"American Pie" (updated, much grimmer)
- pmcarp4
- Sep 21
- 4 min read
Not too too long ago
I can still remember how the music made me smile
And I knew if we had our chance
That it could make us people dance
And maybe we'd be happy for a while
But January made me shiver
With every paper I'd read hither
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more hep
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his constant snide
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
Singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
Did you write the book of shove
When you had faith in God above
Since the Bible told you so?
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can maga save your wretched soul?
No you can't force us to enjoy the blows
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you votin' in the gym
You both kicked off your Hessian shoes
Man, I hate your exacting blues
I was once a high-hopin' puck
With a pink carnation and no no pickup truck
But I knew we were really fucked
The day the good music died
I started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
Singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
For eight months we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a plummeting stone
But that's not how it used to be
Before the jester sang for the king and queen
With hair he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from an awful key
Oh, and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No get-lost verdict was returned
And while Mister Vought read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove our Chevies to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
Singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off in a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and spiralin' fast
It landed foul on the grass
We players tried for a forward pass
The jester on the sidelines with a plentiful cast
Now the halftime air was sick perfume
While the fascist goons played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause we players tried to take the field
The marching thugs refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove our Chevies to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
And singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
Oh, and there we were all in one place
Three generations 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
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend
Oh, and as we watched him on the stage
Our 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
We saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove his tumbrel to the gallows and the blade was high
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
And singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
I met a girl who sang the blues
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 forsaken screamed
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the two men I admire most
FDR and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
They offered some gumption to our will but its well was dry
So them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye
Singin' this'll be the day that we die
This'll be the day that we die
Now we're all singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove our Chevies to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys are drinking whiskey 'n rye
And singin' this'll be the day that we die
***
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