrix Experience entertained large audiences with their music, even though it may not fit the traditional definition of rock and roll. This was evident at Woodstock, where half a million

people gathered to listen to great music and indulge in various substances. Don McLean's sentiment that "That'll be the day that I die" resonates with me until there is no more music left in any genre (Haskins 92).