DON MCLEAN LYRICS - American Pie DON MCLEAN LYRICS 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 But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside The day the music died [Chorus:] So bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Verse 1] Did you write the book of love And do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so? Now 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 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 [Chorus:] I started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Verse 2] 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 And while Lenin read a book on Marx The quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died [Chorus:] We were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy

 to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Verse 3] Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast Now the halftime air was sweet perfume While the sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?

[Chorus:] We started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Verse 4] Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation lost in space With no time left to start again So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'Cause fire is the devil's only friend Oh, and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satan's spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died [Chorus:] He was singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Outro] 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 And in the streets, the children screamed The lovers cried and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken 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 [Chorus:] And they were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die [Chorus:] They were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die Visit for these lyrics.

Writer(s): Don Mclean Don McLean- American Pie (with Lyrics) - YouTube Don McLean- American Pie (with Lyrics) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 14, 2008 Click more info for description* Please comment, rate, and subscribe. Thank you! Lyrics are also below- 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. But february made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver. Bad news on the doorstep; I couldn't take one more step. I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride, But something touched me deep inside The day the music died. So 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 Singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." 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 'n 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. 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. I started singin', Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." 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; 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. We were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." Helter skelter in a summer swelter. The birds flew off with a fallout shelter, Eight miles high and falling fast. It landed foul on the grass. The players tried for a forward pass, With the jester on the sidelines in a cast. Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While the sergeants played a marching tune. We all got up to dance, Oh, but we never got the chance! `cause the players tried to take the field; The marching band refused to yield.

Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died? We started singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." Oh, and there we were all in one place, A generation lost in space With no time left to start again. So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick! Jack flash sat on a candlestick Cause fire is the devil's only friend. Oh, and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell Could break that satan's spell. And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite, I saw satan laughing with delight The day the music died He was singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die.

"this'll be the day that I die." 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. And in the streets: the children screamed, The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed. But not a word was spoken; The church bells all were broken. 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. And they were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." They were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day that I die." Category Drove My Chevy to the Levee… | drove my chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry drove my chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry DON MCLEAN: American Pie » Drove My Chevy to the Levee… I’ve noticed that a lot of people surf through here looking for the meaning of the lyrics of American Pie — so I thought I’d post my thoughts on it. I wondered about the lines for a long time: “Drove my chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.” It always struck me as a bit of cryptic sorrow, but I was still lost as to the meaning. I asked someone older & wiser (my dad) what it all meant. He told me that the writer had intended to commit suicide, but that fate wouldn’t allow it (i.e. he was going to drive his car over the edge to drown, but there wasn’t any water to drown in.) To this day, American Pie is still in my top five of best written lyrics ever.

My own interpretation is that the writer had a revelation amid the chaos and confusion. He didn’t know why the hell he was still here — but he knew he had a purpose. So on he marches! I can certainly identify with the feeling, so it became the title of my blog. For those of you in search of a great and meaningful song, I will now post the lyrics in their entirety. Like this: Like Loading... Related This entry was posted on February 20, 2008 at 4:13 am and is filed under Life , Music with tags American Pie , Don McLean , Lyrics , Meaning . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. 9 Responses to “Drove My Chevy to the Levee…” Rachel June 18, 2008 at 7:49 pm As far as I can tell, there is no reason to assume that Don McLean had any intention of committing suicide. The song has stirred one of the biggest debates in music history, and like all songs, is open to interpretation.

The most common interpretation, however, is that the song was a tribute to Buddy Holly (and Richie Valence and J.P. Richardson). “The Day the Music Died” refers to February 3, 1959, the day the three musicians were killed in a plane crash. That the first stanza (February made me shiver/with every paper I deliver/Bad news on the doorstep/I couldn’t take one more step./ I can’t remember if I cried/when I read about his widowed bride/but something touched me deep inside/the day the music died) is referring to Buddy Holly had been admitted by McLean, but he hasn’t commented on the rest of the song. In many of the interpretations I’ve seen, the lyrics are said to reference other famous musicians (Bob Dylan is the jester who is singing for the king (Elvis?) and the queen, the quartet that is practicing in the park is either the Beatles or the Weavers, etc), and the song is a tribute to rock and roll/a lament of the decline of 50s style music. I’m interested in hearing more about your interpretation. I would have never made the connection you did; what made you think what you did?

It’s an interesting interpretation. November 5, 2008 at 11:41 pm I thought Chevy in a Levee was a reference to those three civil rights activists who were killed by some KKK guys in 1964, on August 4. It was in Mississippi. “Michael Schwerner, aged 24, Andrew Goodman, 20, both from New York and James Chaney, 22, from Meridian, Mississippi. All were members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) dedicated to non-violent direct action against racial discrimination” Okay, I clipped that from a BBC on this day news thingy. Their bodies were found near a levee, and their car (Chevy) had been burned out. It’s also the basis for the movie “Mississippi Burning.” There were several folks involved in the deaths, including a law officer. Very sad story. Try googling it for more information. Don McLean - American Pie Lyrics | MetroLyrics American Pie Lyrics New! Highlight lyrics to add Meanings, Special Memories, and Misheard Lyrics...

Submit Corrections Cancel 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 But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step 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 Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 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 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 I started singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Now, for ten years we've been on our own And moss grows fat on a rolling 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 And while Lennon read a book on Marx The quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died We were singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good

 ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?

We started singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation lost in space With no time left to start again So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'Cause fire is the devil's only friend Oh and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satan's spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died He was singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 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 And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken 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 And they were singing Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die They were singing Don McLean - American Pie Lyrics | LetsSingIt Lyrics We use cookies to customize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze traffic to our site.

We also share information about your use of our site with our trusted social media, advertising and analytics partners. Read more . Don McLean Play your favorite songs in the LetsSingIt Player! open player Captain_Keeta • 1 day, 7 hours ago • 33 comments  Login Login here if you are already a member! log in Not a member? Register here for free! register Playlist 50 Rate 78 Like & Share Print Email Play "American Pie" Lyrics 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. But february made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver. Bad news on the doorstep; I couldn't take one more step. I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride, But something touched me deep inside The day the music died. So 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 Singin', "this'll be the day that I die.

"this'll be the day that I die." 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 'n 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. 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. I started singin', Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." 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; And while Lenin read a book on Marx, The quartet practiced in the park, And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died. We were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." Helter skelter in a summer swelter. The birds flew off with a fallout shelter, Eight miles high and falling fast. It landed foul on the grass. The players tried for a forward pass, With the jester on the sidelines in a cast. Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While the sergeants played a marching tune. We all got up to dance, Oh, but we never got the chance! As the players tried to take the field; The marching band refused to yield. Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?

We started singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." Oh, and there we were all in one place, A generation lost in space With no time left to start again. So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick! Jack flash sat on a candlestick Cause fire is the devil's only friend. Oh, and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell Could break that satan's spell. And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite, I saw satan laughing with delight The day the music died He was singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye And singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." 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. And in the streets: the children screamed, The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed. But not a word was spoken; The church bells all were broken. 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. And they were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day that I die. "this'll be the day that I die." They were singing, Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "this'll be the day that I die." This song was last modified on September 27th, 2016. Copyright with Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group. Written by DON MCLEAN.

Don McLean - American Pie lyrics | LyricsMode.com American Pie lyrics This song is explained by 7 writers u 1 Create lyrics explanation Select some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points! OK, got it! New! Read & write lyrics explanations Click the blue-colored lyrics to read explanations. Highlight lyrics and explain them to earn Karma points. Don McLean – American Pie lyrics 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 But, February made me shiver with every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep - I couldn't take one more step 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, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing...

This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Did you write the Book of Love and do you have faith in God, above? If the Bible tells you so Now, 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 dancing in the gym You both kicked off your shoes - man, I dig those rhythm and blues 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 I started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Now, for ten years we've been on our own and moss grows fat on a Rolling 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 In 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 And, while Lennon read a book on Marx the quartet practiced in the park, and... We sang dirges in the dark the day the music died We were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Healter Skealter in the summer swelter - the Birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight Miles High and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass with the Jester on the sidelines in a cast Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume while the Sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance, oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field - the marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died?

We started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die And, there we were, all in one place - a generation Lost in Space With no time left to start again So, come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick - Jack Flash sat on a Candlestick, 'cause... Fire is the Devil's only friend And, as I watched him on the stage my hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell could break that satan's spell And, as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite, I saw... Satan laughing with delight the day the music died He was singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing...

This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die I met a girl who sang the Blues, and I asked her for some happy news 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 And, in the streets the children screamed, the lover's cried, and the poets dreamed, but... Not a word was spoken - the church bells all were broken 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 And, they were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing... This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die They were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing...

This'll be the day that I die Lyrics taken from American Pie Lyrics - Don McLean 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 But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step 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 Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 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 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 I started singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Now, for ten years we've been on our own And moss grows fat on a rolling 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 And while Lenin read a book on Marx The quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died We were singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good

 ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?

We started singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye And singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation lost in space With no time left to start again So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'Cause fire is the devil's only friend Oh and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satan's spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died He was singin' Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die 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 And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken 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 And they were singing Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die They were singing Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die Lyrics to American Pie by Don McLean 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 But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside The day

 the music died {Refrain} So, 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 Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Verse 2 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 n' 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 & blues 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 I started singin' 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 And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church

 bells all were broken 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 And they were singin' Understanding American Pie: Chorus Chorus: The Long Goodbye A primary key to understanding American Pie can be found here in the chorus, as the theme of America's lost innocence is most clearly stated.

• • • So bye bye, Miss American Pie "Miss American Pie"* is "as American as apple pie," so the saying goes; she could also be a synthesis of this symbol and the beauty queen Miss America. Either way, her name evokes a simpler time in American life when these icons held more meaning. She is the America of a passing era, and he is bidding her farewell. Drove my Chevy to the levee But the levee was dry "Drove my Chevy to the levee" alludes to a drive "along a levee" mentioned in a series of popular 1950s Chevrolet television commercials sung by Dinah Shore: Drive your Chevrolet through the USA, America's the greatest land of all On a highway or a road along a levee... ..life is completer in a Chevy So make a date today to see the USA And see it in your Chevrolet 127kb and which serves as a signpost to that era—just as the Chevrolet itself is a familiar icon of 1950s America. Also, given that a drive to a levee carries the suggestion of romance in a car, we can almost see him on a date here.

But the date is over, the levee is dry—someone he once loved has betrayed him; something that once gave him sustenance has evaporated. And just for the record: Levee \Lev"ee\, n. [F. lev['e]e, fr. lever to raise. An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi; sometimes, the steep bank of a river. [U. S] Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. *"American Pie" was not name of the aircraft that Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens died in, as is often assumed. See the songwriter's comments about this rumor here . 1

Question: Complete the lyrics: "Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the ..."
Answer: levee was dry