The iconic and lyrically enigmatic hit by Don McLean was just beginning it's climb up to number one at just about this date in December 40 years ago and now, after all that time, Don himself clears up a few facts that, over the decades, have twisted away from the truth.
McLean says "American Pie" was written in Philadelphia, not the upstate New York bar that has long laid claim to it.
The Post-Star of Glens Falls, NY writes that the 66-year-old singer and songwriter says that, contrary to local lore, he didn't write the song on cocktail napkins at the Tin and Lint in Saratoga Springs. He also says the first time he performed the song wasn't at Caffe Lena, a famous coffeehouse around the corner from the bar.
McLean states he wrote "American Pie" in Philadelphia and performed it for the first time at Temple University.
I know that this is likely one of those "who gives a rat's" facts but at least now you'll have something new to say about it the next time you play it; assuming you still have a job where they allow you to comment on something that isn't vetted, cleared and written on a liner card.