American Pie (song)

"American Pie" is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released in 1971 on the album of the same name, the single was the number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972 starting January 15<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> after just eight weeks on the US Billboard charts (where it entered at number 69).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The song also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In the UK, the single reached number 2, where it stayed for three weeks on its original 1971 release, and a reissue in 1991 reached No. 12. The song was listed as the No. 5 song on the RIAA project Songs of the Century. A truncated version of the song was covered by Madonna in 2000 and reached No. 1 in at least 15 countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. At 8 minutes and 42 seconds, McLean's combined version is the sixth longest song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 (at the time of release it was the longest). The song also held the record for almost 50 years for being the longest song to reach number one<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> before Taylor Swift's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" broke the record in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Due to its exceptional length, it was initially released as a two-sided 7-inch single.<ref name="Axelrod"/> "American Pie" has been described as "one of the most successful and debated songs of the 20th century".<ref name="musicholics">Template:Cite web</ref>

The repeated phrase "the day the music died" refers to a plane crash in 1959 that killed early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, ending the era of early rock and roll; this became the popular nickname for that crash. The theme of the song goes beyond mourning McLean's childhood music heroes, reflecting the deep cultural changes and profound disillusion and loss of innocence of his generation<ref name="musicholics" /> – the early rock and roll generation – that took place between the 1959 plane crash and either late 1969<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or late 1970.<ref name="joplin">The Day the Music Died: A Closer Look at the Lyrics of "American Pie" Template:Webarchive: States "I met a girl who sang the blues/And I asked her for some happy news/But she just smiled and turned away – McLean turns to Janis Joplin for hope, but she dies of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970."</ref><ref name="joplin2">Songfacts: American Pie Template:Webarchive: States that "The line, 'I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away,' is probably about Janis Joplin. She died of a drug overdose in 1970."</ref> The meaning of the other lyrics, which cryptically allude to many of the jarring events and social changes experienced during that period, has been debated for decades. McLean repeatedly declined to explain the symbolism behind the many characters and events mentioned; he eventually released his songwriting notes to accompany the original manuscript when it was sold in 2015, explaining many of these. McLean further elaborated on the lyrical meaning in a 2022 documentary celebrating the song's 50th anniversary, in which he stated the song was driven by impressionism, and debunked some of the more widely speculated symbols.

In 2017, McLean's original recording was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To mark the 50th anniversary of the song, McLean performed a 35-date tour through Europe, starting in Wales and ending in Austria, in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Background

Template:Multiple images Don McLean drew inspiration for the song from his childhood experience delivering newspapers during the time of the plane crash that killed early rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper:

McLean reportedly wrote "American Pie" in Saratoga Springs, New York, at Caffè Lena, but a 2011 New York Times article quotes McLean as disputing this claim.<ref name="nytimes.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Some employees at Caffè Lena claim that he started writing the song there, and then continued to write the song in both Cold Spring, New York,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<ref name= "refute" /> McLean claims that the song was only written in Cold Spring and Philadelphia.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> Tin & Lint, a bar on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs, claims the song was written there, and a plaque marks the table. While a 2022 documentary on the history of the song claims Saint Joseph's University as where the song was first performed,<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McLean insists that the song made its debut in Philadelphia at Temple University<ref name="nytimes.com"/> when he opened for Laura Nyro on March 14, 1971.<ref name=refute>Template:Cite news</ref>

The song was produced by Ed Freeman and recorded with a few session musicians. Freeman did not want McLean to play rhythm guitar on the song but eventually relented. McLean and the session musicians rehearsed for two weeks but failed to get the song right. At the last minute, the pianist Paul Griffin was added, which is when the tune came together.<ref name="ap2022" /> McLean used a 1969 or 1970 Martin D-28 guitar to provide the basic chords throughout "American Pie".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The song debuted on the album American Pie in October 1971 and was released as a single in November. The song's eight-and-a-half-minute length meant that it could not fit entirely on one side of the 45 RPM record, so United Artists had the first Template:Duration taking up the A-side of the record and the final Template:Duration the B-side. Radio stations initially played the A-side of the song only, but soon switched to the full album version to satisfy their audiences.Template:Sfn

Upon the single release, Cash Box called it "folk-rock's most ambitious and successful epic endeavor since 'Alice's Restaurant.'"<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Record World called it a "monumental accomplishment of lyric writing".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Interpretations

The song has nostalgic themes,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> stretching from the late 1950s until late 1969 or 1970. Except to acknowledge that he first learned about Buddy Holly's death on February 3, 1959 – McLean was age 13 – when he was folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 4, 1959 (hence the line "February made me shiver/with every paper I'd deliver"), McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song's lyrics; he has said: "They're beyond analysis. They're poetry."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also stated in an editorial published in 2009, on the 50th anniversary of the crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson (all of whom are alluded to in the final verse in a comparison with the Christian Holy Trinity), that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long-running grief over Holly's death and that he considers the song to be "a big song... that summed up the world known as America".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> McLean dedicated the American Pie album to Holly.

Some commentators have identified the song as outlining the darkening of cultural mood, as over time the cultural vanguard passed from Pete Seeger and Joan Baez (the "King and Queen" of folk music), then from Elvis Presley (known as "the King" of Rock and Roll), to Bob Dylan ("the Jester" – who wore a jacket similar to that worn by cultural icon James Dean, was known as "the voice of his generation" ("a voice that came from you and me"),<ref>Maslin, Janet in Miller, Jim (ed.) (1981), The Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll, p. 220</ref> and whose motorcycle accident ("in a cast") left him in reclusion for many years, recording in studios rather than touring ("on the sidelines")), to The Beatles (John Lennon, punned with Vladimir Lenin, and "the Quartet" – although McLean has stated the Quartet is a reference to other people<ref name="Axelrod">Template:Cite web</ref>), to The Byrds (who wrote one of the first psychedelic rock songs, "Eight Miles High", and then "fell fast" – the song was banned, band member Gene Clark entered rehabilitation, known colloquially as a "fallout shelter", and shortly after, the group declined as it lost members, changed genres, and alienated fans), to The Rolling Stones (who released Their Satanic Majesties Request and the singles "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Sympathy for the Devil" ("Jack Flash", "Satan", "The Devil"), and used Hells Angels – "Angels born in Hell" – as Altamont event security, with fatal consequences, bringing the 1960s to a violent end<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>), and to Janis Joplin (the "girl who sang the blues" but just "turned away" – she died of a heroin overdose the following year).

It has also been speculated that the song contains numerous references to post-World War II American political events, such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy (known casually as "Jack"), First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy ("his widowed bride"),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and subsequent killing of his assassin (whose courtroom trial obviously ended as a result ["adjourned"]),<ref name="whrc">Template:Cite web</ref> the Cuban Missile Crisis ("Jack be nimble, Jack be quick"),<ref name= "tonybarrell">Template:Cite web</ref> the murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and elements of culture such as sock hops ("kicking off shoes" to dance, preventing damage to the varnished floor), cruising with a pickup truck,<ref name="whrc" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the rise of the political protest song ("a voice that came from you and me"), drugs and the counterculture, the Manson Family and the Tate–LaBianca murders in the "summer swelter" of 1969 (the Beatles' song "Helter Skelter") and much more.<ref name="Axelrod"/>

Apparent allusions to notable 50s songs include Don Cornell's The Bible Tells Me So ("If the Bible tells you so?"), Marty Robbins' A White Sport Coat, the lonely teenager ("With a pink carnation") mirroring Robbins' narrator who is rejected in favor of another man for the prom, and The Monotones' The Book of Love ("Did you write the book of love").<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Many additional and alternative interpretations have also been proposed.

For example, Bob Dylan's first performance in Great Britain was also at a pub called "The King and Queen", and he also appeared more literally "on the sidelines in a (the) cast" – as one of many stars at the back far right of the cover art of the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ("the Sergeants played a marching tune").<ref name="tonybarrell" />

The song title itself is a reference to apple pie, an unofficial symbol of the United States and one of its signature comfort foods,<ref name=Pinch>Template:Cite web</ref> as seen in the popular expression "As American as apple pie".<ref name="dictionary">Template:Cite journal</ref> By the twentieth century, this had become a symbol of American prosperity and national pride.<ref name="dictionary" />

The original United Artists Records inner sleeve featured a free verse poem written by McLean about William Boyd, also known as Hopalong Cassidy, along with a picture of Boyd in full Hopalong regalia. Its inclusion in the album was interpreted to represent a sense of loss of a simplistic type of American culture as symbolized by Hopalong Cassidy and by extension black and white television as a whole.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mike Mills of R.E.M. reflected: "'American Pie' just made perfect sense to me as a song and that's what impressed me the most. I could say to people this is how to write songs. When you've written at least three songs that can be considered classic that is a very high batting average and if one of those songs happens to be something that a great many people think is one of the greatest songs ever written you've not only hit the top of the mountain but you've stayed high on the mountain for a long time."<ref name="skydoc">Template:Cite AV media</ref>

McLean's responses

When asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean jokingly replied, "It means I don't ever have to work again if I don't want to."<ref name=DonMcLeanstory>Template:Cite web</ref> Later, he stated, "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me... Sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also commented on the popularity of his music, "I didn't write songs that were just catchy, but with a point of view, or songs about the environment."

In February 2015, however, McLean announced he would reveal the meaning of the lyrics to the song when the original manuscript went for auction in New York City, in April 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The lyrics and notes were auctioned on April 7, 2015, and sold for $1.2 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the sale catalogue notes, McLean revealed the meaning in the song's lyrics: "Basically in 'American Pie' things are heading in the wrong direction. It [life] is becoming less idyllic. I don't know whether you consider that wrong or right but it is a morality song in a sense."<ref name="telegraph4915">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The catalogue confirmed that the song climaxes with a description of the killing of Meredith Hunter at the Altamont Free Concert, ten years after the plane crash that killed Holly, Valens, and Richardson, and did acknowledge that some of the more well-known symbols in the song were inspired by figures such as Elvis Presley ("the king") and Bob Dylan ("the jester").<ref name="telegraph4915" />

In 2017, Bob Dylan was asked about how he was referenced in the song. "A jester? Sure, the jester writes songs like 'Masters of War', 'A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall', 'It's Alright, Ma' – some jester. I have to think he's talking about somebody else. Ask him."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 2022, the documentary The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie, produced by Spencer Proffer, was released on the Paramount+ video on-demand service. Proffer said that he told McLean: "It's time for you to reveal what 50 years of journalists have wanted to know." McLean stated that he "needed a big song about America", and the first verse and melody ("A long, long time ago...") seemed to just come to mind.<ref name=ap2022>Template:Cite news</ref>

McLean also answered some of the long-standing questions on the song's lyrics, although not all. He revealed that Presley was not the king referenced in the song, Joplin was not the "girl who sang the blues", and Dylan was not the jester, although he is open to other interpretations.<ref name=timetoreveal/> He explained that the "marching band" refers to the military–industrial complex, "sweet perfume" refers to tear gas, and Los Angeles is the "coast" that the Trinity head to ("caught the last train for the coast"), commenting "even God has been corrupted". He also said that the line "This'll be the day that I die" originated from the John Wayne film The Searchers (which inspired Buddy Holly's song "That'll Be the Day"), and the chorus's line "Bye-bye, Miss American Pie" was inspired by a song by Pete Seeger, "Bye Bye, My Roseanna". McLean had originally intended to use "Miss American apple pie", but "apple" was dropped.<ref name=ap2022 />

On the whole, McLean stated that the lyrics were meant to be impressionist, and that many of the lyrics, only a portion of which were included in the finished recording, were completely fictional with no basis in real-life events.<ref name=timetoreveal>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personnel

Credits from Richard Buskin, except where noted.<ref name="SoundOnSound">Template:Cite web</ref>

Musicians

• Don McLean – vocals, acoustic guitar
• David Spinozza – electric guitar
• Paul Griffin – piano, clavinet<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Bob Rothstein – bass, backing vocals
• Roy Markowitz – drums, tambourine

The final chorus features multi-tracked backing vocals, credited in the album's sleeve notes to the "West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir". Although the individual choristers have never been publicly named, producer Ed Freeman has claimed that the choir included Pete Seeger, James Taylor, Livingston Taylor and Carly Simon.<ref name="sound on sound">Template:Cite web</ref>

Technical

• Ed Freeman - producer
• Tom Flye - engineer
• Photography/ artwork – George Whiteman<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

Chart (1971–1972)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="Kent">Template:Cite book</ref>	1
New Zealand (Listener)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	1
Spain (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	9

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="Kent"/>	4
Canada Top Singles (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
UK Singles (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	11
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	3

Parodies, revisions, and uses

In 1999, "Weird Al" Yankovic wrote and recorded a parody of "American Pie". Titled "The Saga Begins", the song recounts the plot of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace from Obi-Wan Kenobi's point of view. While McLean gave permission for the parody, he did not make a cameo appearance in its video, despite popular rumor. McLean himself praised the parody, even admitting to almost singing Yankovic's lyrics during his own live performances because his children played the song so often.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An unrelated comedy film franchise by Universal Pictures, who secured the rights to McLean's title, also debuted in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

"American Pie" was the last song to be played on Virgin Radio before it was rebranded as Absolute Radio in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was also the last song played on BFBS Malta in 1979.

Jeremy Renner sings an a cappella version in the 2006 movie Love Comes to the Executioner, as his character walks to the execution chamber.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2012, the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, created a lip dub video to "American Pie" in response to a Newsweek article that stated the city was "dying".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (Due to licensing issues, the version used in the video was not the original, but rather a later-recorded live version.) The video was hailed as a fantastic performance by many, including film critic Roger Ebert, who said it was "the greatest music video ever made".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On March 21, 2013, Harmonix announced that "American Pie" would be the final downloadable track made available for the Rock Band series of music video games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was the case until Rock Band 4 was released on October 6, 2015, reviving the series' weekly releases of DLC.

On March 14, 2015, the National Museum of Mathematics announced that one of two winners of its songwriting contest was "American Pi" by mathematics education professor Dr. Lawrence M. Lesser.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The contest was in honor of "Pi Day of the Century" because "3/14/15" would be the only day in the 21st-century showing the first five digits of π (pi).

On April 20, 2015, John Mayer covered "American Pie" live on the Late Show with David Letterman, at the request of the show's eponymous host.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 29, 2021, McLean released a re-recording of "American Pie" featuring lead vocals by country a cappella group Home Free.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The song was featured in Marvel's Black Widow movie in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the favorite song of the character Yelena Belova, and sung by Red Guardian later in the film to comfort her.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

"American Pie" is also featured in the 2021 Tom Hanks movie Finch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During his visit to the United States in 2023, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol sang this song at a state dinner.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This attracted worldwide attention, as well as the attention of Don McLean.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Madonna version

Background and release

American singer Madonna recorded a cover version of "American Pie" for the soundtrack of her film The Next Best Thing (2000). Her cover is much shorter than the original, containing only the beginning of the first verse and all of the second and sixth verses. Reworked as a dance-pop track, it was produced by Madonna and William Orbit. It was recorded in September 1999 in New York City, after Rupert Everett, Madonna's co-star in The Next Best Thing, convinced her to cover the song for the film's soundtrack.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Madonna said of her choice to cover the song: "To me, it's a real millennium song. We're going through a big change in terms of the way we view pop culture, because of the Internet. In a way, it's like saying goodbye to music as we knew it—and to pop culture as we knew it."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "American Pie" was released as the lead single from The Next Best Thing on February 8, 2000, by Maverick Records and Warner Bros. Records.<ref name="r&r"/>

"American Pie" was later included as an international bonus track on her eighth studio album, Music (2000). However, it was not included on her greatest hits compilation GHV2 (2001), as Madonna had regretted putting it on Music, elaborating: "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished... My gut told me not to [put the song on Music], but I did it and then I regretted it so just for that reason it didn't deserve a place on GHV2".<ref name="bbc">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A remix of the song was featured on her remix compilation album Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).

Reception

"American Pie" was an international hit, reaching number one in numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Finland. The song was the 19th-best-selling single of 2000 in the UK and the ninth best-selling single of 2000 in Sweden. The single was not released commercially in the United States, but it reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 due to strong radio airplay.

Chuck Taylor of Billboard was impressed by the recording and commented, "Applause to Madonna for not pandering to today's temporary trends and for challenging programmers to broaden their playlists. ... In all, a fine preview of the forthcoming soundtrack to The Next Best Thing."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Peter Robinson of The Guardian called the cover as "brilliant".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Don McLean himself praised the cover, saying it was "a gift from a goddess", and that her version is "mystical and sensual".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> NME, on the other hand, gave it a negative review, saying that "Killdozer did it first and did it better", that it was "sub-karaoke fluff" and that "it's a blessing she didn't bother recording the whole thing."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2017, the Official Charts Company stated the song had sold 400,000 copies in the United Kingdom and was her 16th best selling single to date in the nation.<ref name="flashback">Template:Cite web</ref>

Music video

The music video, filmed in the southern United States and in London,<ref>Ciccone, Christopher (2008) Life with my Sister Madonna, Simon & Schuster: New York, p.278.</ref> and directed by Philipp Stölzl, depicts a diverse array of ordinary Americans, including scenes showing same-sex couples kissing. Throughout the music video Madonna, who is wearing a tiara on her head, dances and sings in front of a large American flag.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Two versions of the video were produced, the first of which was released as the official video worldwide, and later appeared on Madonna's Celebration: The Video Collection (2009). The second version used the "Humpty Remix", a more upbeat and dance-friendly version of the song. The latter aired on MTV in the US to promote The Next Best Thing; it features different footage and new outtakes of the original while omitting the lesbian kiss. Everett, who provides backing vocals in the song, is also featured in the video. Template:Clear

Formats and track listings

• French and Benelux 2-track CD single; UK and New Zealand cassette single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33
2. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29

• Asian, Canadian, European and South African CD maxi-single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33
2. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29
3. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Filter Dub Mix) – 6:06
4. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:44

• Australian, European, Japanese and UK CD 1 maxi-single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33
2. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Filter Dub Mix) – 6:06
3. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Dub Mix) – 6:16

• Australian, European and UK CD 2 maxi-single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33
2. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29
3. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:44

• European CD 3 maxi-single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Club Mix) – 9:07
2. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Extended Vocal Club Mix) – 10:36
3. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:44
4. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29
5. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33

• Japanese CD 2 maxi-single<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:44
2. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29
3. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Club Mix) – 9:07
4. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Extended Vocal Club Mix) – 10:36
5. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33

• European and UK 12-inch vinyl<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Filter Dub Mix) – 6:06
2. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Dub Mix) – 6:16
3. "American Pie" (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:44
4. "American Pie" (album version) – 4:33

• European 12-inch vinyl (remixes)<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

1. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Club Mix) – 9:07
2. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Extended Vocal Club Mix) – 10:36

• Digital download (2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. "American Pie" – 4:34
2. "American Pie" (Richard Humpty Vission Radio Mix) – 4:29
3. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Club Mix) – 9:07
4. "American Pie" (Richard Humpty Vission Visits Madonna) – 5:43
5. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Extended Vocal Club Mix) – 10:36
6. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Vocal Dub Mix) – 6:15
7. "American Pie" (Victor Calderone Filter Dub Mix) – 6:06

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes for "American Pie".<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

• Madonna – vocals, production
• William Orbit – production, guitar, drums, keyboard
• Don McLean – songwriting
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
• Rupert Everett – backing vocals
• Mark Endert – engineering
• Sean Spuehler – engineering, programming
• Jake Davies – engineering
• Rico Conning – sequencer programming
• Dah Len – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

2000 weekly chart performance for "American Pie"

Chart	Peak position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	4
Croatia (HRT)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	9
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web See Nejvys column.</ref>	1
Denmark (IFPI)<ref name="m&m">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
Eurochart Hot 100 (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
Greece (IFPI)<ref name="m&m"/>	3
Hungary (MAHASZ)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	1
Japan (Oricon)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	75
Paraguay (Notimex)<ref name="Siglo">Template:Cite news</ref>	2
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name="rt100">Template:Cite web</ref>	1

Year-end charts

2000 year-end chart performance for "American Pie"

Chart	Position
Australia (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	66
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	32
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	46
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	44
Denmark (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	7
Eurochart Hot 100 (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	11
France (SNEP)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	44
Germany (Media Control)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	16
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	16
Ireland (IRMA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	38
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	42
Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	46
Norway Spring Period (VG-lista)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	5
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name="rt100"/>	50
Spain (AFYVE)<ref name="Spain2000">Template:Cite journal</ref>	10
Sweden (Hitlistan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	11
UK Singles (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	19
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)<ref name="bbyearend">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	72
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)<ref name="bbyearend2">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	37
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)<ref name="bbyearend"/>	88

2001 year-end chart performance for "American Pie"

Chart	Position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	78

2002 year-end chart performance for "American Pie"

Chart	Position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	116

Release history

Release dates and formats for "American Pie"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Template:Abbr
United States	February 8, 2000	Contemporary hit radio	Template:Hlist	Template:Center
France	February 25, 2000	Template:Hlist	Maverick	Template:Center
Germany	February 28, 2000	Maxi CD	Warner Music	Template:Center
United Kingdom		Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Center
Australia	March 7, 2000	Maxi CDTemplate:Efn	Warner Music	Template:Center
Japan	March 8, 2000	Maxi CD		Template:Center

See also

• Vincent (Don McLean song)
• List of Australian chart achievements and milestones
• List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s
• List of best-selling singles by year (Germany)

Further reading

• Template:Cite web An interpretation of the lyrics based on a supposed interview of McLean by DJ Casey Kasem. McLean later confirmed the Buddy Holly reference in a letter to Adams but denied ever speaking to Kasem.
• Template:Cite web This article correlates McLean's biography with the historic events in the song. McLean pointed to WCFL (Chicago, Illinois) radio disc jockey Bob Dearborn as the partial basis for most mainstream interpretations of "American Pie". Dearborn's analysis, mailed to listeners on request, bears the date January 7, 1972. Roteman's reprinting added photos but replaced the date January 7, 1972, by an audio link bearing the date February 28, 1972, the date Dearborn aired his interpretation on WCFL (http://user.pa.net/~ejjeff/bobpie.ram (Bob Dearborn's American Pie Analysis original broadcast February 28, 1972)).
• Template:Cite web Among the potpourri is a copy of the January 7, 1972, Bob Dearborn letter, plus an audio recording, in which he delineates his interpretation of "American Pie".
• Template:Cite web Historically oriented interpretation of "American Pie". The interpretation was specifically noted on in an archived version of McLean's website page on "American Pie".archived version of McLean's website page on "American Pie". The material, dated November 2002, includes a recording of Dinah Shore singing "See The USA In Your Chevrolet" and a photograph of Mick Jagger in costume at the Altamont Free Concert with a Hells Angel member in the background.
• Full "See the US in Your Chevrolet" lyrics for Dinah Shore on "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" (1956–1961)
• Template:Cite web FAQ maintained by Rich Kulawiec, started in 1992 and essentially completed in 1997.
• "American Pie—A Rock Epic" A multi-media presentation of Rich Kulawiec's The Annotated "American Pie".
• Template:Cite web
• Template:Cite book

External links

• The Official Website of Don McLean and American Pie provides the songwriter's own biography, lyrics and clues to the song's meaning.
• Template:YouTube