The original 16 pages he penned the lyrics on 44 years ago. The song came out in November of 1971. These original lyrics were said to contain hints as to what the H he was talking about in some of his verse. I have some tidbits on what they mean and will add them ...please do the same if you know or heard different than I post or additional ..... (I can't read the lyrics without signing the song to myself. LOL Be glad you are not around me. 
Don Mclean – American Pie Lyrics
A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
But February made me shiver (Don was a paper boy when he first heard)
With every paper I'd deliver (of the plane crash with Buddy Holly and gang)
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried (Buddy Holly)
When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie (no clue what the verse means)
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him (his GF I suppose)
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But, that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen (jester = Bob Dylan)
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh and while the king was looking down (King = Elvis)
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned (Warren Commissions verdict on the Kennedy assassination)
And while Lenin read a book on Marx (John Lennon and the Beatles)
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark (dirges = funeral march song ...I've often wondered WTH this was talking about..anyone?)
The day the music died
We were singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Helter skelter in a summer swelter (Charles Manson and his followers)
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast (The Who maybe???)
It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast (Dylans Motorcycle Accident)
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune (Beatles)
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space (tv show Lost in space)
With no time left to start again
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick (Jack Flash = Rolling Stones)
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend (Mick)
Oh and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight (Mick and Stones and Sympathy for)
The day the music died ( the Devil maybe)
He was singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
I met a girl who sang the blues (Janis Joplin)
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
They were singing
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Songwriters: MCLEAN, DON
American Pie lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Don Mclean – American Pie Lyrics
A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
But February made me shiver (Don was a paper boy when he first heard)
With every paper I'd deliver (of the plane crash with Buddy Holly and gang)
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried (Buddy Holly)
When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie (no clue what the verse means)
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him (his GF I suppose)
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But, that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen (jester = Bob Dylan)
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh and while the king was looking down (King = Elvis)
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned (Warren Commissions verdict on the Kennedy assassination)
And while Lenin read a book on Marx (John Lennon and the Beatles)
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark (dirges = funeral march song ...I've often wondered WTH this was talking about..anyone?)
The day the music died
We were singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Helter skelter in a summer swelter (Charles Manson and his followers)
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast (The Who maybe???)
It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast (Dylans Motorcycle Accident)
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune (Beatles)
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space (tv show Lost in space)
With no time left to start again
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick (Jack Flash = Rolling Stones)
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend (Mick)
Oh and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight (Mick and Stones and Sympathy for)
The day the music died ( the Devil maybe)
He was singin'
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
I met a girl who sang the blues (Janis Joplin)
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
They were singing
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
Songwriters: MCLEAN, DON
American Pie lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
