American Pie

Classic album.

8 minute opening track that is iconic but becomes laborious at minute 3 then just a bunch of nothing

Apart from the iconic title track, I did not care for this one bit. It was pretty mediocre folk music and barely captivating.

American pie is a legendary song. Can't say I've ever heard anything else on this album before, but it's pleasant enough.

Don McLean, proud Liberian. That's a ripsnorter for all my vexillology homies out there. Also, is Don McLean giving his seal of approval to illegal logging practices that plagued Liberia throughout the 1970s?? Cancel this man! Sappy, saccharine, and any other syrupy adjective thesaurus.com is willing to provide you can describe this record, but I'll be damned if I wasn't slurping it down like a diabetic hiding in the bathroom of the weight loss clinic. Is that a cogent simile? No, but thank you for asking. I like this record a lot for some reason. It is extremely corny in places, but incredibly easy to listen to with occasional lyrical turns that really grabbed me. A record that creates an atmosphere akin to a contented OR mournful sigh. Dealer's choice. Nostalgic hit aside, "American Pie" is a warm, folksy, accessible record that despite its problematic views on the Liberian logging industry, is pretty damn - darn - fun. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Don, can you get your incredibly large fist off the table please, the children are scared.

Сара 4,5 Марко 4,5

One great song followed by some mellow, forgettable tunes. American pie is undeniable even if I don’t like it and it’s 9 minutes long.

I did not realize that Don McLean had songs that weren’t American Pie. It’s a pretty good song, but the rest of the album doesn’t really do it for me

I'm much more familiar with the Weird Al version of American Pie called The Saga Begins. I had never heard any other Don McClean song...they sounded exactly like I expected them to.

1.5 - The song American Pie is undoubtedly good, yet there is something about it that kind of irks me. Then I really disliked the rest of the album.

Vincent 💙

Very hard to dislike Dons voice, and on an allbum that contains the classic american pie and beautiful song vincent giving this anything less than 4 stars for me is impossible… don has the sort of voice that just brings you to a peaceful mood, its very easy to lose yourself in it and not notice just how much time is passing… i think this is an album that as i get older im just going to appreciate more as it lacks the energy of wild youth, but contains the wisdom of someone whos learnt to slow down…

Good for a lazy weekend morning. I love vincent

Everyone knows the song. I didn’t know the rest. The laid back singer-songwriter writer vibe was great for the beach.

"American Pie" is a hit! Perfect album.

quite ok

Great Folk music, great voice, that great hit song. Nice album.

This was a bit of a surprise because I thought it might be a bit lame but there are some lovely tunes and guitar work in this. Some of the lines are pretty cheesy and not my cup of tea but I can recognise that this stands apart from many similar looking things.

Beautiful.

Heard the title track before. I was surprised by what a sweet folk album this is, really nice 3/5

I was kind of surprised that there was only 1 other upbeat song other than the titular track. American Pie is a banger. The rest is just kind of forgettable. Vincent wasn’t bad

Kind of a one-hit song wonder for this album. American Pie is a classic - the rest was sort of forgettable unfortunately.

I’ve never listed to don mclean and expected this to be a one hit wonder album. The songs were so good. It could come out today.

This is a five stars album, because of two ageless masterpieces

There's a reason everybody knows that first track (played to death as it might be) but nobody knows the whole album or, indeed any other Don McLean track. So we have an annoying evergreen, followed by quite a lot of timid, boring ballads that aren't really worth writing home about. I'm struggling to give this 2 out of 5, and because it's a sunny day and I'm in a good mood, I won't.

Muy interesante. Solo conocía Mrs american pie. Muchas letras lindas y armonía inesperada

Fucking American Pie....really ! I would rather go deaf than listen to this again

It does suffer from being overplayed, I can only imagine how amazing this album sounded as a first listen (3/5) for me

For once, Casey was right ahahahah (jk) Insanely good!!!

A quintessential 5/5 album if ever there was one. American pie is fire as always. Vincent also a gut punch, and empty chairs just hits deep to the soul

I enjoyed hearing American Pie and Vincent but the rest of the album is not to this standard really. Prefer the Boney M version of Babylon!

A 5 stars song in a 2 stars album

3.5

Есть бодренькие песни, но в целом всё очень грустно и не интересно

Pre-internet, I was tasked with compiling the lyrics to "American Pie" for a college event. I bought a used copy of the LP and listened to the song many, many times to accomplish that. Happily, I still enjoy it. Even though I owned the album, I probably only listened to the whole thing a couple of times before it came up for me today. It's good, very singer-songwriter-y. I liked the two singles when I was a kid. In addition to those, today, I am enjoying "Everybody Loves Me, Baby," which is more raucous than many of the other album tracks.

gute lieder guter inhalt

Ol Don is just folksy enough to win me over. Most people might say this album is just American Pie and some other stuff, but the other stuff grew on me. Vincent and The Grave were both solid. There's something about his songwriting I really like. The way he tells a story by focusing on the details of the scene kinda reminds me of The Mountain Goats. Maybe won't ever listen again but the title track sure does rip.

American Pie *the song* is really quite the anthem. it's clearly got a magic to it. the rest of the album is nice. sleepy. occasionally haunting. my favorite off meta pick is The Grave. solid 3

Rating: 4/10 The acoustic folk ballads after American Pie are sooo boring. And I don't care about getting through that entire 8 minute song either, evergreen sing-along chorus aside. If there was a '1001 songs you must here before you die' list this would surely have to be on it (even though everyone in America already has) but I don't know about the full album. I wasn't into it

This is a good album. American Pie and Vincent are classics and I’ve always liked Everybody Loves Me Baby. Solid 7/10.

An old favourite. 4.5

American Pie and Vincent are all-time classics

One of the most boring things I have ever heard beyond the first song

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 ol' 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? Now, 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 bronckin' 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 Them good ol' boys were drinkin' 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 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 And while Lenin read a book on Marx A 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 ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye 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 halftime 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 ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye 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 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 ol' boys were drinkin' 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 singin', "Bye, bye, Miss American Pie" Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry And them good ol' 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 singin', "Bye, bye, Miss American Pie" Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin', "This'll be the day that I die"

American Pie is such a banger, but the rest of the album is slow and meandering.

Besides "the song," McLean's a decent folk singer-songwriter. I've just heard that song too many times and I don't hear too much else of interest.

Surprisingly much more than just the title track, really nice sounding with a mellow and kind of somber feel

One song young children from the 70s were required to sing at their grade school talent show / parent night followed by boredom and mediocrity. Maybe it’s lack of sleep. Maybe terrible mood this morning. I said what do said. 2/5

What a tedious album. About as exciting as lukewarm water, and so painfully anemic that it bored me even as background music. "Babylon" is the only song I found palatable, but it was too little, too late - and it's not even an original song. Lyrically speaking, it's mostly trite, typical Americana - a Boomer longing for a time that never was, or was terrible. I feel zero interest in or sympathy for these nostalgic musings. I had my doubts yesterday about giving Napalm Death's "Scum" a somewhat exaggerated rating. But after listening to this, I'm fucking glad I did. 2/10

No matter how hard I try, even putting myself in the right conditions to properly listen to it, I just can’t get into this. All I’m left with are a few vaguely interesting melodies and this constant underlying cheesiness, even on the more energetic tracks. I just can’t do it. It’s completely bland and tasteless to me.

3.5 out of 5 stars for American Pie. The album starts out with an almost 9 minute banger of a song, but while it's a banger, it could have been reduced to 4 minutes without all the word vomit and social commentary and just stuck with the very catchy chorus and hook. Vincent is the other track most people know Don McLean for and it's by far the best song on this album. The rest of the album has some highlights, but near the end I was getting tired. The ending song, Babylon, is a very nice tune, sounds like an old English folk song. Very nice to end out the album on that.

this album oozes americana straight out of its pores. bit of a quality decrease after vincent but still a great listen.

Most of the songs are pretty good. More than just American pie. Empty chairs was a favourite.

Songs for the good 'ole timers. I like it, it's a nice slice of easy listening, Sunday hangover music.

Day 403 Pleasant enough. Highlights American Pie The Grave Mother Nature

*1971. *If you told me this was John Denver, I'd believe you. Interestingly this album came out the same year as Denver's album with Country Roads. *I'm a sucker for singer-songwriters, so this works for me, although it's solidly mid-pack in that genre. *Only 36 minutes, and American Pie at 8.5 minutes is bizarrely a good chunk of that. *Dave and I listened to this on the way back from St. Augustine, and it was solid road trip album despite some sad, heartbreak tracks that were kind of a drag. RATING - 7/10

hus lyricism is so good that i can't in good faith rate this album any lower, but i also can't really say i enjoyed this

bye bye...

En cette fin d’année 1971, Don McLean a débarqué avec un pavé sous le bras, un monument radiophonique de plus de huit minutes qui a traumatisé l’Amérique au point de s’imposer dans l’inconscient collectif comme une messe de requiem pour toute une époque. Tout le monde connaît le morceau-titre, tout le monde en a fredonné le refrain en croyant pleurer la mort de Buddy Holly, l’innocence perdue des sixties et les promesses envolées de la contre-culture. Mais quand on s’inflige les quarante minutes de la galette complète, l’évidence est là : un immense tube mondial et un deuxième morceau décent dans une moindre mesure ne font pas un immense album. Loin de là. On est typiquement face au syndrome du disque-alibi, celui qu’on achetait pour deux pistes précises avant de laisser la face B prendre la poussière près de la platine. Évidemment, la pièce maîtresse, celle qui donne son nom au projet, est une prouesse d’écriture pop déguisée en fresque folk. McLean y déploie une énergie narrative indéniable, passant d’un murmure dépouillé au piano à une cavalcade entraînante où défilent le bouffon, le roi, la reine et le crash tragique de février 1959. C’est brillant, c’est accrocheur, c’est le genre de chanson-fleuve qui justifie à elle seule une carrière entière et qui a permis à son géniteur de toucher des royalties confortables jusqu’à la fin de ses jours. On ne va pas cracher dans la soupe : ce titre a capté une blessure américaine avec une efficacité redoutable, un sens du timing historique parfait au moment où le rêve hippie achevait de pourrir au Vietnam et sous les coups de matraque de la réalité. Et puis, il y a l’autre arbre qui cache le désert, cette ballade lacrymale dédiée à Vincent van Gogh qui a fait chavirer les cœurs tendres et les animateurs de radio de nuit. C’est propre, c’est joliment troussé, les arpèges sont soignés et la voix de McLean y trouve un terrain de jeu où le mélo fonctionne sans trop d’efforts, même si la frontière avec la mièvrerie la plus sirupeuse reste poreuse. Voilà donc pour le bilan positif, deux cartouches tirées, deux cibles atteintes à des degrés divers. Mais le gros problème d'un disque, c'est qu'il ne s'arrête pas après deux plages et que l'acheteur de 1971 comme l'auditeur d'aujourd'hui doit bien se farcir le reste de la marchandise. Et là, mes aïeux, c'est une toute autre histoire. Car dès qu’on s’aventure au-delà des deux totems, l'ensemble se dégonfle comme une baudruche percée. On quitte l'épopée mélancolique pour plonger la tête la première dans un folk-rock pastoral d'une tiédeur absolue, le genre de tambouille acoustique inoffensive que n'importe quel gratteux de Greenwich Village ou de Laurel Canyon pouvait pondre entre la poire et le fromage. Des morceaux d'un classicisme désarmant s’enchaînent, alignant des mélodies banales qui s'évaporent de la mémoire sitôt le diamant relevé du sillon. L’écriture y devient soudain étrangement scolaire, voire paresseuse, comme si l'inspiration s'était tarie net après avoir accouché du mastodonte initial. On tente bien de varier les plaisirs avec quelques embardées un peu plus rythmées, des tentatives de country-blues ou de rockabilly qui sonnent aussi authentiques qu’un décor de saloon en carton-pâte dans un parc d'attractions de banlieue. Le son est propre, trop propre, étouffé par une production bien trop sage. McLean chante bien, il a de la technique, mais l'émotion tourne vite à vide quand le matériel ne suit pas. On passe d’une prétention poétique un peu lourdingue à des exercices de style sans grande envergure qui donnent l'impression désagréable de meubler l'espace pour atteindre la durée syndicale d'un trente-trois tours. C’est le piège classique des songwriters du début des seventies : croire qu'une belle voix et une guitare acoustique suffisent à transformer chaque réflexion intime en or. Ce disque résume à lui seul l’arnaque des albums construits à la hâte autour d’un phénomène radiophonique écrasant. On est en plein dans cette époque où le format vinyle impose de remplir les faces, quitte à y coller des fonds de tiroir ou des pistes de remplissage anonymes qui ne servent que de faire-valoir au tube principal. Face à des géants de l'époque qui pensaient leurs albums comme des œuvres d'art totales, cohérentes de la première à la dernière seconde, la proposition de Don McLean fait pâle figure. Au final, la note de trois sur cinq n'a rien d'un assassinat gratuit, c’est simplement le tarif juste pour un disque déséquilibré qui vit sur une rente de situation depuis plus de cinquante ans. Ce n'est ni un naufrage honteux, car le savoir-faire mélodique est là par intermittence, ni le chef-d'œuvre fondateur que l'histoire officielle du rock prétend parfois nous vendre au nom de la nostalgie. Don McLean a touché la grâce sur un coup d'éclat immortel, mais il ne faut pas confondre un éclair de génie avec un ciel étoilé sans fin. Et une fois le festin de la tarte aux pommes avalé, il ne reste sur la nappe que des miettes un peu sèches qu'on balaie du revers de la manche sans le moindre remords.

Pseudo sincerity. McLean wanted to be Paul Simon but someone beat him to it. A snoozefest. 2 stars.

Its just folk. The only reason this is one this list is the titular track. "American Pie" is like "Piano Man" , but then American and less good. I don't even particularly like Piano man

An album that was better than I expected I'd find it. Don McLean does only write two types of songs though in this album, that is a soft folk ballad, or american Pie. This does mena that the album can get quite stale after about 4 songs.

70s folk rock. Starts with the big hit. Some really beautiful, gentle folk with a lovely vocal.

where would we be without this

Excellent folk rock songwriting. Pleasant voice. Well paced. My only complaint was that the album's strength is clearly in the front and becomes far more inconsistent beginning around track 7 - 9, with the quality returning on "Babylon". A classic. I was familiar with the iconic single "American Pie", although these days I have the Weird Al Yankovic lyrics stuck in my head, but I am sad that it took until today to dig deeper into there album. There are some real gems in there.

Chill

"The day the music died... or did it? Ladies and gentlemen, the golden age of rock and roll!" I prefer it when Mott The Hoople take over from the title track but oh well - one iconic song which I'd be happy enough to never hear again, a few alright sad tracks, but a mostly forgettable set of songs round out a thankfully short album. Favourite tracks: Vincent, The Grave

Very nice album and great sound. Too bad he didn’t manage to keep this creative height through the rest of his career

Such a timeless, giant anthem to open the album on. The rest of the record treads water. Don McLean is a solid story teller, he can’t be knocked for songwriting skill. It’s just that a lot of these songs feel like the singular acoustic ballad from an album that should otherwise be much more rowdy or dynamic. Every song feels like you have to gather round the fire and wait patiently again, to varying degrees of success. I really enjoyed “The Grave” the most outside of the obvious choice for a favorite song from this record. 3/5

Sure he’s a one (maybe two) hit wonder, but honestly, minus a couple songs at the end, this is a pretty peaceful album. Likes: American Pie, Vincent; Winterwood; Empty Chairs

Disco desesperançado, triste, mas belo; irônico, mas na medida. E necessário. Um grande songwiter e a música título periga representar sozinha toda uma era.

A classic.

Had only listened to American Pie before. The album was fine, nothing special. But apparently Don McLean is an abusive arsehole. (Should I stop googling artists as I listen to the albums? Maybe. But I probably won't.)

The album has its ups and downs, but it is more than just one hit. It has some really beautiful songs. 7/10

American Pie is an all time classic, but there’s a reason most people can only name the title track from this album.

I wish I had taken the previous reviewer’s suggestion on board and listened to the second half first as I feel Don released all his creative juice in one go at the start which left very little for the later tracks. Obviously American Pie and Vincent are brilliant the rest is meh at best.

Solidan album. Malo krene bit repetitivan pred kraj. Fav track: American Pie 6/10 = 3+

Early in 1971, before American Pie was recorded, Mediarts sent Don McLean to Los Angeles for cover photographs with George S. Whiteman. If you have to have a photo of the artist on the cover this is the way to do it. The album is devine.

3,5 stars

Luulin kansikuvan perusteella että jotain räppiä olisi. Mutta olikin vanhaa lauleskelua. Tylsää mutta ei ärsyttävää.

Alotusraitaa vaikea mieltää muuten ku Weird Alin Star Wars -versiointina. Kevyttä soitin ja kitara type musiikkia. Mukavaa ja rauhallista, aivan ok.

American pie and winter wood are my favorites of this, and I like the switch up ‘Everybody Loves me, baby’ has. Good album for a sort of peace and groove feel

'& while Lenin read a book on Marx / A quartet practiced in the park / & we sang dirges in the dark.' Short, brilliant albums are gifts from the heavens above; short, mediocre records could be e'en shorter, but we're grateful for the small things of life - & at least we don't have to bear that mediocrity for long. McLean's American Pie (the album) falls into this second category: over in a flash, it yet could've been over in a flashier flash, but 36 mins ain't long. I've never listened to 'American Pie' (the song) intentionally, & I won't again. As for the rest, Don's sincerity is so sincere it's somehow not, & his voice is simply too thin to care. If I wanted corny Americana, I'd take John Denver above all else. This Chevy Chase lookin' cornball's a ditzy sedative.

Stunning album. What a voice.

It is a very ordinary American folk album, except for the fact that American pie is on it. That song alone bumps it up a few notches. 6.5/10 Top song... American Pie

The Pie tune is a banger obviously ....the rest of it is just too nice and middle of the road. His voice is doing nothing for me. Kind of happy that I don’t have to listen to that again. 2 out of 5 for the Pie song.

Death not as an impossible task, but as a losing battle.

I could understand including American Pie *the song* in a list of 1001 songs you must hear. Not my favorite, but it’s a very important, very iconic tune. But the whole ALBUM? Hell nah. This thing is just bland early 70s easy listening. The kind of Boomer music that’s rightfully been forgotten.

Review - rough break for Don that I got this album the day after Tapestry, an objectively superior singer/songwriter album of the same era (possibly same year?) Not a bad album but I don't find his voice interesting and sometimes his lyrics are a bit too overly poetic and border into pomposity. That said there are some good songs here and it's worth a listen. But there are probably 10 better singer/songwriter albums of the era, so I don't know it should be on the list. Score - 6.5/10 Need to listen? NO

Awesome A-side but dropped off quite a bit on the second half.. I saw one review say to start from track 4 and loop around, I wish I had done that as it’s hard to keep up with ‘American Pie’ and ‘Vincent’ (the latter I probably like more). Overall 3.75/5

I don’t particularly like this album however an additional star is awarded for “Vincent”, it’s such a beautiful song.

An extra star for the devastating anti-war song near the end. Other than the two biggies though, it's all a bit dull.

The title track is excellent and really holds up over time. This album starts really strong and sort of tapers off as it goes along. Three stars feels too low, four feels too generous, but I'll round up in this case because of that title track.

I hate to say something I feared would be obvious, but 'American Pie' is defined by its best song: the title track. A long, catchy, and forever memorable tribute to McLean's hero with Buddy Holly after his passing, and the state of music in general. It really is one of the greatest American rock songs and an absolute blast to get through every time. And I have a lot of nostalgia for this thing from the Phantom Menace parody by Weird Al from when I was a kid. And while everything else here is surprisingly solid and tasteful, especially the following 'Till Tomorrow' and 'Vincent', which are gorgeous come-downs after the adrenaline-filled opener, and 'The Grave' later down the line was pretty intense, nothing really lives up to the level of the title track. I was shocked at the general direction of the record, an intimate baroque folk and singer-songwriter record that really spotlights McLean's delicate vocals. It's an odd choice to start the whole thing off with such an in-your-face banger. But he is talented in this cozy avenue with a serious knack for melody and composition. Good stuff overall, much better than I expected.

My my this here Anakin guy Maybe Vader someday later now he's just a small fry He left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye Saying "Soon I'm gonna be a Jedi"

Rudimentary. Will never understand the popularity of the title, but he tries. bless his little cotton socks.

One of the most brilliant singer/songwriter albums of all. Not every song is unique, not every lyric is inspired, but there is so much genius on this album that every time hear it,I am inspired. 4.5/5

American Pie is a classic, Vincent is good, but the rest is just average. 4 stars or B.

The title track is a classic. That's about all I've got to say.

I’ve always loved the title track off this one. I’ve got a fond memory of driving in Moorhead during an icy day with Beth with this song playing. It was building towards the “Did you write the book of love…” part and I got a bit distracted, then flew onto the median sideways by RDO in her car. Whoops, at least it wasn’t my truck. The rest of this is good, maybe not great in my eyes. I liked Winterwood. High 3