American Pie (album)

American Pie
Studio album by Don McLean
Released	October 1971
Recorded	May 1971 - June 1971
Genre	Folk, folk rock
Length	36:24
Label	United Artists Records (original) Liberty Records (reissue) Capitol Records (2003 reissue)
Producer	Ed Freeman
Don McLean chronology
Tapestry (1970) American Pie (1971) Don McLean (1972)

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Allmusic

American Pie is the title of a 1971 music album by Don McLean, best known for its title track about The Day the Music Died. The third track, "Vincent," is a tribute to the famed artist Vincent Van Gogh.

The original 1971 LP is dedicated to Buddy Holly, and was reissued in 1980 minus the track "Sister Fatima". The original United Artists Records inner sleeve featured a free verse poem written by McLean about the late William Boyd, also known as Hopalong Cassidy, along with a picture of Boyd in full Hopalong regalia. This sleeve was removed within a year of the album's release. The words to this poem appear on a plaque at the hospital where Boyd died. The Boyd poem and picture tribute do appear on a special remastered 2003 CD.

Influence

The track Empty Chairs from the album is the song which inspired Lori Lieberman to write the poem upon which the song Killing Me Softly is based.

Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Don McLean; except where indicated

The original release (UAS-5535, 1971 United Artists Records)

1. "American Pie"
2. "Till Tomorrow"
3. "Vincent"
4. "Crossroads"
5. "Winterwood"
6. "Empty Chairs"
7. "Everybody Loves Me, Baby"
8. "Sister Fatima"
9. "The Grave"
10. "Babylon" (Traditional, based on the canon By the Waters of Babylon by Philip Hayes)

The 1980 reissue (LN-10037, 1980 Liberty Records, Inc.) did not include "Sister Fatima" in early releases, but it was eventually added under the same serial number.

1. "American Pie" - 8:27
2. "Till Tomorrow" - 2:11
3. "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" - 3:55
4. "Crossroads" - 3:34
5. "Winterwood" - 3:09
6. "Empty Chairs" - 3:24
7. "Everybody Loves Me, Baby" - 3:37
8. "The Grave" - 3:08
9. "Babylon" - 1:40

The 2003 remaster contains 12 tracks in total [1]:

1. "American Pie"
2. "Till Tomorrow"
3. "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)"
4. "Crossroads"
5. "Winterwood"
6. "Empty Chairs"
7. "Everybody Loves Me, Baby"
8. "Sister Fatima"
9. "The Grave"
10. "Babylon"
11. "Mother Nature"
12. "Aftermath"

Personnel

• Don McLean - vocals, guitar, banjo
• Warren Bernhardt - piano ("Crossroads")
• Ray Colcord - electric piano
• Tom Flye - drums ("The Grave"), engineering
• Ed Freeman - string arrangements
• Paul Griffin - piano ("American Pie")
• Lee Hays - arranger
• Mike Mainieri - marimba, vibraphone
• Roy Markowitz - drums, percussion
• Gene Orloff - concert master
• Bob Rothstein - bass, vocals
• David Spinozza - electric guitar ("American Pie")
• West Forty Fourth Street Rhythm and Noise Choir - chorus

Chart positions

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Billboard 200	1
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart	1

Notes

Preceded by Music by Carole King	Billboard 200 number-one album January 22, 1972 – March 10, 1972	Succeeded by Harvest by Neil Young
Preceded by Imagine by John Lennon	Australian Kent Music Report number-one album April 3, 1972 – June 18, 1972	Succeeded by Harvest by Neil Young