Asking all the SF group here....has anybody here ever heard the song American Pie sung with an added commentary after each lyric, with what was a possible explanation of meaning? Hubby just remembered, that one time, riding with his folks, the song came on the radio, but after each verse, there was spoken comment on what it meant....for example, after the jester stole his thorny crown, it told who the jester was, and like that. It was Don McLean singing, but the DJ (?) would pause and explain the meaning, then continue playing it. Supposedly added to the length of the song as well. I have never heard this, and a search thru the internet didn't turn up the version he heard. He said he only heard it once. If anybody ever heard this, would appreciate knowing! Or a link? He thinks he was listening to Casey Kasem top forty, might have been early 80's then. Thanks in advance!

There are literally dozens of Google results for "American Pie Explained". This was the first hit. Sorry for the 1998 graphics:


http://www.whrc-wi.org/americanpie.htm

A Long, Long Time Ago ...I remember hearing this back in 1972-73...is this what you are thinking about?...

http://www.understandingameric.../acknowledgments.htm

http://user.pa.net/%7Eejjeff/pie.html

http://user.pa.net/~ejjeff/audio/bobpie.mp3

Um, nope. None of these. Found the Bob Dearborn one myself, and hubby said not the one he heard, this didn't play the song, then stop it to explain the meaning. The other one, listed by MikeNH, isn't correct either, doubt it would have been played over the air with those comments, lol. But thanks, I got tired of searching and coming up with the same results.

And just earlier this afternoon there was this:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/do...ing-of-american-pie/

Haha, this song has very special meaning to me due to an incredible 18 yr. old girl I met over a long weekend when it was released and I had just turned 15, in Flagstaff, AZ. Memories I'll always have and yes I still remember her name and every feature of her gorgeous face, sigh.

quote:

Originally posted by m1009:
<snip>
Asking all the SF group here....has anybody here ever heard the song American Pie sung with an added commentary after each lyric,

I think that the added commentary was by Casey Kasem. McLean himself only recently opened up about his lyrics in 2015 ...

The original manuscript has a deleted verse:

And there I stood alone and afraid
I dropped to my knees and there I prayed
And I promised him everything I could give
If only he would make the music live
And he promised it would live once more
But this time one would equal four
And in five years four had come to mourn
and the music was reborn.

it is “fair to surmise” that the king in the lyrics is Elvis Presley; that “Helter Skelter” refers to the Charles Manson murders; that the “jester on the sidelines in a cast” is Bob Dylan; and that “Jack Flash” is the Rolling Stones.

Link to a PDF document that has supposed facts on the verses; more of an extended story.

http://www.pleacher.com/forwards/facts/amerpie.pdf

It's a really long document to cut n paste - for those who don't use a computer ...

quote:

Originally posted by m1009:
after each verse, there was spoken comment on what it meant....for example, after the jester stole his thorny crown, it told who the jester was, and like that.

Funny, I just read a long interview today with Bob Dylan with this Q&A:

quote:

In Don McLean’s “American Pie,” you’re supposed to be the jester.

Yeah, Don McLean, “American Pie,” what a song that is. 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.

Your Hubby was not dreaming, I have heard that also. Don't know who did it but it was a singular recording not pausing of the song with the DJ commenting. Whoever did it was quite knowledgeable of the music. Who did it, I don't know, but like Clyde Clifford has said, "It was a long time ago, and I've slept since then." Come to think of it, Clyde might be the guy to ask if he is still around. That could have been something he would play on Beaker Street on KAAY, the Mighty Ten Ninety..

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Your Hubby was not dreaming, I have heard that also. Don't know who did it but it was a singular recording not pausing of the song with the DJ commenting. Whoever did it was quite knowledgeable of the music. Who did it, I don't know, but like Clyde Clifford has said, "It was a long time ago, and I've slept since then." Come to think of it, Clyde might be the guy to ask if he is still around. That could have been something he would play on Beaker Street on KAAY, the Mighty Ten Ninety..

I am glad somebody else heard it. I never did, so was going off what he was telling me about it. You are correct, he said, it was as if the song was playing, and then another voice came on and did the explanation. You'd think it would be SOMEWHERE on a recording, if it had been played over the radio, but I've been unable to find the actual song in that configuration. Only written examples, and not sure if that was it. Thanks for confirming he wasn't dreaming!

quote:

Originally posted by doc45:
And just earlier this afternoon there was this:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/do...ing-of-american-pie/

Haha, this song has very special meaning to me due to an incredible 18 yr. old girl I met over a long weekend when it was released and I had just turned 15, in Flagstaff, AZ. Memories I'll always have and yes I still remember her name and every feature of her gorgeous face, sigh.

At least it has wonderful memories!
I think the news is what brought hubby's memory back, he'd never told me about this song version before. We both really like the song, naturally.

Any interpretation other than by McLean himself would be just guessing anyhow. McLean has commented on the song but to my knowledge has never publicly dissected the lyrics.
I'm sure he knows the song will have longevity through speculation.

My hope is that McLean will write down the revelation to be revealed after he passes so it is not lost to eternity.