Don McLean looks back at his masterpiece, ‘American Pie’

NEW YORK (AP) — Fans of the iconic song “American Pie” have sometimes wondered about the lyrics they are singing loudly. Singer-songwriter Don McLean shares the secrets in the new full-length feature documentary, “The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie.’” His masterpiece is packed with cultural references, from Chevrolet to Vietnam War protests and nursey rhymes, while namechecking The Byrds, John Lennon, Charles Manson and James Dean. The lyrics — dreamlike and impressionistic — have been pored over for decades, dissected for meaning. The documentary airs Tuesday (July 19, 2022) on Paramount+.