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1971 was the year Don McLean released "American Pie," his 8-minute magnum opus about "the day the music died." In addition to being a eulogy for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, it was a history of Rock and Roll from their deaths in 1959 up to 1970, told in poetic simile and metaphor.
Despite it's length, (and the fact that some stations didn't play the whole song) it eventually went to #1 in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand...and the Recording Industry Association of America ranked it the #5 song of the 20th century! Today, 48 years later, it remains incredibly popular.
PERSONAL MEMORY: On a busy summer Saturday two years ago, I was working by myself at my part-time convenience store job, when a bus pulled in and I was swamped with customers. The line got pretty long, and I was working as fast as I could, but I was getting behind. At that moment, the radio in the store started playing "American Pie." One customer started to sing along. Just for fun I shouted out, "EVERYBODY SING!" And they DID! At least 10 people sang along at the top of their lungs! And they knew all the words, too! It was amazing, and I will never forget it!
Here's one of the "Great Songs of the '70s," and of all time!
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