After I posted this in conjunction with news of Rush Limbaugh's death last Monday, I couldn't believe I hadn't already put it up for Sunday Music. It's like seeing Zulu on TV: if you hear this on the radio, you have to listen to the entirety until it's over. It's one of a very small number of the quinetessential American modern ballads, and it deserves to go up now. Partly because Rush's departure isn't a quick loss, and even more so because this song is so American, being able to sing along with this entire eight and a half minutes of musical iconography should be part of the mandatory US citizenship exam.
Sing it with me one more time.
I can probably sing it from memory, still.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of the first batch of 8 tracks I bought as a young teen.
Can you say "Columbia House" ?
That and "We didn't start the fire" are two I use to identify folks who are either old like me or history aware/WOKE and with whom I KNOW I can have an at least GROUNDED discussion of historical things and how today (for almost ANY value of TODAY) might fit into the stream.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this repeat.
Night Driver (who is feeling damn near every one of his ALMOST 3 score and ten today.
A sing-along to American Pie was a mandatory part of any Run of the Ville made by my Flight in Korea back in 85-86.
ReplyDeleteFollowed by much drunken discussion of just who/what did he mean by that part of the song...
I like your suggestion of it being part of the citizenship process. Approved.
ReplyDeleteI put more than one dime in the jukebox to listen to this one . . .
ReplyDeleteFirst heard it in 1977-78 on the car radio (not a chevy, but a Datsun 280Z). Although it has quite a moving tune and refrain, it probably means more to those who grew up in 'mericuh. I was about 28 or 29 at that time, and had arrived in the US in June of 1973. And moreover I am not of the Abrahamic traditions.
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