Don McLean
Don McLean ( born October 2, 1945 in New Rochelle, New York) is an American singer and composer whose most famous song is the ballad American Pie.
American Pie
The son of an electrical trade representative met in 1969 on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Pete Seeger know. Despite a dedication Seegers he offered his first LP Tapestry 37 record labels in vain. The album went on to sell slowly but steadily.
The song American Pie, the 1971 was financially very successful for McLean, but has a puzzling text. On the question of what these lyrics mean, McLean once replied jokingly: " It means that I need never work again " ( " It Means I never have to work again" ). Later, however, he added then: "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of me. Sorry that I have to let you in this respect alone, but to me it has become clear long ago that songwriters just write their texts and otherwise should keep dignified silence. "
The song is primarily an encrypted tribute to Buddy Holly, who in a plane crash died 1959: The Day the Music Died. After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 a list of 166 songs was released with the recommendation not to send them for the time being from the radio network Clear Channel Communications. American Pie was among them.
More songs
McLean's song " Empty Chairs " inspired the poet Lori Lieberman to the poem Killing Me Softly with His Song, Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel turned it into the song Killing Me Softly. From Lieberman the original recording dates from the year 1971. Roberta Flack made this song a hit in 1973. The version of the Fugees in 1996 a worldwide chart success in the UK and Germany the title was even ranked number 1
Other well-known songs from McLean are Vincent ( Starry, Starry Night ), the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh dedicated, Castles in the Air and Winter Wood.
In 1981 McLean an international hit with a cover version of Roy Orbison 's classic Crying -. In the UK, the single peaked at # 1 on the charts. Orbison himself described McLean once as " the voice of the century".
Discography
Albums
- Tapestry, 1970
- American Pie, 1971
- Don McLean, 1972
- Playin 'Favorites 1973
- Homeless Brother, 1974
- Solo, 1976 ( live)
- Primetime, 1977
- Chain Lightning, 1978
- Believers, 1981
- Dominion, 1982 ( live)
- For the Memories I & II, 1986-7
- Love Tracks, 1987
- Greatest Hits - Then & Now 1987
- Headroom, 1990
- Favourites and Rarities 1993
- River of Love, 1995
- Don McLean Sings Marty Robbins, 2001
- Starry Starry Night, 2001 ( live)
- You've Got to Share, 2003 ( "The Kid 's Album " )
- The Western Album, 2003
- Christmastime!, 2004
- Rearview Mirror, 2005