I have heard rumors of an annotated version of American Pie that was
on a vinyl record distributed with Life Magazine circa 1972. 
Additionally, I have personally heard an annotated version of American
Pie on the radio.  I have been unable to find out where I can acquire
either of these versions (if they are different).  By annotated, I
mean that while the song is playing, there is a mans voice which comes
on that explains the historical context to what Don MacLean is
referring to in his lyrics.  The answer to this question should be
where I can acquire this annotated version in some media format.

---

Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 03 Mar 2006 11:33 PST

amherstboi...

I couldn't help but look into this a little further, since I
too remember hearing such a recording played on the radio. 
What I found is both satisfying and frustrating.

At the official Don MacLean website, there is a quote about
the song American Pie by Don himself, taken from his 2000 
'Starry Starry Night' video, in which he explains the context
of the song and why the lyrics are "beyond analysis", being 
poetry:
http://www.americanpie2000.com/americanpie.asp

On another page from that site is a link to a video in which
Don talks about Buddy Holly and the song, and has it playing
in the background:
http://www.don-mclean.com/direct/index.asp


But more research disclosed the website of a DJ - WCFL Chicago's
Bob Dearborn, who, having been born around the same time as Don,
felt he had a very clear understanding of the lyrics because he
had lived through the same changes. He created a text version of
this analysis, and sent it out to tens of thousands of listeners
at their request. 

Then, something occurred which allowed this analysis to become a
recording:

"Meanwhile, with the assistance of Don McLean's manager and record
 label, I received the "American Pie" track with the voice stripped
 out for use in a radio special featuring the analysis.  The idea
 was to play some of the vocal then have the music without vocal
 continue in the background while I explained the meaning of the
 part of the song that just played.  I produced a half-hour special
 for presentation on WCFL."
http://bobdearbornamericanpie.cjb.net/

This recording was later duplicated without the WCFL call letters
on it, and was played at radio stations around the country. I'm
certain that this is the recording that you and I heard, and the
original text of the analysis is available in full on the page
above, but, sadly, not the recording.

Searching for Life magazine in conjunction with American Pie only
results in pages discussing times when Don MacLean made the cover
of the magazine, so I think that rumor is only rumor, and that the
recording you're interested in is the one by Bob Dearborn.

His email address is on the page above, as well, so you can always
contact him to see if he might know where a recording would still
be available.

Let me know if this satisfies your interests in asking the question.

sublime1-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 03 Mar 2006 11:41 PST

Oh - here's another article I thought you might like, in which
self-proclaimed insider, Rob Patterson, says he once had a 
conversation with Don about the song in which Don noted that
the 8-minute song pretty much wrote itself within a half hour
one day, and left Don feeling like the scribe of the Muse,
thus making analysis somewhat futile:

"'I didn't plan anything out,' he explained. 'I was just grabbing
 these things from this catch bag of cultural symbols and throwing
 them in there.' It wasn't some master plan he mapped out to
 encompass the cultural tremors of the times. It was what Townes
 Van Zandt used to call a 'sky song,' because they just drop out
 of the sky. At those creative moments, it's kind of like God is
 writing the song and you happen to be lucky enough to transcribe
 it."
http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-04-20/music/music_full.html

sublime1-ga

---

Clarification of Question by amherstboi-ga on 13 Mar 2006 07:43 PST

sublime1,

You were surely able to find more information than I have been. 
Sadly, I think the record was indeed a rumor and I thank you for
finding the contact for that DJ.  I had heard his name as well in my
prior searches for the information and I think you are correct in that
his recording is the one we both heard.  At this point, I would say
you successfully answered my question.

Thanks!

-Eric

Eric...

Thanks for confirming my response as your answer. I'll repost
it here for the sake of future readers.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I too remember hearing such a recording played on the radio. 
What I found is both satisfying and frustrating.

At the official Don MacLean website, there is a quote about
the song American Pie by Don himself, taken from his 2000 
'Starry Starry Night' video, in which he explains the context
of the song and why the lyrics are "beyond analysis", being 
poetry:
http://www.americanpie2000.com/americanpie.asp

On another page from that site is a link to a video in which
Don talks about Buddy Holly and the song, and has it playing
in the background:
http://www.don-mclean.com/direct/index.asp


But more research disclosed the website of a DJ - WCFL Chicago's
Bob Dearborn, who, having been born around the same time as Don,
felt he had a very clear understanding of the lyrics because he
had lived through the same changes. He created a text version of
this analysis, and sent it out to tens of thousands of listeners
at their request. 

Then, something occurred which allowed this analysis to become a
recording:

"Meanwhile, with the assistance of Don McLean's manager and record
 label, I received the "American Pie" track with the voice stripped
 out for use in a radio special featuring the analysis.  The idea
 was to play some of the vocal then have the music without vocal
 continue in the background while I explained the meaning of the
 part of the song that just played.  I produced a half-hour special
 for presentation on WCFL."
http://bobdearbornamericanpie.cjb.net/

This recording was later duplicated without the WCFL call letters
on it, and was played at radio stations around the country. I'm
certain that this is the recording that you and I heard, and the
original text of the analysis is available in full on the page
above, but, sadly, not the recording.

Searching for Life magazine in conjunction with American Pie only
results in pages discussing times when Don MacLean made the cover
of the magazine, so I think that rumor is only rumor, and that the
recording you're interested in is the one by Bob Dearborn.

His email address is on the page above, as well, so you can always
contact him to see if he might know where a recording would still
be available.


And here's another article I thought you might like, in which
self-proclaimed insider, Rob Patterson, says he once had a 
conversation with Don about the song in which Don noted that
the 8-minute song pretty much wrote itself within a half hour
one day, and left Don feeling like the scribe of the Muse,
thus making analysis somewhat futile:

"'I didn't plan anything out,' he explained. 'I was just grabbing
 these things from this catch bag of cultural symbols and throwing
 them in there.' It wasn't some master plan he mapped out to
 encompass the cultural tremors of the times. It was what Townes
 Van Zandt used to call a 'sky song,' because they just drop out
 of the sky. At those creative moments, it's kind of like God is
 writing the song and you happen to be lucky enough to transcribe
 it."
http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-04-20/music/music_full.html


I'm glad I was able to be of assistance in your quest.

sublime1-ga


Searches done, via Google:

"American Pie" meaning
://www.google.com/search?q=%22American+Pie%22+meaning

"American Pie" track meaning
://www.google.com/search?q=%22American+Pie%22+track+meaning

This may be of interest to you:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_398b.html