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2 Don McLean quizzes and 40 Don McLean trivia questions.
1.
  Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie" editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
Just how much do you know about Don McLean's classic "American Pie"? Pit yourself against 25 questions about the song and/or associated facts. Song #17 in the 'Anatomy' series.
Average, 25 Qns, FussBudget, Nov 26 22
Average
FussBudget gold member
Nov 26 22
15051 plays
2.
  American Pie   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Some questions about the lyrics to "American Pie". These are not about interpretation. There are many ways to interpret the lyrics. This quiz assumes that the lyrics are to be taken literally. Questions are in the same order as the lyrics.
Easier, 15 Qns, paulbrec, Nov 14 09
Easier
paulbrec
4494 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Who catches the train?

From Quiz "Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie""





Don McLean Trivia Questions

1. What month does this song take place?

From Quiz
American Pie

Answer: February

"February made me shiver...." Note: Don McLean said that he would never reveal his interpretation of the lyrics. It is left up to each one of us. This is one of the things that makes this song a pleasure to listen to, and keeps it a classic.

2. The song revolves around the deaths of three famous musicians in what type of tragedy?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Plane crash

On 3 February, 1959, a plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J P Richardson (the 'Big Bopper') crashed in Iowa during a snowstorm. It is generally considered that the lyric "The day the music died" is McLean's tribute to the influence that these three performers had on the early stages of Rock and Roll.

3. What job does the singer have in this song?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Newspaper delivery

"February made me shiver...With every paper I deliver..." Apparently, Don McLean really was a paperboy during the time this song takes place.

4. In what month did the deaths of the three musicians occur?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: February

"But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step" According to www.songfacts.com: "McLean was a paperboy when Holly died. He learned about the plane crash when he cut into his stack of papers and saw the lead story".

5. What happened the Day the Music Died?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Something touched me deep inside

"...but something touched me deep inside...The Day the Music Died..."

6. What was driven to the levee?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Chevy

"Drove my Chevy to the levee...but the levee was dry..."

7. What type of car gets a mention in the song?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Chevrolet

"So bye bye, miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee" According to www.wikipedia.com: "The chorus is simple, with most reviewers equating "Miss American Pie" with all types of American music or everything that is good about the country. There is also an unconfirmed rumor that McLean dated a Miss America contestant for a time. The chorus ends with "this'll be the day that I die." Holly had a popular song called "That'll Be The Day", in which the line "that'll be the day that I die" is repeated in the chorus. "Bye, bye Miss American Pie" may also refer to the loss of innocence caused by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, since "American pie" may be an oblique reference to apple pie, a symbol of traditional American values and morality".

8. The singer was a lonely teenaged bronking buck with what?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: A pink carnation and a pickup truck

"...I was a lonely teenaged bronking buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck..."

9. In the song, a drink gets mentioned. What is this drink?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Whiskey & Rye

"Drove my Chevy to the levee But the levee was dry And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin' "this'll be the day that I die"

10. Who did the Jester get his coat from?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: James Dean

...When the Jester sang for the king and queen...In a coat he borrowed from James Dean..."

11. The title of a "Byrds" song appears in the lyrics. What song is that?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Eight Miles High

"Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast" According to www.songfacts.com: "The line "Eight miles high and falling fast" is likely a reference to The Byrds' hit "Eight Miles High".

12. What did the Jester steal?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: The king's crown

"....and while the king was looking down...The Jester stole his thorny crown..."

13. The title of a "Beatles" song also appears in the lyrics. What song is that?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Helter Skelter

"Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast" Regrettably, "Helter Skelter" had been immortalised for all the wrong reasons by Charles Manson and his cohorts.

14. What happened in the park?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: The quartet practiced

"...and while Lennon/Lenin read a book on Marx...The quartet practiced in the park..."

15. "`Cause I saw you dancin' ______ You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues" Where was the dance taking place?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: In the gym

"Well, I know that you're in love with him `Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues" According to www.wikpedia.com: "Rock and roll from the 1950s included frequent slow songs, played at sock hops and other dances. Sock hops are referenced later in the second verse, with "I saw you dancing in the gym" (sock hops were frequently held in gyms) and "You both kicked off your shoes" (shoes would scuff the floor of gyms, hence teens danced in socks)".

16. What did the birds do?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Flew off with a fallout shelter

"Helter-skelter in the summer swelter...The birds flew off with a fallout shelter..."

17. Why could the players not take the field?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: The marching band refused to yield

"'Cause the players tried to take the field...The marching band refused to yield..."

18. What is it that might "save your mortal soul"?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Music

"Do you believe in rock and roll Can music save your mortal soul And can you teach me how to dance real slow"

19. What did we not have time to do?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Start again

" Now there we are all in one place...A generation lost in space...With no time left to start again..."

20. What article(s) of clothing are removed when the dancing occurs?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Shoes

"Well, I know that you're in love with him 'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues"

21. What did Jack do with the candle stick?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Sat on it

"So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick...Jack Flash sat on a candle stick..."

22. In the chorus McLean sings about the "good old boys". In what Dan Ackroyd movie do we see an appearance by a group of people known as the "good old boys"?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Blues Brothers

"Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye" In the Blues Brothers, Ackroyd and John Belushi (Elwood & Jake Blues) turn up early to 'Bob's Country Bunker' and impersonate the attraction for that night, 'The Good Old Boys'. To their horror, the crowd expects them to play Country and Western, which leads to the classic exchange on stage: "Who knows a country song"? "What about 'The Wreck Of The Ol' 97'"? "Okay, what key do we play it in"? "F. Good country key"

23. Who was laughing with delight?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Satan

"...I saw Satan laughing with delight...The Day the Music Died..."

24. What football terminology does NOT appear in the song lyrics?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Penalty

"It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast" It is widely conjectured that the 'jester' in the lyrics is a refernce to Bob Dylan. According to wikipedia: "The jester returns to the song and is "on the sidelines in a cast", referring to Dylan's 1966 motorcycle crash that badly injured him".

25. What did the girl do when the singer asked for some happy news?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: Smiled and turned away

"I met a girl who sang the blues...and I asked her for some happy news...and she just smiled and turned away..."

26. What colour is the carnation?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Pink

"I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck"

27. What did the man at the Sacred Store say?

From Quiz American Pie

Answer: The music wouldn't play

"...I went down to the Sacred Store...Where I heard the music years before...But the man said the music wouldn't play..." Note: For a while, there were some university courses where students were asked to analyze the lyrics of "American Pie".

28. What was wrong with "the church bells"?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: They were broken

"But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken"

29. The song goes: "We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field" What happened? Why didn't the players take the field?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: The marching band was still on it

"'Cause the players tried to take the field" The marching band refused to yield" 16 April 1977, Leeds United vs Ipswich Town, at Elland Road. This exact scenario happened following the half-time break. Presumably the band leader was a Don McLean fan! I could not find any web references to the incident itself but recall seeing it with my own eyes on the news. According to www.wikipedia.com: "The following two lines ("Cause the players tried to take the field/The marching band refused to yield") may bring back the DNC of 1968, with the marching band being the protestors and the players being the Chicago police and Illinois National Guard. The players may also be the Ohio National Guard, referring to the infamous shootings of unarmed protestors at Kent State University. More generally, some have interpreted it as an indictment of the military-industrial complex's refusal to heed the desires of the people of the United States on the subject of the Vietnam War. Others intepret this line as the rivalry between intelligent, art rock (such as the Beatles) and fun, dance rock (such as the Beach Boys)".

30. What 1960s science fiction show gets inadvertently mentioned in the course of the lyrics?

From Quiz Anatomy of a Song: "American Pie"

Answer: Lost In Space

"Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation lost in space With no time left to start again" Ah! Lost In Space! How could we ever forget the immortal words from Professor John Robinson: "Man first landed on the Moon in 1970"! Hmmm, this incompetence could explain how they ended up helplessly marooned! I swear, they should have put the Robot in charge, he was the only one that made any sense! (Yes, I know the date error was because the show was made prior to the moon landing and so therefore they had to estimate).

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