I didn’t see this coming!… DON MCLEAN - AMERICAN PIE REACTION (first time hearing) 

Thanks for doing this one. This is an iconic song in American music. There was a plane crash in February 1959, it killed 3 Rock and Roll stars Buddy Holly, Richie Valence and JP Richardson (the Big Bopper). It became known as "the day the music died." Maclean wrote this song 10 years later, and it tells the story of the music industry from 1959 to 1969, with all sorts of references and allusions and symbolism. It's really amazing. (For example some people think the Jester refers to Bob Dylan, the King refers to Elvis, the Quartet refers to the Beatles etc). There are websites that try to explain what all the lyrics mean. Great reaction as always! (Also, that picture isn't Don Maclean, it's Bob Dylan fyi) 0:53

Great song, but that's a photo of Bob Dylan.

Don McLean paints such a visual picture with his music. This song will live on for a long time.

I love this song. It was also one of my father's favourites so we played it at his funeral 21 years ago. To this day I can barely listen to it without getting emotional and thinking of him. I'm a grown man in my 50's. I've battled through life and can cope with just about everything that can be thrown at me. But sometimes I have to turn it off before it has finished. It's a good day when I can make it through the whole song. I miss him.

I had the great fortune of seeing Don McLean in concert years ago as he performed this signature song. It still gives me goosebumps (as I believe it gave you)! And, as always, I enjoyed your heartfelt reaction to this epic song. You are a natural!!

Imagine the music Buddy Holly would've made had he not died! Don did his legacy and the others justice with this masterpiece

Thanks for your reaction to this classic song ! Great job on putting a smile on my face ! May Gods Blessings be with you ! 💓

This song is a great American classic. I enjoyed the look on your face when the song went up tempo. I was too young when this song was popular but I think the meaning behind is universal enough that any genre could appreciate this timeless classic.

Several people have explained the meanings of certain lines of the song but one of the main lines is one that people rarely explain. Don says, "this will be the day that I die" multiple times throughout the song. This is a reference to one of Buddy Holly's most famous songs called, "That'll Be The Day" in which Buddy Holly says in the chorus "that'll be the day when I die". So, writing about the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly (and the others), Don McLean used a variation of that line.

One of the USA's greatest songs from the 60's...iconic..gets better over time.

Thank you for this genuine, heartfelt reaction. We heard these songs so often on the radio that they became caricatures and parodies. We need these reminders from reactors like you to remember how awesome these songs are.

Janis Joplin, "The Girl That Sang The Blues" - My #1 favorite and biggest hit - Me and Bobby McGee - the one that was released after she died and hit the top of the charts. Also - Piece Of My Heart

The song starts with a young Don delivering the newspapers that told of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in the winter of 1959 (Feb 3rd) in a plane crash. He references the event with the lyrics 'And as the plane climbed high in to the night to light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan dancing with delight the day the music died." The second half of the song takes place 10 years later with references to The Beatles and The Byrds. It is a remarkable song that Mr. McClean said practically wrote itself. As for you young lady, that was one of my favorite Mo reactions of all time. It was FANTASTIC!! Take care my friend, Rick (still hoping you will react to Meatloaf's Two Out Of Three Aint Bad)🙂

Hauntingly beautiful. And so is the song.

Great to see you exposing this great song, one of the best in music history, to a generation unfamiliar with it. Sometimes you just have to listen carefully to a song without distraction to really appreciate it's worth. Then you will never forget it. Blessings.

I really enjoy this song. One of the first songs I learned to play on my guitar. I love your reactions, beautiful lady. Keep up the good work. Peace and love always...

Wonderful reaction as always Baby Girl! This song is subject to a lot of interpretations. Don McLean has called this song a complicated parable, open to many interpretations. He's quoted as saying "People ask me if I left the lyrics open to ambiguity. Of course I did. I wanted to make a whole series of complex statements. The lyrics had to do with the state of society at the time." According to McLean, the song represents a shift from the naive and innocent 50's to the darker days of the 60's. Hope this helps Baby Girl❤

Even after all these years, Such a catchy tune/Lyrics and a great arrangement, starting off with just a piano, rocking it through the story, then taking it out with just acoustic. I gotta hand it to Mclean's band..they kept it tight!! Yeah, good points and pick, Mo!

Older Americans might understand the meaning of the lyrics on a first listen, but being a young African you likely had no idea before you read people’s comments. The song has a timeless and universal appeal even without fully understanding it. Don’s beautiful voice is captivating. There are a number of change ups in the music that are absolutely perfect. It’s definitely his most memorable song.

There are references to songs and musicians and historical things all over the place in this masterpiece. Most young people who did not live in the era do not really "get" this song when hearing it for the first time. . But they do recognize that it is poetry, great story telling. This is not "just another song." You need to read an article on this song to fully understand what you heard girl...for example the line "I met a girl who sang the blues" is Janis Joplin, who died at age 27. "the father, son and holy ghost" refers to President John F. Kennedy, his younger brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King, who were all assassinated in the 1960's. I don't why they put up Bob Dylan's picture the entire song, that's NOT who died or who's music died etc. He is is referred to in the song but putting his photo up the entire song is very misleading.

Great song ❤

Excellent this is a great one 👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

Love, love, love your reactions! ❤

Fabulous, iconic song. I’m so happy you got to enjoy this Mo. 😊

Thank you for listening to this one, this is a song that everyone can love but is very American. Its difficult for someone not from America and not from the time to really understand.

Hi, Mo. Loved your reaction to this song. After reading a few comments about the thumbnail being Bob Dylan I tried to verify it or find out why it wasn't Don McLean. Sooo many theories about the song, it made my head spin. Just gonna say i like it and leave it at that. Thanks for sharing 👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of my favorites! You should check out the version that he did with "Home Free", I promise that you will LOVE it!!

I've probably heard this song hundreds of times, and after time, you forget about what songs are really about and how you felt the first time you heard it.. What I love about your videos is that it brings me back to the first time I heard these songs. I get to see your reactions it reminds of why I love songs like this.

Darn near every verse in this song has Historical meanings to the early years on Rock n Roll! You really should follow the History of it and you will make alot of sense to everything that was sung in this Masterpiece of music and poetry...

I heard this song for the first as a little kid because my parents liked it so much. All of the symbolism went over my head of course, so I took it quite literally with no metaphor and it was still such a fantastic song. You don't have to 'know what it means' or whatever to appreciate it. But I'm sure it helps on some level. Great song.

A sad song but a reminder love every day. Tomorrow never promise my dear.

I believe the reason there is a picture of Bob Dylan is that many people believe "the jester" referred to in the song was Bob Dylan. Also "the king" was Elvis Presley. Thank you for listening this great song!

Don always has a story to tell Mo

Your face is a picture Mo ... plenty of commenters explaining the meaning and what day the music died referred to. We could tell you recognised you were hearing something special. Enjoyed you enjoying this. Rock on girl

First time I've heard the long version! Thank you very much.. By the way the Photo is Bob Dylan and as below in other comments it's about three of the top musicians of their time Dying in a Plane crash, thanks again 👍

Hi Mo, Can I begin saying you look extra lovely today 🥰 ... great reaction, and thank you for bringing us this song. I remember when this song would come on the radio when I was a kid and we would always sing the chorus. This always seemed like a happy song back then until later in life I realized what it was talking about. That and the childhood memories of singing this with my friends out in the yard and now watching you enjoying the song is bringing all those memories back and kinda gets me emotional. Have a wonderful rest of the week my friend ❤you are the best.

...I was surprised to notice you wern't mouthing the chorus by the middle and certainly by the end of the song. 'Bye, Bye Miss American Pie...the Day, the Music Died'. It's so contagious.

I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news, But she just smiled and turned away... Janis Joplin...

A love watching your expressions as the gears turn trying to figure out what this song is about!

Awesome reaction Morenikeji again thanks for posting so soon we don’t like to wait to long to see that absolutely beautiful SMILE 😊 ❤️🇨🇦🙏

The song, Killing Me Softy, by Dionne Warwick, is about seeing Done McLean live for the first time.

Love your strong emotional reaction, as always, dear.

One of the best songs ever. Thanks for checking it out : ) P.S. ❤ Your reactions

The final verses before the last chorus refers to The Rolling Stones free concert at Altamont which is viewed by many as the end of the 1960's idealism, and from that point forward America took more of a revolutionary tone, which continues (left vs right) till this day, thus McLean is using the concert at Altamont as a euphemism for the day the music died. It starts as a reference to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valence and the Big Bopper, but in that final verse it's a euphemism for Altamont and the end of the 60's idealism. Just so you know, The Stones hired the Hells Angels as bodyguards for the Altamont concert, a fight broke out and some people rushed the stage, it was pretty chaotic, but apparently one of the Hells Angels stabbed or shot a kid and killed him. The whole final verse before the slow ending is all about the Stones and Altamont. At the time it was believed The Stones were singing "Sympathy for the Devil" when all hell broke loose. It's since been denied, but when McLean wrote this song that was still the prevailing wisdom. That's why the verses talks about Jack Flash (Jumping Jack Flash, a euphemism for Mick Jagger) sitting on a candlestick cause fire is the devils only friend, and the verses about "no Angel born in hell" (Hells Angels) could break that Satan's spell. Anyway, the entire song is filled with metaphors, euphemisms and symbolism that way. For example, the Sergeants playing a marching tune refers to the Beatles (Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band). He also refers to the Beatles at the height of their popularity, when he says the players (other singers/bands) tried to take the field, but the marching band refused to yield. Anyway, when the song was released it became an American anthem, everyone understood the lyrics. Of course not so much anymore. It's still a great song, but the lyrics need to be explained to a younger generation.

The line 'this will be the day that I die' refers to the Buddy Holly song "That'll Be The Day", which has the line 'that'll be the day when I die'.

Like/love 90% of your musical choices on which to react. Appreciate your love of the "oldies". You have a good ear, my dear.

Always fun to see you react😊

Great session players!

Great song. Hits on so many things.

Hi Morenikeji. I miss this kind of music always to day , it’s special music ! I love the music from the 70 ‘s and 80’s very much. You look beautiful today 😍. Thanks for your choice and Love from Holland. 👍👏😘🙋🏼‍♂️🇳🇱

hello my favourite baby girl! 💖 sorry for the delay in commenting. I'm sure you've had 6 days of comments describing the various meanings of the song, so i will just add that Don Maclean is so poetic with his lyrics, conjuring up such strong images. Another great song of his, is "Empty Chairs", but i should warn you to have a box of tissues close by! As always, lovely to see your heartfelt reaction. Lots of Love 😘

Very good reaction.👍

Great reaction!

Thx for this beauty reaction So what i can say , Life is right infront of you ... follow your way , go on and on ... and the Lord will be the one who take you to enjoy one more again the Harmonie of Life . Some never die , thx Don

Very well done I like your channel! Rock on!😎👍!!

great reaction. this is a beautiful song. It told a story.

Another great choice Mo! And your facial expressions are priceless!

Your reaction was beautiful, i loved watching your face change and react as the music did. Open, honest, and wonderful. Although the Dylan picture was interesting, it belonged in the jester references in the song. Anyway, wonderful reaction. Watching you hear it for the first time brought me back to myself hearing it the first time. Thank you.

Don McLean has been asked hundreds of times what is the meaning of this song. He has an answer. "It means I never have to work again."

when I was in Grade 4 way back in the early mid 1970s our Teacher would play Guitar and sing this song every Music Class, we would all sing the course... I think we had to learn it to pass Music... A memory SOooo long ago :)

Great poetry set to music.

8yrs old singing this in the back of dads car /,,lol memories ah

This song is very special. I love songs that tell a story!

Great song. Reminds me of a good friend that passed away..

What a great Video and song ...... Danke und alles Liebe aus München, Deutschland. LG

Still waters run deep, your intensity of insight, upon hearing poetry, infinite eyes, are the heart and soul of life

It doesn't get anymore classic than this.

Watching your face during these videos is an exercise in pure joy! Don't worry about little quirks like the wrong photo - just keep posting, Baby-Girl!!

OMG!!! You with your hair down....❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😍😍😍😍😍😍

I love your reactions, but your face in this one was priceless as the song unfolded! It is most definitely a masterpiece and most Americans know it word for word. It came out in the early 70's and is still quite popular today. Keep up the good work!

I remember when this song first came out. we had the best music in the 60s amd 70s

Such a timely song. It is where we are now.

The coat he burrowed from James Dean. Dylan started wearing a red jacket like the one James Dean Wore.

I was an 8th grader attending print shop at the last period of the day when I heard of the plane crash and the loss of 3 of my very best favorites. Never really got over it. Thank you for your reaction.

I am pretty sure you and your fam would enjoy another composition by Don McLean named "Starry, Starry Night", a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh and his painting, Starry Night.

That photo is Bob Dylan, not Don McLean.

I see fans have called out that the “ day the music died “ referrers to these great musicians all dying in a tragic plane crash. On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, “The Big Bopper” J. P. Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. They were headed to their next stop on their tour.

On Feb. 3, 1959, rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson were killed in a plane crash along with 21-year-old pilot Roger Peterson. This incident became known as “The Day The Music Died,” after Don McLean coined it in his 1971 song, “American Pie.”

9:50 such a lovely reaction as usual your ❤ on your sleeve

Dylan is the jester in the song - or so it’s said.

Thanks!

An ABBA challenge for you: "Slipping through my fingers". Interested to see how far you get without crying. It brings this 78 year old man to tears EVERY TIME. It is excellent.

The jester mentioned in the song was Bob Dylan.

Two things about the song appear not to be explained in the places I've looked. 1. Where did "Bye-bye Miss American Pie" come from? 2. What about driving a Chevy to the levee? I have potential answers to both. Note "potential." This song is saying goodbye to an era represented by the Miss America contest and "As American as apple pie." Squash these together and you get the song line. Maybe. Dinah Shore had a television show where she sang "See the USA in your Chevrolet." A commercial done by the show's host. One line goes something like "On a highway or a road along the levee." The Dinah Shore show epitomized that era in some ways. Where else would Don have come up with that specific rhyme. This is a possible source of that line. The levee being dry was another way of saying that era is over. I would enjoy seeing the ideas from others.

American Pie was the name of the plane that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson (the Big Bobber) were in when they were killed along with the pilot.

The picture is of Bob Dylan (represented in this song as "The Jester") and not Don Mclean. I have no idea why. This is the story in metaphor of American pop culture in the 1960s and loss of innocence beginning with the deaths of Buddy Holly, JP "Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens. Bob Dylan (The Jester), Elvis Presley (The King), The Beatles (The Sergeants/Marching Band), The Rolling Stones (Jack Flash - reference to the tragic concert at Altamont), Janis Joplin (The girl who sang the blues) and other pop stars are represented as well as the Manson Family and ending with reference to President John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King - a masterpiece.

I think a song that would be a good complement to this song is one less well known - Abraham, Martin and John - sung by Dion. Another song related to American History

The Day the Music Died has reverberated through the generations of Rock And Roll musicians. America lost 3 amazing musicians on that day in February 1959. I don't care what the symbolism of the characters are. I can sit and speculate that for days, like my son does with the hidden plots of the Harry Potter films. What I do know is, when this song comes on, wherever you are, it puts people in a mood to sing along and be a part of the story. I've said it a million times, "Life without music has no meaning. And isn't a life to live at all." Don McLean captured the soul and sentiment of the music industry in the 1960's. But what came out of the 1960's was amazing. Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, the Yardbirds, the list can go on and on. So I don't think the music died at all. We were graced with the most amazing music that I continue to listen to today. Ms. I encourage to please explore the music of the 60's and 70's more.

Super important song here in USA, no one knows why! Well, just kidding a bit, but truly no one has the final interpretation of this wonderful piece of art enjoyed by everyone, almost. I am once again touched by your ability to listen from the heart the first time, really hear it, this music. Thanks for a little soulshine! Much love baby sister, ❤❤❤

In 1959, travelling by small plane between concert venues, 3 popular and famous rock and roll musicians of the day, lost their lives when their plane crashed during a storm, killing everyone on board. America was shocked and saddened at the news of this sudden and profound loss. Sad times.

The resemblance between Dylan and Mclean is amazing.

The photo on the screen is Bob Dylan.

Something gone wrong here. The Day the Music died is such a great song and I love it. The guy you have on the piture is Bob Dylan. Dylan has wrote the most poetic songs in the world of music and as such he has received the Nobel prize of litterature as the first ever sing and song writer. I would recommend "Desolation Road", it is really a masterpiece. Or "Only A Pawn In Their Game" which he played at Martin Luthers big peace march. In case you dont know, and I am sorry if you do thus misunderstanding you, Martin Luther King is perhaps the most known black American in history

Love your video. I think if you rated songs on lyrics alone, I think this would be at the very top. It takes you all the way through the boomer generation and all the ways music reflected what it was like to be alive from the 60's through the 70's. I'm sure others have mentioned this, but when he was asked what the song means, he said "it means I never have to work again." I also bet he wrote this whole thing in less than one day.

I thought this song was made in memory of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens. After their plane crashed. I may be wrong.

This is like an iconic song for American people my age. Lol I’m like 70.

Buddy Holly Richie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" lost their lives in a plane crash Chantelle lace by the big bopper is great please listen to it

You are classy..you look superb. Great shoulder motions.

Classic. Peace/JT

The picture is Bob Dylan !!!!!hahahhahahhahhah