Dont Look Back and No Direction Home

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.

 

Dylan’s “Down in the Flood” and McLean’s “American Pie”

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.

 

Miss American Pie Lives

Announcing the launch of my new American Pie web blog

I am pleased to announce the initial launch of my new blog, Miss American Pie, an analysis of the lyrics of the song “American Pie” by Don McLean. This site was inspired by my trip to Clear Lake, IA, and a longstanding desire to help people understand the magical imagery in McLean’s fabulous work.

While there have been many interpretations of the song, Don McLean has not answered any questions about the “meanings” contained in the song. An artist or poet does not explain their work. If it truly as an artisitic masterpiece, such a work is open to many interpretations. That allows a broader audience to develop their own meanings, their own understandings.

My intent is not to force an interpretation. In some cases, I was able to provide clues because of my familiarity with McLean’s home town and because we attended the same high school. For example, I hope that I have offered a probable solution to the riddle of “the sacred store.”