McLean's grandfather and father, both also named Donald McLean, had roots originating in Scotland. The Buccis, the family of McLean's mother, Elizabeth, came from Abruzzo in central Italy. They left Italy and settled in Port Chester, New York at the end of the 19th century. He has other extended family in Los Angeles and Boston. Though some of his early musical influences included Frank Sinatra and Buddy Holly, as a teenager, McLean became interested in folk music, particularly the Weavers' 1955 recording At Carnegie Hall. He often missed long periods of school because of childhood asthma, particularly music lessons, and although McLean slipped back in his studies, his love of music was allowed to flourish. By age 16, he had bought his first guitar and began making contacts in the music business, becoming friends with the folk singers Erik Darling and Fred Hellerman of the Weavers.
McLean recorded Tapestry in 1969 in Berkeley, California during the student riots. After being rejected 72 times by labels, the album was released by Mediarts, a label that had not existed when he first started to look for a label. He worked on the album for a couple of years before putting it out. It attracted good reviews but little notice outside the folk community, though on the Easy Listening chart "Castles in the Air" was a success, and in 1973 "And I Love You So" became a number 1 Adult Contemporary hit for Perry Como.
McLean's major break came when Mediarts was taken over by United Artists Records, thus securing the promotion of a major label for his second album, American Pie. The album launched two number one hits in the title song and "Vincent". American Pie's success made McLean an international star and piqued interest in his first album, which charted more than two years after its initial release.
In 2004, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" and "Vincent" had reached five million and three million airplays respectively.
His composition "And I Love You So" has been sung by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and others, and in 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie". His other hit singles include "Vincent" (US #12, UK #1 in 1972), "Dreidel" (US #21 in 1972), a rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying" (US #5, UK #1 in 1980), a rendition of the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You" (US #23 in 1980), and "Wonderful Baby" (US AC #1 in 1975).
Among My Souvenirs
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of days that used to be
I live in memory, among my souvenirs
Some letters tied in blue
A photograph or two
I find a rose for you
Among my souvenirs
A few more tokens rest
Down in my treasure chest
And though they do their best
To give me consolation
I count them all apart
And as the teardrops start
I find a broken heart
Among my souvenirs
I live in memories
Among my souvenirs
The lyrics to Don McLean's song "Among My Souvenirs" speak of grief and loss as the singer reflects on the past. The opening lines describe how the singer can't find anything in the present that compares to the good times they experienced in the past. They are left with only their memories and keepsakes, which provide some solace but also remind them of what they have lost. The singer goes on to describe the objects that they keep as tokens of their past, like letters tied in blue and old photographs. These items bring back memories of happier times, but also serve as painful reminders of what the singer has lost.
The final lines of the song emphasize the theme of nostalgia and the powerful effects of memory. Despite the present pain, the singer finds comfort in reliving past moments through their souvenirs. The song is a poignant tribute to the bittersweet nature of memory and the ways in which we try to hold onto the past.
Line by Line Meaning
There's nothing left for me
I have lost everything important in my life
Of days that used to be
Those good times are in the past and cannot be recaptured
I live in memory, among my souvenirs
All I have left are my memories and sentimental possessions
Some letters tied in blue
I have collected some love letters, tied with a blue ribbon
A photograph or two
I have some pictures that bring back memories
I find a rose for you
I have saved a special flower for you
Among my souvenirs
All of these possessions remind me of better times
A few more tokens rest
A few more items are stored in my collection
Down in my treasure chest
I keep my sentimental items in a special place
And though they do their best
Even though these possessions try to comfort me
To give me consolation
To provide some relief from my pain
I count them all apart
I examine each item and remember its significance
And as the teardrops start
As I become emotional and start crying
I find a broken heart
I realize that these possessions cannot heal my emotional pain
Among my souvenirs
All of these possessions only remind me of what I have lost
I live in memories
My memories are my only comfort and source of happiness
Among my souvenirs
Everything I have saved holds a special place in my heart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edgar Leslie, Lawrence Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Goddess
on The More You Pay
No. As The Auctioneer explains "what we don't sell we shoot or give away - cuz the more you pay, the more it's worth" so the horse is given to the persona/narrator rather than shooting it to death. The Gallery goes wild in celebration that the horse will go to someone instead of being killed.
Joe Boxer
on Vincent
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dcWFYtG8RFM