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).
Fool's Paradise
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you took me in your arms
I was dazzled by your beauty
Blinded by your charms
I was lost in a fool's paradise
Good and lost in a fool's paradise
Now when you told me that you loved me
Oh, well, I wonder if there could be
Any truth in love so new
I was lost in a fool's paradise
Good and lost in a fool's paradise
The whole world was my kingdom
And your love the gem in my crown
But when I saw you glance at a new romance
You know my love came tumbling down
Well, you treat me kinda coolish
And you never let me know
That you think I'm being foolish
And because I love you so
I still get lost in a fool's paradise
Good and lost in a fool's paradise
Well, the whole world was my kingdom
And your love the gem in my crown
But when I saw you glance at a new romance
You know my love came tumbling down
You know, you treat me kinda coolish
And you never let me know
That you think I'm being foolish
Because I love you so
I still get lost in a fool's paradise
Lost with you in a fool's paradise
Yes, I still get lost in a fool's paradise
So god-darn lost in a fool's paradise
The song Fool's Paradise by Don McLean is about being lost in a romantic illusion. In the song, the singer is in love with someone who dazzles him with their beauty and charm, and he gives his heart to them. He believes that their love is the gem in his crown and that he is the king of the world. However, his love is not reciprocated, and when the object of his affection turns her attention to someone else, his illusion is shattered, and he comes crashing down from his fool's paradise. Despite this heartbreak, he continues to be lost in his romantic illusion and cannot see that he is being foolish.
The song captures the universal experience of falling in love and the hope and illusion that comes with it. When we are in love, we often see the world through rose-tinted glasses, and our partner seems perfect to us. We believe that our love is special and that nothing can get in the way of it. However, when our expectations are not met, we are forced to confront reality and the pain of rejection.
Overall, the song Fool's Paradise is a poignant expression of the human experience of love and heartbreak. It portrays the idea that love can be both euphoric and painful, and that it is easy to get lost in the illusion of romantic love.
Line by Line Meaning
You took me up to Heaven
When you embraced me, I thought I was in paradise
When you took me in your arms
When you held me close to your heart
I was dazzled by your beauty
You were stunning and mesmerizing
Blinded by your charms
Charmed to the point of losing my senses
I was lost in a fool's paradise
Hopelessly caught up in a fantasy
Good and lost in a fool's paradise
Completely consumed by a false reality
Now when you told me that you loved me
When you expressed your love for me
Well, then I gave my heart to you
I committed myself to you with all my heart
Oh, well, I wonder if there could be
But now I question if it was genuine
Any truth in love so new
Whether a new love can truly be honest
The whole world was my kingdom
My universe revolved around you
And your love the gem in my crown
Your love was the highlight of my life
But when I saw you glance at a new romance
However, when I saw you look at another person with interest
You know my love came tumbling down
My world came crashing down
Well, you treat me kinda coolish
You're a bit aloof towards me
And you never let me know
You don't make it clear to me
That you think I'm being foolish
That you see me as naive and imprudent
And because I love you so
But since I love you deeply
I still get lost in a fool's paradise
I can't help but be caught in a fantasy
Lost with you in a fool's paradise
Lost with you in an unrealistic world
Yes, I still get lost in a fool's paradise
I'm still consumed by an illusion
So god-darn lost in a fool's paradise
Hopelessly trapped in a false reality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JESSE HARRIS
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