American Pie by Don McLean

I chose this song as the starting point of this compilation for a three main reasons:

1) This was the #1 song in the U.S. up until the day I was born.

2) This song is an eight and a half minute history of rock music.

3) Weird Al Yankovic did a fantastic parody of this song called "The Saga Begins" which was released around the time of Star Wars Episode I.

There are many interpretations about the lyrics of this song, but when asked what "American Pie" meant, McLean replied, "It means I never have to work again." The he said, "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence."

The fact is, "The Day the Music Died" - February 3, 1959 - was a day that changed Don McLean's life. And, although it happened 13 years and three days before my birth, that event would effect my life as well. Not something I knew at my birth, obviously, but would come to find out on a later date.