• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Don Mclean American Pie


Down to stems and seeds. Those were the days.
 
I saw Commander Cody at the Commodore in Vancouver when it still had the old sprung floor - and no air conditioning. If you walked out on to the floor, you had to move with the music, or you were bound to fall over.
Not my usual sort of music generally, and certainly not at the time, but it was still a remarkably fun night with great music.
 
It helps to be stoned or trippin’ when you write the songs and listen to them.

Most famous one being...



Down to stems and seeds. Those were the days.

In 1966 I was sleeping on the roof of an Athens Greece hotel, common practice for college students traveling abroad, and about 3 AM we hear this guy wandering up the street singing Bob Dylan's " ... everybody must get stoned ..."
 
In 1966 I was sleeping on the roof of an Athens Greece hotel, common practice for college students traveling abroad, and about 3 AM we hear this guy wandering up the street singing Bob Dylan's " ... everybody must get stoned ..."

He was probably a Dorito salesman with a key finding service as a side hustle.
 

Oh my goodness. I didn’t know anyone else would remember those guys. I had that album and played it over and over. Caught their show in Larkspur (Marin County). They were a local band. My favorite and unforgettable line in that song was:
“Well, my dog died just yesterday and left me all alone
The finance company dropped by today and repossessed my home
That's just a drop in the bucket compared to losing you”
 
Oh my goodness. I didn’t know anyone else would remember those guys.

I realize that my recorded copy was the "Live from the Heart of Texas" LP - a better version I think than the Youtube Seeds and Stems version that I linked to above. Who could forget an armadillo themed album cover!?
 
Ever notice that many songs have words that do not make sense or the whole song does not make sense?

The lyric in Beatles song that says, "Here's another clue for you all / The walrus was Paul" seems clear cut.
 
Y'all do realize that when you play American Pie backwards you can clearly hear Don McLean say, "German cake. I like German cake". In German no less. Eerie.
 

I saw them in 1974 at a "Day On The Green"
Bill Kirchen is a genius.!

Kingfish was also their with Robbie Hoddinott.....another MAGICIAN with a Telecaster. Bob Weir was doing his thing with them at the time.
Doobie Bros and The Eagles were the headliners. Elton John made an appearance as well.

I think American Pie is a GREAT Photo for a great record.!