tattoos

Friday, December 3, 2010

Don McLean's Killing Me Softly With American Pie

SONGS I LOVE?
Playing Only Half The Song:
It is so long that DJs play only one side of the eight and a half minute song. It needs no introduction because it tells the rock and roll story, so anyone familiar with early 70s music would know it. Singer songwriter Don McLean was not tongue-in-cheek when he said that he never had to work again after his hit single. His composition American Pie (1971) made money for him and it became the new anthem in the USA.
Buddy Holly n Friends:
A 'sprawling impressionistic ballad', it touched on the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper (P. Richardson) in a plane crash way back in 1959. McLean wrote the song in the 60s and, together with another composition, Vincent, the songs became hits.
Best Song of Century:
American Pie is in 5th position under the 365 Best Songs of the Century category. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Judy Garland), White Christmas (Bing Crosby), This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) and Respect (Aretha Franklin) are the first four.
Killing Me ... With His Song:
He became an overnight success and American singer Lori Leiberman commented that Killing Me Softly With His Song (1971) was written due to a reaction from a Don McLean concert. She had recorded it but the Roberta Flack's (recently in Singapore) version won the Grammy.
Comment:
1. When I first heard the song I thought it would never end. El Paso (1959) by Marty Robbins was the longest song I've heard before American Pie. I don't really like AP but love the different interpretations that come with it.
2. Say whatever, the song made an impact on rock n rollers even up till today. It was even revived by Madonna. Do you think anyone would write about our singer songwriters who had passed on?
3. There is a posting on this blog about singer songwriter Sonny Bala who died in the 90s. Nobody wrote a song about him. Why aren't we honouring our own Singapore artistes?
4. Comment anyone?
Information: Wikipedia.

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

blogger templates | Blogger