Now, nearly five decades later, the singer-songwriter is opening up about the true meaning behind the lyrics in an interview with ET. While promoting his documentary, The Day the Music Died: American Pie, McLean notes: “Well, first of all, I was having a lot of fun writing this.” Noting that the critical acclaim took him by surprise, he said, “I never thought anybody would hear it, let alone would become what it became.” In case you’re not familiar with the song’s success, here’s a little background: the track came in at number five on the “Songs of the Century” list compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. The songwriter mentioned that when he sat down to pen the lyrics, there was “stuff that I just threw in, that I made up and put in there.” Although there are many interpretations for the lyrics, McLean cleared the air about one, in particular. In the documentary, McLean notes that his lyrics, “when the jester sang for the king and queen” is not about Elvis Presley or Bob Dylan. Some fans believe that “the jester” referred to Dylan, while “the king” to Presley, but McLean assured that’s not the case. McLean also noted that the classic lyric, “the day the music died,” was referring to the plane crash involving Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Jiles P. Richardson back in 1959. McLean was just 13 years old when he learned that his idol Holly passed away. Next, check out the real stories behind the most beloved songs from 1972.
