American Pie
Jim Croce & Don McLean Lyrics

A long, long time ago
In the distant past

I can still remember how that music
I can vividly recall the impact of that music

Used to make me smile
It used to bring joy to my face

And I knew if I had my chance
I was confident that given an opportunity

That I could make those people dance
I could get those individuals to move rhythmically

And maybe they'd be happy for a while
And perhaps they would experience happiness temporarily

But February made me shiver
But the month of February caused me to tremble

With every paper I'd deliver
With each newspaper I distributed

Bad news on the doorstep
Disheartening news left at people's homes

I couldn't take one more step
I couldn't handle another setback

I can't remember if I cried
I can't recall whether I shed tears

When I read about his widowed bride
Upon learning about his deceased spouse

But something touched me deep inside
However, something profoundly affected me

The day the music died
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

And them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

Singin', "This'll be the day that I die
They sang, 'This day will mark my demise

Did you write the book of love
Did you pen the manual on romantic relationships

And do you have faith in God above
And do you believe in a higher power

If the Bible tells you so?
If the Bible provides that information?

Now, do you believe in rock 'n' roll
Now, do you have faith in the genre of rock and roll

Can music save your mortal soul
Can music redeem your human spirit

And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
And can you instruct me on the art of slow dancing

Well, I know that you're in love with him
Well, I am aware that you are enamored with him

'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
Because I witnessed you dancing in the gymnasium

You both kicked off your shoes
Both of you removed your footwear

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
Wow, I really enjoy those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
I was a solitary adolescent full of energy

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
Wearing a pink flower and driving a small truck

But I knew I was out of luck
But I was aware that I had no chance of success

The day the music died
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

I started singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
I began to sing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

And singin', "This'll be the day that I die
And singing, 'This day will mark my demise

Now, for ten years we've been on our own
Now, for the past ten years we have been independent

And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
And moss thrives on a stone that moves

But that's not how it used to be
But that's not how things were in the past

When the jester sang for the king and queen
When the fool performed for the monarchs

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
Wearing a jacket he borrowed from James Dean

And a voice that came from you and me
And a voice that originated from all of us

Oh, and while the king was looking down
Oh, and while the king was observing from above

The jester stole his thorny crown
The fool usurped his oppressive authority

The courtroom was adjourned
The courtroom session came to an end

No verdict was returned
No decision or judgment was rendered

And while Lennon read a book on Marx
And while Lennon read a book about Karl Marx

The quartet practiced in the park
The rock group rehearsed in the public garden

And we sang dirges in the dark
And we sang mournful songs in the absence of light

The day the music died
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

We were singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
We were singing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

And singin', "This'll be the day that I die
And singing, 'This day will mark my demise

Helter Skelter in a summer swelter
Chaotic situation in scorching heat

The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
The birds departed with a structure for protection from nuclear radiation

Eight miles high and fallin' fast
Soaring to a great height and descending rapidly

It landed foul on the grass
It landed poorly on the ground

The players tried for a forward pass
The athletes attempted to move the ball forward

With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
With the fool sidelined and injured

Now the halftime air was sweet perfume
Now the scent during halftime was pleasant

While the sergeants played a marching tune
While the military officers performed a walking rhythm

We all got up to dance
We all rose to dance

Oh, but we never got the chance
Oh, but we were never able to do so

'Cause the players tried to take the field
Because the athletes attempted to seize the playing area

The marching band refused to yield
The band that marches persisted without surrendering

Do you recall what was revealed
Do you remember what was uncovered

The day the music died?
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

We started singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
We began to sing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

And singin', "This'll be the day that I die
And singing, 'This day will mark my demise

Oh, and there we were all in one place
Oh, and we all gathered in a single location

A generation lost in space
A lost generation, disconnected and confused

With no time left to start again
With no remaining opportunity to begin anew

So, come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
So, come on, Jack be agile, Jack be speedy

Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
Jack Flash perched on a slender candle holder

'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend
Because fire is the Devil's sole companion

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
Oh, and as I observed him performing

My hands were clenched in fists of rage
My hands were tightly closed in anger

No angel born in Hell
No celestial being originating from Hell

Could break that Satan's spell
Could disrupt that enchantment of Satan

And as the flames climbed high into the night
And as the fire ascended vigorously in the darkness

To light the sacrificial rite
To illuminate the ceremonial act of offering

I saw Satan laughing with delight
I witnessed Satan laughing joyously

The day the music died
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

He was singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
He was singing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

And singin', "This'll be the day that I die
And singing, 'This day will mark my demise

I met a girl who sang the blues
I encountered a girl who performed sorrowful songs

And I asked her for some happy news
And I requested from her some positive information

But she just smiled and turned away
But she simply smiled and looked in another direction

I went down to the sacred store
I descended to the holy shop

Where I'd heard the music years before
Where I had previously heard the music a long time ago

But the man there said the music wouldn't play
But the man there informed me that the music would not be played

And in the streets, the children screamed
And in the streets, the children shouted loudly in fear or excitement

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
The lovers shed tears, and the poets envisioned

But not a word was spoken
But not a single word was uttered

The church bells all were broken
The church bells were all damaged and non-functional

And the three men I admire most
And the three individuals I have the highest regard for

The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
Referring to the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity

They caught the last train for the coast
They boarded the final train heading towards the shoreline

The day the music died
The day when the music industry suffered a great loss

And they were singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
And they were singing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

And them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

Singin', "This'll be the day that I die
Singing, 'This day will mark my demise

They were singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie
They were singing, farewell, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
I drove my Chevrolet to the raised riverbank, but it was devoid of water

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Those good old boys were consuming whiskey and rye

Singin', "This'll be the day that I die
Singing, 'This day will mark my demise