American Pie (Don McLean album)

Template:About Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: October 1971 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Tapestry1970Don McLean1972studioAmerican PieDon McLean - American Pie (album) Coverart.pngDon McLeanOctober 1971May–June 1971Record Plant Studios, New York CityFolk, folk rock36:24
45:37 (2003 re-issue)* United Artists Records UAS-5535 (original)

• Liberty Records (1980 reissue)
• Capitol Records (2003 reissue)Ed Freemanx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

American Pie is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Don McLean, released by United Artists Records in October 1971. The folk rock album reached number one on the Billboard 200, containing the chart-topping singles "American Pie" and "Vincent". Recorded in May and June 1971 at The Record Plant in New York City,<ref name="sound on sound">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the LP is dedicated to Buddy Holly,<ref name="ReferenceA">Back cover of the 1971 United Artists LP (UAS-5535)</ref> and was reissued in 1980 minus the track "Sister Fatima".<ref>Back cover of the 1980, Liberty Records re-issue (LN-10037).</ref> The album was released to much acclaim, later being included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref name="one thousand and one albums book">Template:Cite book</ref>

At the Australian 1972 King of Pop Awards the album won Most Popular Overseas L.P.<ref name="Top40TV">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background

American Pie is McLean’s second album; his first, Tapestry, having been released to only moderate commercial success and acclaim in 1970. McLean was a protégé of Pete Seeger, having played with him in the 1960s. The album American Pie was intended as a unified work, as McLean has said that he was influenced by the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album and envisioned American Pie to be a similar album.<ref name="oldies.about.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Believing that an artist's work should stand by itself, McLean generally did not offer explanations for his work's themes or meaning,<ref>McLean, quoted by Cecil Adams The Straight Dope http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/908/what-is-don-mcleans-song-american-pie-all-about</ref> though he did describe the title song as involving "a sense of loss".<ref name="oldies.about.com"/> McLean dedicated the album to Buddy Holly, one of his childhood icons, and it was released in 1971. It has a melancholy feel and rather sparse arrangements.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the time of the writing McLean’s first marriage was failing and the optimism and hopefulness of the 1960s was giving way to the nihilism and hedonism of the 1970s.<ref name=McParland>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Production

The album was recorded in Studio A at The Record Plant on West 44th street in New York City.<ref name="sound on sound" /> The producer, Ed Freeman, decided to use accomplished musicians who were not "studio musicians who could act like a metronome" because he wanted to capture the feel of a "band that was really cooking," so he rented a rehearsal studio and they rehearsed the title song for two weeks before they recorded it.<ref name="sound on sound" /> Because McLean rarely phrased his singing the same way twice there were as many as 24 takes for some of the voice parts, but the rhythm tracks are mostly one take.<ref name="sound on sound" />

The original United Artists Records inner sleeve featured a free verse poem<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> written by McLean about William Boyd, also known as Hopalong Cassidy, along with a picture of Boyd in full Hopalong regalia. The words to this poem appear on a plaque at the hospital where Boyd died. The Boyd poem and picture tribute appear on a special remastered 2003 CD.<ref>inner sleeve, 2003 Capitol Records CD remaster (72435-84729-2-9)</ref>

The title track contains references to the death of Buddy Holly (McLean being a 13-year-old paper-boy at the time<ref name="one thousand and one albums book" />). The phrase "The Day the Music Died" was used by McLean on this song, and has now become an unofficial name for the tragedy.

On the original release, the title of the song "Sister Fatima" is misspelled "Sister Faima" <ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The final track, "Babylon", is a close paraphrase of the 1st Verse of the 137th Psalm.<ref name="ReferenceB">King James Version Bible, Psalm 137, 1:1</ref> It is based on the canon "By the Waters of Babylon" by Philip Hayes,<ref name="Stowe 2016">Template:Cite book</ref> originally published in 1786.

Back-up singers

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

Release and reception

The album reached number 1 within two weeks of release and was certified gold within six months, spending almost a year on the Billboard album charts.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Its appeal cut across genres in what was becoming a fragmented music scene.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reissue

The album was reissued in 1980 without the song "Sister Fatima", and again on June 27, 2003 with the track restored, along with the addition of two bonus tracks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Also the first Spanish issue delivered by Hispavox was released without "Sister Fatima".Template:Citation needed

Legacy

In February 2003 George Michael recorded a cover of "The Grave" as a protest against the imminent Iraq War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A cover of the song "Babylon" was included in a scene in the television series Mad Men.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

"Empty Chairs" was an inspiration for the hit song "Killing Me Softly with His Song".<ref name="dm-ny">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:YouTube</ref>

Track listing

All songs written by Don McLean except where noted.<ref>http://www.discogs.com/Don-McLean-American-Pie/master/84646 Track listing</ref> Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Personnel

• Don McLean – vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo
• Warren Bernhardt – piano ("Crossroads")
• Ray Colcord – electric piano
• Tom Flye – drums ("The Grave"), engineering
• Ed Freeman – string arrangements
• Paul Griffin – piano ("American Pie")
• Lee Hays – arranger
• Mike Mainieri – marimba, vibraphone
• Roy Markowitz – drums, percussion
• Gene Orloff – concertmaster
• Bob Rothstein – bass, vocals
• David Spinozza – electric guitar ("American Pie")
• West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir – chorus

Charts

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Chart performance for American Pie

Chart (1971–2022)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	1