American Pie by Don McLean is the 1971 folk-rock epic that became one of the most talked-about recordings in popular music — an eight-and-a-half-minute allegorical history of rock & roll, written as an elegy for "the day the music died." The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1972 and held No. 1 for four weeks, and the recording has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
This page collects the key facts about American Pie — the song credits, the official audio, and answers to the questions fans ask most about Don McLean's landmark single. For more classic rock, see our Hotel California lyrics by the Eagles and Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics by Queen.
American Pie Song Credits
Song: American Pie
Singer: Don McLean
Songwriter: Don McLean — written solely by McLean
Album: American Pie (1971) — the title track of his second studio album
Released: 1971 (album); the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 15, 1972, and stayed there for four weeks
Genre: Folk rock
Length: 8:33 (album version); about 8:42 full length
Theme: An allegorical history of rock & roll and an elegy for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper — the crash McLean called "the day the music died"
Legacy: Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; revisited in the 2022 Paramount+ documentary "The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie"
American Pie Lyrics
The full lyrics are not published on this page.
You can hear every word in the official audio below.
Press play on the official audio player underneath to listen to "American Pie" in full.
Watch the Official Audio
This is the official audio of "American Pie" by Don McLean — provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group on the official Don McLean artist channel. It is an audio track, not a music video.
American Pie FAQs
What is American Pie about?
It is an allegorical history of rock & roll and an elegy for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, whose deaths McLean remembered as "the day the music died."
When was American Pie released?
It appeared on Don McLean's 1971 album American Pie; the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 15, 1972, and stayed at the top for four weeks.
How long is the song?
The album version runs 8:33, and the full recording is about 8:42 long.
Did Madonna cover American Pie?
Yes — Madonna released her own cover version, but this post is about the Don McLean original from 1971.
Keep the classics coming: Billie Jean lyrics by Michael Jackson and Sweet Caroline lyrics by Neil Diamond are waiting in the archive.
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