August 2007


More Insight about the King and Queen

While searching Netflix last week, I found two fims about Bob Dylan’s career. The first was Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back (Dont {sic} as spelled on the DVD) and the second was No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (part 1). As part of my never-ending quest to offer plausible interpretations to Don McLean’s American Pie, I felt that I had to see these two films.

No Direction Home is a very good, two-part documentary about Dylan, directed by Martin Scorcese, with an incredible number of sound and video rarities (including some awesome performance footage from legendary artists). The commentaries will simply melt anyone with more than a passing interest in the history of rock and roll. So far, I have only seen part one and will take a look at part two later this week.

Dont Look Back is a sometimes silly and often irreverent look at Dylan’s 1965 concert tour in Great Britain. There are some memorable moments including verbal sparring by Bob Dylan and great live concert footage.

While there weren’t any earth-shattering discoveries in the films, there may be some interesting metaphors to be found in Woody Guthrie, Odetta Holmes, listening booths at record stores and Royal Albert Hall. To see what I think, visit my American Pie News and Updates Page.

News and Updates Page Offers the Up-to-Date Information on “American Pie”

In order to keep offering other interpretations of Don McLean’s “American Pie,” I’ve started a News and Updates Page to keep the forum open.

The first update includes research that offers a strong connection between Bob Dylan’s “Down in the Flood” and McLean’s “American Pie” … and possibly what might be the definitive interpretation of the line “When the Jester sang for the king and queen” from Verse Three. There is also a new connection to a Buddy Holly song, “Early in the Morning.”

To view this page, click HERE or the News and Updates link at right.