American Pie

### Album

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 12 (Music From the Original TV Series)

### Performer(s)

Maggie Clarke
David Clarke
Emily Kang
Simon Haynes
Mo
Joan Bennett
Howie
Max Richman
Zoey Clarke

## Song chronology

### Next

Rise Up

**"American Pie"** by Don McLean was a heart song featured in "Zoey's Extraordinary Dad," the Season One finale of *Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist*. This heart song was sung by much of the main cast, including Maggie, David, Emily, Simon, Mo, Joan, Howie, Max, and Zoey, and was the final number of the season.

## Heart Song Meaning

### Maggie

Maggie has some lines in the final song of the Season 1 finale as she, David, Emily, and Zoey walk into the Clarke home after Mitch's funeral, and she also has some lines later on in the song. These are Maggie's lines:

>
> A long long time ago
>
> I can still remember how
>
> That music used to make me smile
>
> And I knew if I had my chance
>
> That I could make those people dance
>
> And maybe they'd be happy for a while
>
>
>
>
>

>
> And the three men I admire most
>
> The father, son, and the holy ghost
>
> They caught the last train for the coast
>
> The day the music died
>
>
>
>
>

"The music" seems to be a symbol for Mitch throughout Season 1 and in "American Pie," so Maggie's lines may refer to her long, happy marriage with Mitch. Moreover, the second set of lines could refer to David (the father), David and Emily's unborn son (the son), and Mitch (the holy ghost).

### David

David has a few lines in "American Pie" near the beginning, when he, Emily, Maggie, and Zoey are walking up to the Clarke home after Mitch's funeral. David's lines are:

>
> But February made me shiver
>
> With every paper I'd deliver
>
> Bad news on the doorstep
>
> I couldn't take one more step
>
>
>
>
>

There is no inherent hidden meaning in these lines, but the "bad news" can refer to Mitch's death or his inability to meet David and Emily's son.

### Emily

Emily sings a few lines at the beginning of "American Pie" when she, Maggie, Zoey, and David walk into the Clarke home after Mitch's funeral. These are Emily's lines:

>
> I can't remember if I cried
>
> When I read about his widowed bride
>
> Something touched me deep inside
>
> The day the music died
>
> So
>
>
>
>
>

These lines likely refer to Emily's relationship with Maggie, her mother-in-law, who has just been widowed after the death of Mitch.

### Simon

Like much of the main cast, Simon has a few lines in "American Pie," the final number of "Zoey's Extraordinary Dad," the Season 1 finale. Simon sings his lines after the first chorus in the song. His lines are as follows:

> Did you write the book of love
> And do you have faith in God above
> If the Bible tells you so?
> Do you believe in rock and roll?
> Can music save your mortal soul?
> And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
> Well, I know that you're in love with him
> 'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
> You both kicked off your shoes
> Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
>
>

These lines seem to signal that Simon understands that something is going on between Zoey and Max.

### Max

Like much of the main cast, Max has a few lines in the giant "American Pie" number at the end of "Zoey's Extraordinary Dad." Max sings his lines when he is sitting on the steps inside the Clarke Home with Zoey, her head resting on his shoulder. Max's lines are as follows:

>
> I met a girl who sang the blues
>
> And I asked her for some happy news
>
> But she just smiled and turned away
>
> I went down to the sacred store
>
> Where I'd heard the music years before
>
> But the man there said the music wouldn't play
>
>
>
>

These lines could potentially refer to the relationship between Zoey and Max. When Max confessed his feelings to Zoey in "Zoey's Extraordinary Confession," he did not receive the response he wanted. This hints that Zoey and Max's relationship is still up in the air at the end of Season 1. "The sacred store" could refer to the Clarke Home, where Max met Mitch years ago when he and Zoey became friends. Because Max knew Mitch much longer than the rest of Zoey's friends, he had more of a connection to him, as we can see through the references to "the music" in these lines (Mitch, of course, being "the music").

### Zoey

Zoey sings the final few lines of "American Pie" a capella, and it is unclear whether she is singing in real life or as part of the heart song. While singing, she sits in the middle of the couch at her parents' house, where Mitch used to sit sometimes.

## Lyrics

**Maggie:**

A long long time ago

I can still remember how

That music used to make me smile

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And maybe they'd be happy for a while

**David:**

But February made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver

Bad news on the doorstep

I couldn't take one more step

**Emily:**

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride

Something touched me deep inside

The day the music died

So

**Maggie, David, and Emily**

Bye, bye Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye

Singing: This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

**Simon:**

Did you write the book of love

And do you have faith in God above

If the Bible tells you so?

Do you believe in rock and roll?

Can music save your mortal soul?

And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you're in love with him

'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym

You both kicked off your shoes

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

**Mo:**

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck

But I knew I was out of luck

The day the music died

**Cast:**

I started singin'

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee

But the levee was dry

Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

And singing: This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

**Joan:**

Now for ten years we've been on our own

And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone

But that's not how it used to be

When the jester sang for the king and queen

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean

And a voice that came from you and me

Oh, and while the king was looking down

The jester stole his thorny crown

The courtroom was adjourned

No verdict was returned

**Howie:**

And while Lennon read a book of Marx

The quartet practiced in the park

And we sang dirges in the dark

The day the music died

**Cast:**

We were singing

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee

But the levee was dry

Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

And singing: This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

**Max:**

I met a girl who sang the blues

And I asked her for some happy news

But she just smiled and turned away

I went down to the sacred store

Where I'd heard the music years before

But the man there said the music wouldn't play

**Mo:**

And in the streets, the children screamed

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed

**Max and Simon:**

But not a word was spoken

The church bells all were broken

**Maggie:**

And the three men I admire most

The father, son, and the holy ghost

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died

**Cast:**

And they were singing

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee

But the levee was dry

And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

Singing: This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

**Zoey:**

And they were singing

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee

But the levee was dry

Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

The day the music died

## Trivia

* Zoey sings out loud at the end of "American Pie," but it is unclear whether she is singing a heart song of her own, just singing out loud because she was overcome by emotion, or is singing inside her head. Most of the musical numbers in the show are sung by other characters, and Zoey only sang when she was dreaming ("I've Got The Music In Me") or during her "glitch" ("Crazy," "Pressure," etc.).

## Gallery

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