Don McLean sings American Pie

[QueenBeatlesWings]

"A White Sport Coat & a Pink Carnation"– Marty Robbins

Bob Dylan – the jester

Elvis Presley – the King

Lenin – However, Official Lyrics show this to be John Lennon, a play on words

Jerry Moss – "moss grows fat on a Rolling Stone"

The Beatles – The Quartet

"Helter Skelter" – a Beatles song used by Charles Manson

The Byrds – "Eight Miles High"

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" – (The Marching Band) – The Beatles – (sergeants played a marching tune)

[DogSwede1]

Didn't know that TOTP did lives.

[unknownuser00068]

don mclean looks like han solo

[flintstone9812]

It was a reference to the death of Buddy Holly and the others with him. As a kid Don actually delivered papers with the headlines detailing the death of the three singers.

One aspect seldom mentioned is the lament for the change in the music.

Early fifties rock was perfect for dancing. You could kick it up with your sweetie or dance real close with the slow rock.

The later rock was not so good for dancing only listening and the closeness couples experienced with the music was lost.

[QueenBeatlesWings]

@flintstone9812 there were many more musicians ad people referenced in addition to Buddy Holly and the plane crash. Woodstock Festival – "There we were, all in one place"

The Space Race – "A generation lost in space"

The Rolling Stones – Jack Flash and "moss grows fat on a Rolling Stone"

Mick Jagger – Satan laughing with delight

Janis Joplin or Billie Holiday – Girl Who Sang the Blues

[joemoe23]

@flintstone9812 What? are you saying you can't dance to eleanor rigby?

[musicthumbs]

What an artist - a REAL live performace. Very rare on TOTP's.

[BellaBooth999]

omg, i LOVE this song, used to sing this with my mom and dad ALL THE TIME... i miss the bay:(

[TORCHforAMERICA]

its like mtv meets whatever you call that

[BiTeOnRaTs12]

50 years since the music died. R.I.P Buddy Holly, Richie Valenz, Big Bopper

[BlackKingX]

I like the Weird Al version more.

[ringodingo]

Weird Al did do a great rewrite of this song. He used the best pieces and was faithful to the style of the excellent original. He also skillfully summarized Star Wars Episode 1.  This live version here is, of course, not as good as the original LP version. I miss the verse that talks about the girl who sang the blues. I wonder how many times he's had to sing this live and I hope he has generous royalties on it.

[t33ball]

I love this song but I don't know what it's about or anything. Does anyone know what it means?

[rogerharrison]

Its a tribute to 3 pioneers of rock n roll who died Feb 3 1959 in a plane crash (Richie Valens, The Big Bopper and Buddy Holly) and how Don McLean felt that rock n roll changed for the worse during the sixties, particulary he didn't like the Rolling Stones. There are many references to various events and Rock n roll bands hidden in the song.

Jack Flash refers to Mick Jagger, the quartet is the Beatles, a girl who sang the blues is Janis Joplin, etc

[Changes4TheBetter]

from pastorjer77 ... yes always loved this, but so sad... when Katrina hit, this ran around in the head...

my goodness my friends we must get our act together.

rough yes, We Many KNOW and battle daily!!! let's keep this boobtube "Special Olympics" rockin and rollin, one falls, another takes the torch and runs with it, till our brother/sis gets up strong again... let's GO!!!

[Slickbullet813]

i wasnt talking about this video. it was replying to another guy

[F4tlard]

hear saga begins

[Slickbullet813]

that version of it sux. don mcleans is so much better

[gtrvoc]

It IS Don McLeans version it was recorded in two takes the day before it was broadcast at Abbey Road studios in London .. the BBC show only permits a maximum of 4 minutes per artist on the show hence is being a condensed version.

Incidentally the Don McLean website describes it as one of the best versions ever

[happymike44]

This is Don Mclean singing this.

It is just twenty years later and face it he is simply fab.

Sorry you do not like this version,it is still nice to listen to.

Try listening to this and see if you might like it a little better.

[negative3825]

where? i was listening really hard for it but i couldn't hear it...

[gtrvoc]

myspace - jamiemarshallcom

[gtrvoc]

check out what I'm doing nowadays

jamiemarshall dot com

[simonthekeys]

Great piano player and nice looker!

[simonthekeys]

I did not write the above must have been an imposter

[simonthekeys]

Good to see this again Jamie, Hello to Stubbsy, Pined, John, Whitey and Don.

[gtrvoc]

dresses like a golfer tho .. ;)

great to hear from you Si

[grufalo]

Go Jamie with the red guitar - TOTP's hero!

LOL both The Haves's

[gtrvoc]

aww shucks .. now ya got me all embarrassed

[witheshaw]

If it is, your age is wrong on your profile. Lol.

[wwsr]

You bloody superstar you - nice one mate!

Good reason to bump up your performance fees.

[gtrvoc]

see the bloke playing the red guitar ??

that's me .. honest!