I was fortunate enough to see a very young and nervous Don McLean perform alone at a high school "performing artist" assembly on a wintry March afternoon in 1970, right after his debut environmentally conscious "Tapestry" album had been released, but before "American Pie" was released the next year. Anyone who saw him knew he would be a superstar if that's what he wanted. Sure enough, with the release of "American Pie" he got fame with spades, and promptly retreated from that kind of public attention ever since. he has had a number of excellent albums; but has never recaptured the sort of outrageous success he achieved with this one; indeed, he seems to be singularly uninterested in anything to do with it. Instead, he has spent the last 30 years following the whimsy of his own heart and artistic sensibilities.

Yet all the brilliant talent and ability is here, folks, from the legendary title cut to "Vincent", an esoteric paean to Vincent Van Gogh, "Winterwood", a lovely love song, "Empty Chairs" and a number of others, all of which should still get FM air time but never have. By the way, I have had to chuckle over the years at all the questioning and active efforts at second-hand interpretation that has gone on regarding what the title cut is really all about. Such wondering and endless intellectual speculation really misses the point that McLean the incredibly gifted artist so singularly makes in the song itself; the music is the thing. It's the music that makes us smile. As did Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, so to with Don McLean. Listen to what he has to say, and how artfully and wonderfully he phrases it. This is a timeless work that will always be around. Enjoy!

Undoubtedly one of the finest albums ever to be made, American Pie is a classic in every sense of the word. While the title track dominates, the other tracks are equally impressive and form a cohesive whole. Don McLean's singing is simple and pure and the instrumentation is perfect throughout.

I have had this album in several incarnations: original vinyl, the tracks of which are long worn out, the disappointing vinyl re-issue of some ten years later (Sister Fatima is not, by the way, a CD "bonus track"....it was on the original album, then was inexplicably deleted from the reissue. It is a wonderful song and I never understood the reason for its omission).

A very pleasant surprise is "Everybody Loves Me Baby," a song about "inflated ego" which has never received the attention it deserved. It is, quite simply, a lot of fun. The remaining tracks are excellent, rooted in the fine traditions of folk rock. This is one of those albums that, if the songs had been written over many years, would have been considered a greatest hits LP. As it was, Mr. McLean poured almost everything into one marvelous album.

This album is totally underrated and to some, forgotten. It is not only a classic for the gifted Don McLean; it is a heartfelt piece of poetry that you will listen to over and over again. I find some nuance, some depth of understanding and musical beauty each time I listen.

Songs like EMPTY CHAIRS, VINCENT, and even SISTER FATIMA are poetry set to music, and life experiences that most of us can identify with.

BRAVO, DON McLEAN - You still rock after more than 30 years!

I still have the original LP!!! I love listening to McLean's on a clear sounding CD... What I like the most is that my teenager boys sing along to American Pie.

Don McLean's American Pie is one of the best albums to come out of the folk-rock movement. His tunes are meditative and solemn, his guitar work loose and neighborly. The only downfall of this album is that there are few songs that really stand out. Among those that do, however, are the title track, American Pie, a rousing, spelndid, meloncholy tribute to the 1960s, itself worth the price of the album (it is over 8 minutes long as well). Another excellent song is Vincent, a sympathetic tribute to Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. While not as long as American Pie, Vincent delivers a sad, insightful, loving look into the painter's life. The two other standouts are The Grave, a deeply moving tune about the Vietnam experience, and Babylon, a round-sung shanty that is sad and soothing. All around, these songs alone could have comprised an excellent album. If you are looking for an album of significant cultural meaning, or just some good music to listen to, check this one out. Enjoy!