The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie

This is an amazing biography of a song. It is hard to believe that it has been 50 years since its release. The film was extremely well directed and edited, so it moved quickly and didn't leave much out. I would have liked to have had more of The Big Bopper's story told, but he was relegated to the sidelines.

Best takeaway— Teenage Bronkin’ Buck line came about because of childhood chronic bronchidas

I loved it. If you're looking for an explanation of the lyrics, skip to 1:12 minutes. But if you want the whole thing, sit down for the whole ride and you won't be disappointed.

This documentary- as epic as the song itself- has everything you ever wanted to know about "American Pie", fifty years later. Near the end, Don McLean clears up a few of the misconceptions about the meaning of the lyrics.

Though the movie was great, and I learned more about the actual day the music died, the trailer gives the impression that the movie will be about all the lyrics of the song, whereas the only time the song is actually broken down is about 10 minutes at the end of the movie. Felt a bit misleading since the trailer makes you think you'll learn the meaning behind helter skelter in the summer swelter and singing dirges in the dark, and in reality it's just about remakes of the song and the day the music died (which is fine) but it's not what the trailer hyped it up to be. The movie was well made and I would recommend it, but it did not live up to my expectations by any means.

This film was an excellent tale of the story behind the iconic song 'American Pie'. The film does a great job at showcasing the heart behind the song, and it's ability to connect generations of people worldwide.

Who doesn't know this song ? So catchy and it has such a great vibe! I sang this song in the car many times, but I never really paid a lot of attention to its lyrics. It's always so interesting to know how a writer comes up with the lyrics for a song and it was fascinating to hear the story behind the most iconic song of Don McLean - American Pie; one thing is for sure, this song will never die!!

Excellent doc about the song, artist, and its inspiration. At the current time of divisiveness in our country, it’s great to see and be reminded of things that can still bring us together.

A fine documentary, that carefully weaves together three narratives: the evolution of Don McLean as a songwriter and performer, the crafting of the song and (with producer Ed Freeman) the recording, and the track's influence on other artists (notably Garth Brooks). Along the way there's an emotional visit to the iconic Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. A glaring and unremarked omission is the lack of any voice for Buddy Holly. McLean speaks about Holly's towering influence and the pain he felt at Holly's death, but not one note of Buddy's music is heard, nor does his widow, Maria Elena, nor anyone else from Holly's circle appear, even in archival form. One can only assume there were rights issues at play (Ritchie Valens' music is heard and his loving sister Connie appears); if so, the film does not address it.

An excellent documentary about one of the best songs ever written. Don McLean shares insightful meaning behind the song's memorable lyrics. The movie is woven together with iconic footage from the era that also provides a backdrop behind the songs' meanings. A must-see.