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).
Sitting on Top of the World
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just trying to find my little all in all
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
Was in the spring, one summer day
Just when she left me, she's gone to stay
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
An' you come runnin', holdin' up your hand
Can't get me a woman, cranky you can get a man
But now you're gone, and now I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
Have been days, I didn't know your name
Why should I worry or cry in vain
But now she's gone, now I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
Went to the station, down in the yard
Gonna get me a freight train, worked and got to home
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Oh I'm sitting on top of the world
The lonesome days, they have gone by
Why should you beg me oh say goodbye
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Oh 'cause I'm sitting on top of the world
The interpretation of "Sitting on Top of the World" by Don McLean is about someone who is finally at peace after a long period of trying to find their love. The first stanza depicts that the singer spent the entire summer and fall attempting to find his "little all in all," his love. However, now that she's gone, he finds himself feeling content, knowing that he's "sitting on top of the world."
The second stanza goes back to the spring when the singer's love left him, and he was left alone. Despite her absence, he doesn't worry as he knows he's on top of the world. The third stanza sees someone coming to him and offering their help, guaranteeing that they can get him a man even when he's lost the love of his life. However, he knows that he doesn't need another woman to be content, and he's "sitting on top of the world."
The fourth stanza stipulates that there were days that he didn't know the girl's name, yet he wasn't crying or worrying. The fifth and final stanza speaks to the singer going to the train station, prepared to leave, but realizing that there was no reason to go too far as he's sitting on top of the world. The lonesome days are gone, and he's content. Hence, the song's message is that love is not everything, and you can indeed feel fulfilled without it.
Line by Line Meaning
Was all the summer, and all the fall,
Throughout the summer and fall seasons,
Just trying to find my little all in all
I was searching for my everything, my reason to live
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Now that she's left me, I'm not troubled anymore
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
I feel triumphant and happy, like I'm on top of the world
Was in the spring, one summer day
One summer day in spring, when it all began
Just when she left me, she's gone to stay
When she left me, she left for good
Oh I'm sitting on top of the world
Despite her departure, I still feel victorious and happy
An' you come runnin', holdin' up your hand
You came running to me, extending your hand
Can't get me a woman, cranky you can get a man
You can't satisfy me as a woman could, and as you're bitter, you can only attract a man
But now you're gone, and now I don't worry
Now that you're gone, I'm not troubled anymore
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
I'm still feeling triumphant and happy, like I'm on top of the world
Have been days, I didn't know your name
There were days when I didn't even know your name
Why should I worry or cry in vain
So why should I be troubled or weep pointlessly?
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
I'm still feeling victorious and grateful for everything I've got
Went to the station, down in the yard
I went to the station, down in the trainyard
Gonna get me a freight train, worked and got to home
I planned to catch a freight train and work my way back home
Oh I'm sitting on top of the world
Despite my failed plans, I'm still happy with my life's position
The lonesome days, they have gone by
The days of loneliness have passed
Why should you beg me oh say goodbye
So why do you now beg me to stay when you'd previously left me?
Oh 'cause I'm sitting on top of the world
Because I'm still feeling triumphant and happy, I can now tell you goodbye
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Chester Burnett
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