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Mister Ed
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Mister Ed
Colorized Mister Ed title
Genre
Sitcom
Created by
Walter R. Brooks
Directed by
Justus Addiss
Rodney Amateau
Arthur Lubin
John Rich
Ira Stewart
Alan Young
Starring
Alan Young
Connie Hines
Bamboo Harvester
Voices of
Allan "Rocky" Lane
Theme music composer
Ray Evans
Jay Livingston
Opening theme
"Mister Ed" by Jay Livingston
Composer(s)
Raoul Krushaar
Jack Cookerly
Marlin Skiles
Dave Kahn
Country of origin
United States
Original language(s)
English
No. of seasons
6
No. of episodes
143 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Al Simon
Producer(s)
Arthur Lubin
Cinematography
Archie R. Dalzell
Maury Gertsman
Running time
28 mins.
Production company(s)
The Mister Ed Company
Filmways
Distributor
MGM Television
Release
Original network
Syndication (1961)
CBS (1961–66)
Original release
January 5, 1961 – February 6, 1966
Chronology
Related shows
Mister Ed (2004)
Connie Hines and Alan Young in TV's Mister Ed
Leon Ames and Florence MacMichael
Mister Ed is an American television sitcom produced by Filmways[1] which originally aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966.[2] The show's title character – a talking horse – originally appeared in short stories by Walter R. Brooks.
Mister Ed is one of the few series to debut in syndication and be picked up by a major network for prime time. All 143 episodes were filmed in black-and-white. [2]
Contents
[hide]
1 Beginnings
2 Synopsis
3 Cast
3.1 Guest stars
4 Episodes
5 Production notes
5.1 Making Ed "talk"
5.2 Death
5.3 Theme song
5.4 Sponsorship
6 DVD releases
7 Remakes
8 Legacy
9 References
10 External links
Beginnings[edit]
The Mister Ed show concept was derived from a series of short stories by children's author Walter R. Brooks, which began with The Talking Horse in the September 18, 1937, issue of Liberty magazine.[3] Brooks is otherwise best known for the Freddy the Pig series of children's novels, which likewise featured talking animals that interact with humans. Sonia Chernus, secretary to director Arthur Lubin, introduced Lubin to the Brooks stories and is credited with developing the concept for television.
The show's concept resembles that of the Francis the Talking Mule movies in which an equine title character talks, but only to one person, thus causing a variety of opportunities and frustrations. The first six Francis films (1950–55) were also directed by Lubin.[4]
Lubin wanted to make a Francis TV series but had been unable to secure the rights. However someone told him about Brooks' series of stories. He optioned these for TV.[5]
Comedian George Burns financed the original pilot for Mister Ed which was shot at his McCadden Studio in Hollywood at a cost of $70,000.[5] Scott McKay played Wilbur. Jack Benny was also involved behind the scenes.[6] Unable to sell the show to a network, Lubin decided to sell the show into syndication first. He managed to get single sponsor identification for the program on over 100 stations. The show was recast with Alan Young in the lead. Production began in November 1960, although Lubin did not direct early episodes because he was working in Europe on a film. The first 26 episodes were well received enough for the show to be picked up by CBS.[5][7]
Synopsis[edit]
The show in effect had two leads operating as a comedy team. The title role of Mister Ed, a talking palomino, was played by gelding Bamboo Harvester and voiced by former Western film actor Allan Lane. The role of Ed's owner, a genial but somewhat klutzy architect named Wilbur Post, was played by Alan Young. Many of the program's gags follow from Mister Ed's tendency to talk only to Wilbur, his skills as a troublemaker, and his precociously human-like behaviour that far exceeds anything those around Wilbur expect of a horse. A running gag is other characters hearing Wilbur talking to Ed and asking to whom he is talking. Another running gag centers on Wilbur being accident-prone and inadvertently causing harm to himself and others. According to Lubin, Young was chosen for the lead role because he "just seemed like the sort of guy a horse would talk to".[4]
The other main character throughout the series is Wilbur's generally tolerant young wife, Carol (Connie Hines). The Posts also have two sets of neighbors, to whom Ed delights in making Wilbur appear as eccentric as possible. They included the Addisons, Roger (Larry Keating) and his wife Kay (Edna Skinner), who both appeared from the pilot episode until Keating's death in 1963; thereafter, Skinner continued appearing as Kay, without mention of Roger's absence, until the neighbors were recast. During this period, Kay's brother Paul Fenton (Jack Albertson), who had made occasional appearances before, appears. Following the Addisons, the Posts' new neighbors were Col. Gordon Kirkwood, USAF (Ret.), Wilbur's former commanding officer (Leon Ames), and his wife Winnie (Florence MacMichael). They appeared on the series from 1963 to 1965.[2] In the final season, the Kirkwoods were phased out, while Carol's grumpy and uptight father, Mr. Higgins (Barry Kelley), who appeared occasionally throughout the entire series, apparently moved in with Wilbur and Carol during the final episodes. Wilbur and his father-in-law did not get along at all because Mr. Higgins loathed Wilbur, whose quirky eccentricity and klutzy, half-hearted attempts to be friendly always clashed with Mr. Higgins's emotionless and uptight personality. Carol's father never stopped trying to persuade her to divorce Wilbur, whom he often and openly referred to as a "kook" because of Wilbur's clumsiness. Alan Young performed double duty during the final season of the series, also directing nearly all episodes.
Ed's ability to talk was never explained, or ever contemplated much on the show. In the first episode, when Wilbur expresses an inability to understand the situation, Ed offers the show's only remark on the subject: "Don't try. It's bigger than both of us!"
The Posts resided at 17230 Valley Spring Road in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.[8]
Cast[edit]
Main cast
Allan Lane as Mister Ed (voice only)
Alan Young as Wilbur Post
Connie Hines as Carol Post
Bamboo Harvester as Mister Ed (credited as "Himself", as was standard for non-human characters in Filmways productions)
Supporting cast
Larry Keating as Roger Addison (1961–63); Seasons 1–3
Edna Skinner as Kay Addison (1961–63); Seasons 1–4
Leon Ames as Gordon Kirkwood (1963–65); Seasons 4–5
Florence MacMichael as Winnie Kirkwood (1963–65); Seasons 4–5
Jack Albertson as Paul Fenton (occasionally 1961–63); Seasons 2–4
Barry Kelley as Carol's Father, Mr. Higgins (occasionally 1962–65, recurring 1965-66)
Guest stars[edit]
Several celebrity guest stars appeared as themselves during the course of the series:
Mae West
Clint Eastwood in "Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed"[9]
George Burns
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Leo Durocher
Jon Provost
Sebastian Cabot
Jack LaLanne appeared in a cameo near the beginning of the "Psychoanalyst Show" episode of season 1, in which Ed is watching the exercise show.[10][11]
Other known performers appeared in character roles:
Donna Douglas appeared in three episodes, first as the "Lady Godiva" model in "Busy Wife",[12][13] then as Blanche in "Ed the Jumper"[14] and later as Clint Eastwood's girlfriend in "Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed"[9]
Irene Ryan
Raymond Bailey
Alan Hale Jr.[14]
Neil Hamilton
Hayden Rorke
William Bendix
Sharon Tate
Episodes[edit]
Main article: List of Mister Ed episodes
Production notes[edit]
The original, unaired pilot for the series was titled "Wilbur Pope and Mister Ed" and featured an unrelated instrumental big-band theme (with footage of Studebaker Lark automobiles being driven underneath the opening credits). In the pilot, which used a script that was nearly identical to that which would be used on the series premiere, used a totally different cast. Scott McKay played the title part of Wilbur Pope (surname later changed to "Post" prior to the series making it to air) and Sandra White played the role of Wilbur's wife.
The first horse that played Mister Ed for the first, unaired pilot episode was a chestnut gelding.[15] The horse proved to be unruly and difficult to work with and was replaced with the horse named Bamboo Harvester (1949–1970), a crossbred gelding of American Saddlebred, Arabian and grade ancestry.[16] A second pilot episode was filmed and Bamboo Harvester remained with the series until its cancellation.
Making Ed "talk"[edit]
Mister Ed's producers left the talents that performed the title role uncredited. The show's credits listed Mister Ed as being played only by "Himself".
The voice actor for Ed's spoken lines was Allan "Rocky" Lane, a former B-movie cowboy star. Sheldon Allman provided Ed's singing voice in episodes; his solo line ("I am Mister Ed") at the close of the show's theme song was provided by its composer, Jay Livingston. Allan Lane was alluded to by the producers only as "an actor who prefers to remain nameless." After the show became a hit, Lane campaigned the producers for credit but never received it.
The horse Bamboo Harvester portrayed Ed throughout the run. Ed's stablemate, a quarterhorse named Pumpkin, also served as Bamboo Harvester's stunt double for the show. This horse later appeared again in the television series Green Acres.
Bamboo Harvester's trainer was Les Hilton. To create the impression that Ed was having a conversation, Hilton initially used a thread technique he had employed for Lubin's earlier Mule films; in time, though, this became unnecessary. As actor Alan Young recounted: "It was initially done by putting a piece of nylon thread in his mouth. But Ed actually learned to move his lips on cue when the trainer touched his hoof. In fact, he soon learned to do it when I stopped talking during a scene! Ed was very smart."[17]
Reports circulated during and after the show's run that the talking effect was achieved by crew members applying peanut butter to the horse's gums. Alan Young said in later interviews that he invented the story. "Al Simon and Arthur Lubin, the producers, suggested we keep the method [of making the horse appear to talk] a secret because they thought kids would be disappointed if they found out the technical details of how it was done, so I made up the peanut butter story, and everyone bought it."[17][18]
Young added that Bamboo Harvester saw trainer Les Hilton as the disciplinarian father figure. When scolded by Hilton for missing a cue, the horse would move to Young for comfort, treating the actor as a mother figure. Hilton told Young this was a positive development.[19]
Death[edit]
There are conflicting stories involving of the death of Bamboo Harvester, the horse that played Mister Ed.
Alan Young said he had frequently visited Harvester in retirement. He states that Bamboo Harvester died from an inadvertent tranquilizer administered while he was in a stable on Sparks Street in Burbank, California, where he lived with his trainer Lester Hilton. Young says Hilton was out of town visiting relatives, and a temporary caregiver might have seen Bamboo Harvester rolling on the ground, struggling to get up. Young said Harvester was a heavy horse, and he was not always strong enough to get back on his feet without struggling. The theory is, the caregiver thought the horse was in distress, administered a tranquilizer, and, for unknown reasons, the horse died within hours. The remains were cremated and scattered by Hilton in the Los Angeles area at a spot known only to him.[20]
Another story claims that by 1968 Bamboo Harvester suffering old age ailments and was euthanized in 1970, with no publicity, and buried at Snodgrass Farm in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.[21]
A third story claims that after Mr. Ed Bamboo Harvester's health was failing, that he suffered from arthritis and kidney problems, and had to be euthanized at the age of 19.[22]
A different horse who died in Oklahoma in February 1979 was widely thought to be Bamboo Harvester, but this horse was, in fact, a horse that posed for the still pictures of Mister Ed used by the production company for the show's press kits. This horse was unofficially known as "Mister Ed", which led to his being reported as such (including sardonic comments on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update) following his own death.[23]
Theme song[edit]
The theme song, titled "Mister Ed", was written by the songwriting team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and sung by Livingston himself. The first seven episodes used only instrumental music to open the show; thereafter the version with lyrics was used. Livingston agreed to sing the song himself until a professional singer could be found; the producers liked the songwriter's vocals and kept them on the broadcast. During most of the show's run the ending theme song used only instrumental music. In some episodes, however, the theme song is sung during the closing credits.
The theme song received renewed publicity twenty years after the show went off the air when Jim Brown, a preacher from South Point, Ohio, claimed in May 1986 that it contained "satanic messages" if heard in reverse. Brown and his colleague Greg Hudson claimed that the phrases "Someone sung this song for Satan" and "the source is Satan" would be audible. At their behest teenagers burned over 300 records and cassettes of secular music with alleged satanic messages. The teens did not burn a copy of Television's Greatest Hits, but Brown asserted that "Satan can be an influence whether they [the songwriters] know it or not. We don't think they did it on purpose and we're not getting down on Mister Ed."[24]
Sponsorship[edit]
The series was sponsored from 1961 to 1963 by Studebaker-Packard Corporation and Studebaker Corporation.[25] At first, sponsorship came from Studebaker's dealer association, with corporate sponsorship coming from South Bend once the series had been picked up by CBS. Studebakers were featured prominently in the show during this period. The Posts are shown owning a 1962 Lark convertible, and the company used publicity shots featuring the Posts and Mister Ed with their product (various cast members also appeared in "integrated commercials" for Lark at the end of the program). When another Lark convertible served as the official pace car at the 1962 Indianapolis 500, Connie Hines attended the race as part of the promotion.
Studebaker's sales dropped dramatically in 1961 and, despite their exposure via sponsoring this program, never recovered. Studebaker ended U.S. motor vehicle production on December 20, 1963. Later, Studebaker's sponsorship and vehicle-supply agreement ended, and The Ford Motor Company provided the vehicles seen on-camera starting at the beginning of 1965. (Studebaker vehicle production ended in March 1966.)
DVD releases[edit]
MGM Home Entertainment released two Best-of collections of Mister Ed on DVD in Region 1. Volume 1 (released January 13, 2004) contains 21 episodes and Volume 2 (released March 8, 2005) contains 20 episodes. Due to poor sales,[26] further volumes were not released.
MGM also released a single-disc release entitled Mister Ed's Barnyard Favorites on July 26, 2005 which contains the first eight episodes featured on Volume One.
Shout! Factory announced in June 2009 that they had acquired the rights to release Mister Ed on DVD, and subsequently released the six seasons on DVD in Region 1 in the U.S. Notably, Seasons 4 and 5 are not available outside of the continental U.S. The sixth and final season was released on May 12, 2015.[27]
Syndicated versions of eight episodes were utilized for Season One DVD release. All other DVD releases contain unedited, full-length versions.[28]
One episode (the second-season episode "Ed the Beneficiary") has lapsed into the public domain. Also in the public domain is a 19-minute production of the United States Department of the Treasury, done in the style of a Mister Ed episode with the show's full cast (but without a laugh track), promoting Savings Bonds, and the original unaired pilot, which was published without a copyright notice.
On December 9, 2014, Shout! Factory released Mister Ed- Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.[29] The 22-disc set contains all 143 episodes of the series as well as bonus features.
DVD Name
Ep #
Release Date
Season One/The Complete First Season 26 October 6, 2009
The Complete Second Season 26 February 2, 2010
The Complete Third Season 26 June 1, 2010
The Complete Fourth Season♦ 26 November 16, 2010[30]
The Complete Fifth Season♦ 26 June 21, 2011[31]
The Final Season/The Complete Sixth Season 13 May 12, 2015[32]
The Complete Series 143 December 9, 2014
♦- Shout! Factory Exclusives title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store
Remakes[edit]
In 2004, a remake was planned for the Fox network, with Sherman Hemsley as the voice of Mister Ed, David Alan Basche as Wilbur, and Sherilyn Fenn as Carol.[33]
In 2012, Waterman Entertainment announced they were developing a new feature film based on Mister Ed.[34]
Legacy[edit]
A race horse named after the character in the television show took part in the 1994 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree, England but did not complete the course.
In 2007, it was reported that a housing developer intended to create a community near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, built around the supposed final resting place of Mister Ed (who died in 1970). It was intended to be themed to the style of the show and its period.[35]
References[edit]
Jump up ^ The New York Times Encyclopedia of Television by Les Brown (Times Books, a division of Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Company, Inc., 1977), ISBN 0-8129-0721-3, p. 277
^ Jump up to: a b c Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). Random House LLC. p. 905. ISBN 0-307-48320-7.
Jump up ^ PARTNERS SLATE TV COMEDY SERIES: Lubin, Hamilton Pian 'Ed and Wilbur Pope' Films' --'Playhouse 90' Cast By OSCAR GODBOUT Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] Oct 16, 1957: 70.
^ Jump up to: a b "Mr. Ed and Arthur Lubin – Framework – Photos and Video – Visual Storytelling from the Los Angeles Times". June 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
^ Jump up to: a b c Jack Gaver (26 July 1961). "Nag Talked Way Onto the Network". The Washington Post, Times Herald. p. B7.
Jump up ^ Wolters, Larry (8 Aug 1958). "WHERE TO DIAL TODAY: Hope Signs Keel for 'Roberta'". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.
Jump up ^ Hopper, Hedda (23 Sep 1960). "Juliet Prowse Is Wanted for Noel Coward Picture". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. d2.
Jump up ^ Ed, the Jumper @ ~2:25 http://www.hulu.com/watch/197686
^ Jump up to: a b Mister Ed: Season 2, Episode 25 Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed (22 Apr. 1962) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0649770/
Jump up ^ Psychoanalyst Show (20 Apr. 1961) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0649856/
Jump up ^ "Watch Mister Ed Online - Psychoanalyst Show - Hulu". Hulu.
Jump up ^ Season 1, Episode 3 Busy Wife (19 Jan. 1961) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0649768/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
Jump up ^ "Watch Mister Ed Online - Busy Wife - Hulu". Hulu.
^ Jump up to: a b Season 2, Episode 5 Ed the Jumper (29 Oct. 1961) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0649800/
Jump up ^ "18 Famous TV Roles Originally Played by Someone Else". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
Jump up ^ "Bamboo Harvester Palomino".
^ Jump up to: a b "Alan Young talks about Mister Ed and Hollywood lore". My Daily Find. December 1, 2009. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
Jump up ^ John Clark (January 4, 2004). "Interview with Alan Young". Sfgate.com. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
Jump up ^ "Archive of American Television Interview with Alan Young – Google Videos". Video.google.com. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
Jump up ^ Young, Alan. "Mister Ed and Me" 1994, St. Martins Press, New York, ISBN 0-312-11852-X, pp. 181–3
Jump up ^ Ronald Leon (January 1, 2001). "Mister 'Mr. Ed' Ed (1949-1970) – Find a Grave Memorial". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
Jump up ^ "Manes & Tails Organization Horse Rescue - The Famous Mr. Ed". www.manesandtailsorganization.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
Jump up ^ Curtis, Gene (October 5, 2007). "Only in Oklahoma: The famous Mister Ed still keeps 'em talking". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
Jump up ^ Mitchell, Justin (May 8, 1986). "Satan Taking Mr. Ed Along For The Ride?". chicagotribune.com.
Jump up ^ Foster, Patrick (2008). Studebaker: The Complete History. MotorBooks International. p. 158. ISBN 1-616-73018-8.
Jump up ^ Lewis, Hilary (1 July 2008). "Dead "Mister Ed" Creator Sues MGM For DVD Royalties". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
Jump up ^ "Date, Package Revealed for 'The Complete 6th and Final Season'".
Jump up ^ "Mister Ed: The Complete First Season: DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". Dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
Jump up ^ "Mister Ed DVD news: Announcement for Mister Ed - The Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD.com".
Jump up ^ "Shout! Factory Store". Shout! Factory Store. June 21, 2011. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Shout! Factory Store". Shout! Factory Store. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Shout! Factory - Mister Ed: The Final Season".
Jump up ^ "'Mister Ed' gets a new voice". cnn.com. February 17, 2004.
Jump up ^ "Mister Ed Movie Goes Into Development, Of Course, Of Course". Cinemablend.com. September 21, 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
Jump up ^ Gene Curtis, "Only in Oklahoma: The famous Mister Ed still keeps 'em talking", Tulsa World, October 5, 2007.
External links[edit]
Horses portal
Television portal
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mister Ed.
Mister Ed on IMDb
Mister Ed at TV.com
A film clip "Ed the Beneficiary" is available at the Internet Archive
A film clip "Wilbur Gets The Message... About Payroll Savings!" is available at the Internet Archive
A film clip "Mr. Ed and Wilbur Pope- unaired pilot" is available at the Internet Archive
How did they get Mr. Ed to talk? from the Straight Dope
Mister Ed at TV Acres
Interview with Alan Young, October 17, 2007
DVD review of Complete Season 1 and production history
"Photo of Mr. Ed and director Arthur Lubin". June 7, 2013.
Mister Ed on IMDb (2004 remake)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mister_Ed&oldid=831469396"
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American Pie (song)
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"American Pie"
Picture sleeve for U.S. vinyl single. Artwork is also used as the front cover for the album of the same name and many other international releases of the single.
Single by Don McLean
from the album American Pie
B-side
"Empty Chairs" (promo)
"American Pie part 2" (first release)
Released
November 1971 (original)
November 1991 (re-release)
Format
Vinyl (original)
CD, cassette, vinyl (reissue)
Recorded
May 26, 1971
Genre
Folk rock
Length
8:33 (LP)
4:11 (single part 1)
4:31 (single part 2)
Label
United Artists
Songwriter(s)
Don McLean
Producer(s)
Ed Freeman for The Rainbow Collection, Ltd.
Don McLean singles chronology
"Castles in the Air"
(1971) "American Pie"
(1971) "Vincent"
(1972)
"Castles in the Air"
(1971) "American Pie"
(1971) "Vincent"
(1972)
Audio sample
file
help
"American Pie" is a song by American folk rock singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released on the American Pie album in 1971, the single was a number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972. In the UK, the single reached No. 2 on its original 1972 release and a reissue in 1991 reached No. 12.[1] The song was listed as the No. 5 song on the RIAA project Songs of the Century. A truncated version of the song was covered by Madonna in 2000 and reached No. 1 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
The repeatedly mentioned "day the music died" refers to the 1959 plane crash which killed early rock and roll performers Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. (The crash was not known by that name until after McLean's song became a hit.) The meaning of the other lyrics has long been debated, and for decades, McLean declined to explain the symbolism behind the many characters and events mentioned. However, the overall theme of the song is the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation as symbolized by the plane crash which claimed the lives of three of its heroes.[2]
In 2017, McLean's original recording was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".[3]
Contents
[hide]
1 Background
1.1 Interpretations
2 Charts
3 Parodies, revisions, and uses
4 Madonna version
4.1 Background
4.2 Reception
4.3 Music video
4.4 Charts
4.4.1 Weekly charts
4.4.2 Year-end charts
4.5 All-time charts
4.6 Certifications
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links
Background[edit]
While it has been claimed that Don McLean began writing the song in upstate Saratoga Springs, New York, at Caffe Lena,[4] a 2011 New York Times article quotes Don McLean as disputing this claim.[5] Some employees at Caffe Lena claim that he started writing the song there, and then continued to write the song in both Cold Spring, New York,[6] and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[7] McLean claims that the song was only written in Cold Spring and Philadelphia.[5] Tin & Lint, a bar on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs, claims the song was written there, and a plaque marks the table. While some have said that other places, such as Saint Joseph's University, were where the song was first performed,[8] McLean insists that the song made its debut in Philadelphia at Temple University[5] when he opened for Laura Nyro on March 14, 1971.[7]
Interpretations[edit]
Except to acknowledge that he first learned about Buddy Holly's death on February 3, 1959—McLean was age 13—when he was folding newspapers for his paper route on the morning of February 4, 1959 (the line "February made me shiver/with every paper I'd deliver"), McLean has generally avoided responding to direct questions about the song's lyrics; he has said: "They're beyond analysis. They're poetry."[4][9] He also stated in an editorial published in 2009, on the 50th anniversary of the crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long-running grief over Holly's death and that he considers the song to be "a big song (…) that summed up the world known as America".[10] McLean dedicated the American Pie album to Holly.
It was also speculated that the song contains numerous references to post-World War II American events (such as the murders of civil rights workers Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner),[11] and elements of culture, including 1960s culture (e.g. sock hops, cruising, Bob Dylan,[12] The Beatles, Charles Manson, and much more).[13][14][15]
When asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean jokingly replied, "It means I don't ever have to work again if I don't want to."[16] Later, he stated, "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me ... Sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence."[17] He also commented on the popularity of his music, "I didn't write songs that were just catchy, but with a point of view, or songs about the environment."[18]
In February 2015, McLean announced he would reveal the meaning of the lyrics to the song when the original manuscript went for auction in New York City, in April 2015.[19] The lyrics and notes were auctioned on April 7, and sold for $1.2 million.[20] In the sale catalogue notes, McLean revealed the meaning in the song's lyrics: "Basically in American Pie things are heading in the wrong direction. ... It [life] is becoming less idyllic. I don't know whether you consider that wrong or right but it is a morality song in a sense."[21] The catalogue confirmed some of the better known references in the song's lyrics, including mentions of Elvis Presley ("the king") and Bob Dylan ("the jester"), and confirmed that the song culminates with a near-verbatim description of the death of Meredith Hunter at the Altamont Free Concert, ten years after the plane crash that killed Holly, Valens, and Richardson.[21]
Mike Mills of R.E.M. reflected: "American Pie just made perfect sense to me as a song and that’s what impressed me the most. I could say to people this is how to write songs. When you’ve written at least three songs that can be considered classic that is a very high batting average and if one of those songs happens to be something that a great many people think is one of the greatest songs ever written you’ve not only hit the top of the mountain but you’ve stayed high on the mountain for a long time.”[22]
In 2017, Bob Dylan was asked about how he was referenced in the song. "A jester? Sure, the jester writes songs like 'Masters of War,' 'A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,' 'It’s Alright, Ma' – some jester. I have to think he’s talking about somebody else. Ask him."[23]
Charts[edit]
Chart (1971)
Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report 1
Canadian RPM Top Singles 1
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks 1
Dutch Singles Chart 10
Irish Singles Chart 7
New Zealand Singles Chart 1
Norway (VG-lista)[24] 9
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[25] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 1
US Billboard Easy Listening 1
Parodies, revisions, and uses[edit]
In 1999, "Weird Al" Yankovic wrote and recorded a parody of "American Pie".[27] Titled "The Saga Begins", the song recounts the plot of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace from Obi-Wan Kenobi's point of view. While McLean gave permission for the parody, he did not make a cameo appearance in its video, despite popular rumor. McLean himself praised the parody, even admitting to almost singing Yankovic's lyrics during his own live performances because his children played the song so often.[28][29]
The City of Grand Rapids, Michigan created a lip dub video to "American Pie" in response to a Newsweek article that stated the city was "dying".[30] The video was hailed as a fantastic performance by many including Roger Ebert, who said it was "the greatest music video ever made."[31]
On March 21, 2013, Harmonix announced that "American Pie" would be the final downloadable track made available for the Rock Band series of music video games.[32]
On March 14, 2015, the National Museum of Mathematics announced that one of two winners of its songwriting contest was "American Pi" by mathematics education professor Dr. Lawrence M. Lesser.[33] The contest was in honor of "Pi Day of the Century" because "3/14/15" would be the only day in the 21st-century showing the first five digits of π (pi).
Madonna version[edit]
"American Pie"
Single by Madonna
from the album The Next Best Thing (Music from the Motion Picture)
Released
March 3, 2000
Format
CD single
Recorded
September 1999
(New York City, New York)[34]
Genre
Dance-pop
Length
4:33
Label
Maverick
Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Don McLean
Producer(s)
Madonna
William Orbit
Madonna singles chronology
"Beautiful Stranger"
(1999) "American Pie"
(2000) "Music"
(2000)
"Beautiful Stranger"
(1999) "American Pie"
(2000) "Music"
(2000)
Background[edit]
American pop singer Madonna released a cover version of the song in March 2000 to promote the soundtrack to her film The Next Best Thing (2000), with the song being serviced to radio on February 2.[35] Her cover is much shorter than the original (it contains only the beginning of the first verse and all of the second and sixth verses) and was recorded as a dance-pop song. It was co-produced by Madonna and William Orbit and released on the singer's Maverick label, after Rupert Everett (Madonna's co-star in The Next Best Thing) had convinced her to cover the song for the film's soundtrack.[36][37]
Reception[edit]
Released in March 2000, the song was a worldwide hit, reaching No. 1 in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany (her first since "La Isla Bonita", in 1987), Switzerland, Austria, and Finland. The song was the 19th best selling of 2000 in the UK and the 9th best selling of 2000 in Italy. The single was not released commercially in the United States, but it reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 due to strong radio airplay.
NME gave it a negative review, saying that it was "sub-karaoke fluff" and that "it's a blessing she didn't bother recording the whole thing."[38] Chuck Taylor from Billboard, on the other hand, was impressed by the recording and commented, "Applause to Madonna for not pandering to today's temporary trends and for challenging programmers to broaden their playlists. [...] In all, a fine preview of the forthcoming soundtrack to The Next Best Thing."[39] Don McLean himself praised the cover, saying it was "a gift from a goddess", and that her version is "mystical and sensual."[40] He also jokingly said, "It means that if I don't want to, I don't have to work again."[41] According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 385,000 copies in the United Kingdom and is her 16th best selling single to date in the UK.[42]
Music video[edit]
Madonna in the "American Pie" music video. In the scene Madonna, who is wearing a tiara, is standing while an American flag can be seen behind her.
The music video, filmed in the Southern USA and in London[43] and directed by Philipp Stölzl, depicts a diverse array of ordinary Americans, including scenes showing same-sex couples kissing. Throughout the music video Madonna, who is wearing a tiara on her head, dances and sings in front of a large American flag.
Two official versions of the video were produced, the first of which now appears on Madonna's greatest-hits DVD compilation, Celebration, and was released as the official video worldwide. The second version was issued along with the "Humpty Remix", a more upbeat and dance-friendly version of the song. This video was aired on MTV's dance channel in the United States to promote the film The Next Best Thing, starring Madonna and Rupert Everett; it contains totally different footage and new outtakes of the original and omits the lesbian kiss. Everett, who provides backing vocals in the song, is also featured in the video.

Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (2000)
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[44]
1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[45]
3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[46]
6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[47]
7
Canadian Singles (Nielsen)[48]
1
European Hot 100 Singles[49]
1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[50]
1
France (SNEP)[51]
8
Germany (Official German Charts)[52]
1
Italy (FIMI)[53]
1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[54]
4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[55]
6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[56]
4
Norway (VG-lista)[57]
1
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[58]
1
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[59]
1
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[60]
1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[61]
1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[62]
1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[63]
1
US Billboard Hot 100[64]
29
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[65]
21
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[66]
20
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[67]
1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[68]
16
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (2000)
Position
Australia (ARIA)[69]
66
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[70]
32
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[71]
46
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[72]
44
France (SNEP)[73]
44
Germany (Official German Charts)[74]
16
Italy (FIMI)[75]
9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[76]
46
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[58]
50
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[77]
9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[78]
11
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
19
All-time charts[edit]
Chart
Position
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[79]
681
Certifications[edit]
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[80]
Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[81]
Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[82]
Silver 125,000*
Sweden (GLF)[83]
Platinum 30,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[84]
Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[85]
Gold 400,000^
*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
References[edit]
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Jump up ^ "Understanding American Pie – Interpretation of Don Mclean's epic anthem to the passing of an era.". UnderstandingAmericanPie.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2003. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
Jump up ^ "National Recording Registry Picks Are "Over the Rainbow"". Library of Congress. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Don McLean's 'American Pie' fetches $1.2M Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Mass) 8 April 2015: A.2.
^ Jump up to: a b c "‘American Pie’ Still Homemade, but With a New Twist". The New York Times. November 30, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Release: Don Mclean’s Original Manuscript For "American Pie" To Be Sold At Christie's New York, 7 April 2015". Christie's.com. February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b "Memory Bank's a Little Off, But Sentiment Still Holds". August 12, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
Jump up ^ McDonald, Shannon (November 28, 2011). "Don McLean: 'American Pie' was written in Philly and first performed at Saint Joseph's University". Newsworks.org. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
Jump up ^ "American Pie". Don McLean.com. p. 68.
Jump up ^ McLean, Don (February 1, 2009). "Commentary: Buddy Holly, rock music genius". CNN. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
Jump up ^ O'Brien, P. (March 3, 1999). "Understanding the lyrics of American Pie: The analysis and interpretation of Don McLean's song lyrics". The Octopus's Garden. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
Jump up ^ "American Pie". Edlis.org. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
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Jump up ^ McLean, Don (January 2005). Recording Notes: Classic Tracks: Don McLean's 'American Pie'. Jackson, Blair, Mix29.1. pp. 126, 128, 130.
Jump up ^ "Don McLean explains why he won't reveal the meaning of "American Pie" – CBS News". CBSNews.com. CBS Interactive Inc. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017. “But the quartet practicing in the park, that’s not the Beatles?” Axelrod asked. “No,” McLean replied.
Jump up ^ Howard, Dr. Alan. "The Don McLean Story: 1970–1976". Don-McLean.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2007.
Jump up ^ "What is Don McLean's song "American Pie" all about?". The Straight Dope. May 14, 1993. Archived from the original on May 28, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2007.
Jump up ^ Howell, Dave (Special to The Morning Call — Freelance) (May 24, 2001). "Singer Don McLean's As American as Apple Pie ** Mayfair 2001 ** Popular". Morning Call (First ed.). Allentown, Pa.
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Jump up ^ "American Pie lyrics sell for $1.2m". BBC News. April 7, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b Hawksley, Rupert (April 7, 2015). "American Pie: 6 crazy conspiracy theories". The Daily Telegraph.
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Jump up ^ "NME Track Reviews – American Pie". NME. February 26, 2000. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
Jump up ^ Taylor, Chuck (February 12, 2000). "Spotlight: Madonna "American Pie"". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
Jump up ^ "Don McLean Praises Madonna's 'American Pie'". MTV. February 2, 2000. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
Jump up ^ What do you think of Madonna's version of your song American Pie? I willnever have to work again – Don McLean: (Final 1 Edition) Spanton, Tim. The Sun (London (UK)) 27 Dec 2000: 8.
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^ Jump up to: a b "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 2000" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005.
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Further reading[edit]
Adams, Cecil (May 15, 1993). "What is Don McLean's song "American Pie" all about?". The Straight Dope. Chicago Reader, Inc. Retrieved June 8, 2009. An interpretation of the lyrics based on a supposed interview of McLean by DJ Casey Kasem. McLean later confirmed the Buddy Holly reference in a letter to Adams but denied ever speaking to Kasem.
Roteman, Jeff (August 10, 2002). "Bob Dearborn's Original Analysis of Don McLean's 1971 Classic 'American Pie'". This article correlates McLean's biography with the historic events in the song. McLean pointed to WCFL (Chicago, Illinois) radio disc jockey Bob Dearborn as the partial basis for most mainstream interpretations of "American Pie". Dearborn's analysis, mailed to listeners on request, bears the date January 7, 1972. Roteman's reprinting added photos but replaced the date January 7, 1972, by an audio link bearing the date February 28, 1972, the date Dearborn aired his interpretation on WCFL (http://user.pa.net/~ejjeff/bobpie.ram (Bob Dearborn's American Pie Analysis original broadcast February 28, 1972))
Fann, Jim. "Understanding American Pie". Archived from the original on September 6, 2003. Historically oriented interpretation of "American Pie". The interpretation was specifically noted on in an archived version of McLean's website page on "American Pie".[1] The material, dated November 2002, includes a recording of Dinah Shore singing "See The USA In Your Chevrolet" and a photograph of Mick Jagger in costume at the Altamont Free Concert with a Hells Angel member in the background.
Full "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" lyrics for Dinah Shore on "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" (1956–1961)
Kulawiec, Rich (August 26, 2001). "FAQ: The Annotated 'American Pie'". Archived from the original on April 19, 2003. Retrieved September 19, 2007. FAQ maintained by Rich Kulawiec, started in 1992 and essentially completed in 1997.
"American Pie—A Rock Epic" A multi-media presentation of Rich Kulawiec's The Annotated "American Pie".
Levitt, Saul (May 26, 1971). "Interpretation of American Pie – analysis, news, Don McLean, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Rock & Roll". Missamericanpie.co.uk. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
External links[edit]
The Official Website of Don McLean and American Pie provides the songwriter's own biography, lyrics and clues to the song's meaning.
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Preceded by
"Brand New Key" by Melanie US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Don McLean version)
January 15, 1972 (four weeks) Succeeded by
"Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
Preceded by
"Cherish" by David Cassidy Billboard Easy Listening Singles number-one single (Don McLean version)
January 15, 1972 (three weeks) Succeeded by
"Hurting Each Other" by The Carpenters
Preceded by
"Brand New Key" by Melanie Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Don McLean version)
March 6, 1972 (five weeks) Succeeded by
"Without You" by Nilsson
Preceded by
"Pure Shores" by All Saints UK Singles Chart number-one single (Madonna version)
March 5, 2000 – March 11, 2000 (one week) Succeeded by
"Don't Give Up" by Chicane featuring Bryan Adams
Preceded by
"My Heart Goes Boom (La Di Da Da)" by French Affair German Singles Chart number-one single (Madonna version)
March 10, 2000 (one week) Succeeded by
"Maria Maria" by Santana featuring The Product G&B
Preceded by
"Freestyler" by Bomfunk MC's Swedish Singles Chart number-one single (Madonna version)
March 23, 2000 (one week) Succeeded by
"Never Be the Same Again" by Melanie C featuring Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
Preceded by
"Chase" by Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (Madonna version)
April 1, 2000 (one week) Succeeded by
"Think It Over" by Jennifer Holliday
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Jump up ^ archived version of McLean's website page on "American Pie"
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Pie_(song)&oldid=802277304"
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1970s ballads
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