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).
Orphans Of Wealth
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What is right, what is wrong for our people
Time has run out for all those who wait
With bent limbs and minds that are feeble
And the rain falls and blows through their window
And the snow falls and blows through their door
And the seasons revolve 'mid their sounds of starvationWhen the tides rise, they cover the floor
And they come from the north
And they come from the south
And they come from the hills and they valleys
And they're migrants and farmers
And miners and humans
Our census neglected to tally
And the rain falls and blows through their window
And the snow falls and blows through their door
And the seasons revolve 'mid their sounds of starvation
When the tides rise, they cover the floor
And they're African, Mexican, Caucasian, Indian
Hungry and hopeless Americans
The orphans of wealth and of adequate health
Disowned by this nation they live in
And with weather-worn hands
On bread lines they stand
Yet but one more degradation
Yes, and they're treated like tramps
While we sell them food stamps
This thriving and prosperous nation
And the snow falls and blows through their door
And the seasons revolve 'mid their sounds of starvation
When the tides rise, they cover the floor
And with roaches and rickets and rats in the thickets
Infested, diseased, and decaying
With rags and no shoes and skin sores that ooze
By the poisonous pools they are playing
In shacks of two rooms that are rotting wood tombs
With corpses breathing inside them
Yes, and we pity their plight as they call in the night
And we do all that we can do to
avoid them
In these lyrics, Don McLean draws attention to the plight of the marginalized and impoverished in America. He highlights how time has run out for these people who have been neglected and forgotten by the system. The rain and snow represent the harsh living conditions they face, while the tides symbolize the rising struggle that they must endure. The people who are affected come from diverse backgrounds, yet they are all bound by hunger and hopelessness. Despite living in a thriving and prosperous nation, they are orphans of wealth and adequate health, who are disowned by the country they live in. They stand in breadlines, waiting for food, and are treated like tramps, while food stamps are sold to them. The song highlights the stark contrast between the flourishing lives enjoyed by some and the dire state of those individuals who have been neglected.
Line by Line Meaning
There is no time to discuss or debate
We cannot waste time talking about what is right or wrong.
What is right, what is wrong for our people
We cannot decide what is best for our people.
Time has run out for all those who wait
It is too late for those who hesitate or rely on others to act.
With bent limbs and minds that are feeble
Those who are suffering have physical and cognitive limitations.
And the rain falls and blows through their window
The weather is brutal and they lack basic resources like shelter.
And the snow falls and blows through their door
They cannot keep out the cold and are constantly exposed to the elements.
And the seasons revolve 'mid their sounds of starvation
They suffer hunger and deprivation throughout the year.
When the tides rise, they cover the floor
Their living conditions are so poor that even high water levels cause damage.
And they come from the north
They come from all over.
And they come from the south
They come from all over.
And they come from the hills and they valleys
They come from all kinds of environments and backgrounds.
And they're migrants and farmers
They come from different walks of life, including those who work the land.
And miners and humans
They come from different professions and backgrounds.
Our census neglected to tally
The government doesn't keep accurate records about their existence.
And they're African, Mexican, Caucasian, Indian
They come from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Hungry and hopeless Americans
They are American citizens who are suffering and lack opportunities.
The orphans of wealth and of adequate health
They are neglected by society and lack basic necessities.
Disowned by this nation they live in
The government and society have turned their backs on them.
And with weather-worn hands
Their hands show the effects of being constantly exposed to the elements.
On bread lines they stand
They rely on charity for basic food supplies.
Yet but one more degradation
This is just another way in which they suffer.
Yes, and they're treated like tramps
They are stigmatized and treated with disrespect.
While we sell them food stamps
The government tries to profit off of their suffering.
This thriving and prosperous nation
Despite being prosperous, the country continues to neglect these people.
With roaches and rickets and rats in the thickets
Their living conditions are unsanitary and unsafe.
Infested, diseased, and decaying
They suffer from illnesses and their living spaces are falling apart.
With rags and no shoes and skin sores that ooze
They lack basic clothing and suffer from severe injuries and conditions.
By the poisonous pools they are playing
They are forced to endure dangerous environments.
In shacks of two rooms that are rotting wood tombs
They live in cramped spaces that are slowly falling apart.
With corpses breathing inside them
Their living conditions are so poor that death is a constant presence.
Yes, and we pity their plight as they call in the night
Even though we feel sorry for them, we do nothing to help.
And we do all that we can do to ignore them
We turn a blind eye to their suffering and push them aside.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON MCLEAN
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