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).
Winterwood
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And time has proven that I'm right.
There's no place I'd rather be,
Than at your place for the night.
No time can pass your sight unseen.
No moment steals away unfound.
Lifetime lived in such a dream,
[Chorus]
And for the first time I've been seeing
The things I'd never notice, without you.
And for the first time I'm discovering
The things I use to treasure, about you.
The birds like leaves on Winterwood,
Sing hopeful songs on dismal days.
They've learned to live life as they should.
They are at peace with natures ways.
You are as natural as the night,
And all that springs from you is good.
And the children born beneath your light,
Are like the birds on Winterwood.
[Chorus]
In "Winterwood" by Don McLean, the singer speaks of the importance of a significant other in his life, and in particular, how that person has opened his eyes to previously unnoticed beauty. He expresses his love and loyalty, stating that no one else could take their place, and that time has proven his feelings to be right. He is most content when he is with this person, making them the only place he would like to be. The lyrics conjure up images of security, warmth, and intimacy.
The chorus speaks to the singer's newfound appreciation of his partner's qualities. He has been able to see things in her that he had previously overlooked, things that he had once treasured but had taken for granted. She has become his newfound source of wonder and enchantment.
The verses interweave images of the Winterwood, the birds singing on dismal days and the children born beneath that natural light, in a light, soothing tone that reflects the warmth of the love expressed in the song. The metaphor of the winterwood and the birds connotes a sense of serenity, as the birds have learned to adapt and live life as it should be. The singer compares his partner to the natural beauty of night and the children born under it, implying that they, like the birds, have grown up in a world that they have learned to adapt to.
Line by Line Meaning
No-one can take your place with me,
No one can replace you in my life
And time has proven that I'm right.
My belief has been confirmed by time
There's no place I'd rather be,
I want to be with you more than anywhere else
Than at your place for the night.
I want to spend the night with you
No time can pass your sight unseen.
I am always aware of you
No moment steals away unfound.
I don't miss any time spent with you
Lifetime lived in such a dream,
My life feels like a dream with you
Floats like a feather to the ground.
My life feels light and easy with you
[Chorus]
Refrain
And for the first time I've been seeing
I am experiencing something new with you
The things I'd never notice, without you.
I am now aware of things I didn't see before you
And for the first time I'm discovering
I am discovering new things with you
The things I use to treasure, about you.
I am rediscovering the things I loved about you
The birds like leaves on Winterwood,
The birds that live in Winterwood
Sing hopeful songs on dismal days.
Sing happy songs even on sad days
They've learned to live life as they should.
They have found a way to live naturally
They are at peace with natures ways.
They are content with nature
You are as natural as the night,
You have a natural quality like the night
And all that springs from you is good.
Everything that comes from you is positive
And the children born beneath your light,
Children born into your influence
Are like the birds on Winterwood.
Are like the peaceful birds living in Winterwood
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