I am hardly a fan. So what follows isn’t an insult…it’s really more out of ignorance.
But he had one Really Big Song. And to my tender ears, it was..well…catchy. And smooth. But it’s not deep or significant. But who cares what I think - I’d give it a solid B.
Now, consider American Pie. I couldn’t tell you one other song by Don McLean, but WOW is AP epic, legendary, and timeless. And great. A+.
Something tells me when Don McLean goes, there won’t be as much hoopla as there is around Mr Buffett. And that would be a shame.
Buffett did a lot of things outside of music, he was as much a business man as a musician.
And a lot of his deep cuts are actually pretty good songs.
Much of his catalogue is just silliness. He wrote thirty or forty great songs, though. "Margaritaville" and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" are not among them. "He Went to Paris" and "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and "Come Monday" are among them.
(Now, consider American Pie. I couldn’t tell you one other song by Don McLean, but WOW is AP epic, legendary, and timeless. And great. A+.)
I said as much, to the guys in my garage band, back in 1971.
I got a collective “meh” outta them.
Looking Glass - Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVx8L7a3MuE
Looking Glass’ only big hit, but a favorite of mine.
Sometimes creativity only strikes once.
He had several other hits, ‘Volcano’, ‘Fins’, “Cheeseburger in Paradise’.
I like “American Pie” but I greatly prefer his “Vincent”.
Don McLean had other wonderful songs. He was one of the first to retain the rights to his songs.. AMERICAN PIE made him a rich man for the rest of his life. I saw him in concert about 18 years ago. He was amazing.
Have y’all heard the early, slightly different version of “American Pie” that Don McLean sang on WMUC (Univ. of Maryland radio station) about 6 months before the record was released?
It’s very cool...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84fIdYLxsQ4
“ Now, consider American Pie. I couldn’t tell you one other song by Don McLean, but WOW is AP epic, legendary, and timeless. And great. A+.”
So have we figured out who “the jester” represented?
I think” Come Monday” was a better song, very sweet and tuneful.