"American Pie" by Don McLean, is a very interesting song. After listening to the lyrics and the song itself, there is a meaning to this song. Each line of the lyrics has a special meaning to what Don McLean wanted to say, but in his own special way.
If one was to look at each lyrics one by one, they will be able to find out the big picture of the whole song. It tells a story of Mclean's favorite performers, Buddy HOlly. American Pie was rumoured to be the name of the plane that BUddy Holly died in.
In the begining of the song, he starts out saying, "A long, long time ago, I can still remember how that music made me smile. ANd i knew if I had a chance, that i could make those people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a while." THis line is talking about how when he was a child he listened to great performers of his time and how he could do the same and make other teenagers happy with his song and make them want to dance and be merry.
"But February made me shiver, with every paper I'd deliver, bad news on the doorstep. I couldnt take one more step, I can't remember if I cried when i read about his widowed bride. But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died." This line is the day back in February 3, 1959 when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash. As a child, McLean was a paper boy and the news papers that were being passed that day was spreading "bad" news to everyones' doorstep and Buddy Holly's wife was pregnent when he died and later she had a miscarage. That date, was also refered to the "day music died."
"Bye bye Miss American Pie, I drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry. Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye, SIgning This'll be the day that i die. THis'll be the day that i die." This is the chorus line. Miss American Pie was someone McLean had dated as a teenager. It was rumoured he was dating a Miss American candidate at the time. It is also refering to saying good by to the plane that had all three performers. The levee refers to a Movie called MIssissippi Burning, which was about three college students registering to vote as black voters, but were killded and dragged to a levee.
Historical background — Research and discuss the creation of the song, why it was written, and most importantly, what historical event or situation the song responds to.
This song reminisces about the loss of Private Rodger Young and reminds soldiers to push forward through the loss. Since death was something typically seen on the battle field Losser took this sad moment and turned it in to a rally together moment to get the job done. Loesser reflects the idea that America is tired of the war and are ready to keep progressing in life. While this song may not have been the most popular of the time period, Life magazine at the time felt like it was vital to print the music in the worlds for all to
The 1986 film “Sixteen Candles” tells a timeless tale of growing up in suburban America. The film’s star, Sam, played by Molly Ringwald, wakes up with big expectations on her sweet sixteenth birthday only to be completely disappointed. Not only does she find that she looks exactly the same as when she was fifteen, but her family is so preoccupied with her older sister’s wedding that they forget her birthday altogether.
In 1863 to 1877 Reconstruction brought an end to slavery, it paved the way for the former slaves to become citizens. The African Americans wanted complete freedom. However, that right became a setback and were seen as second class citizens. Before the end of the Reconstruction, a legislation was passed called the Jim Crow law. The law enforced the segregation of people of African descent. The legislation was a system to ensure the exclusion of racial groups in the Southern States. For example, separate transportation law, school division, different waiting rooms both at the bus terminals and hospitals, separate accommodations, marriage law and voting rights. The Jim Crow law was supposed to help in racial segregation in the South. Instead,
In 1932, after Franklin Delano Roosevelt accepted the Democratic nomination for presidency, running against Republican president, Herbert Hoover, he promised a “New Deal” to the American people. This New Deal’s sole purpose was to deal with the economic hardships caused by the Great Depression, as well as to help and improve the lives of the millions of Americans who had been affected. Roosevelt was swept into office in a landslide. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt brought a sense of hope to a vast majority of dispirited Americans, assuring them that they had “nothing to fear, but fear itself.” On March 5, 1933, just one day after his inauguration, Roosevelt began to implement his New Deal, beginning his focus on the failing banking
The economy of Latin American countries such as Argentina have often focused on only one main product at a time and imported many of the other products needed. Argentina especially followed this economic strategy in the late 1800’s. Latin American countries focus on one product it does well and does not stray from that product. The countries were just following trends and taking advantage of what the market dictates is a worthwhile product. This strategy can fall short of having long-term success and lead to a land of poverty. This was the case in most every country in Latin America, and all the economy revolved around the growth of industry in each country. Technology, increased immigration, European influence, and political policy all influenced the economic state of Latin American countries and led to economic struggles.
If analyzed carefully, the melancholy verses of the song are in sharp contrast to the overpowering chorus. Ignore the addictive chorus "Born in the U.S.A.” and what you really hear is a protest song that tells the depressing story and struggle of Vietnam Veterans returning home to a disillusioned life. To his most devoted ...
The laws known as “Jim Crow” were laws presented to basically establish racial apartheid in the United States. These laws were more than in effect for “for three centuries of a century beginning in the 1800s” according to a Jim Crow Law article on PBS. Many try to say these laws didn’t have that big of an effect on African American lives but in affected almost everything in their daily life from segregation of things: such as schools, parks, restrooms, libraries, bus seatings, and also restaurants. The government got away with this because of the legal theory “separate but equal” but none of the blacks establishments were to the same standards of the whites. Signs that read “Whites Only” and “Colored” were seen at places all arounds cities.
The “Jim Crow” laws were established by the government of many Southern states because of the controversy between the white and black people there. These set of laws were also made so that whites could keep their supremacy over blacks and so that blacks could not have equal rights as white people. Another reason for the making of these laws was white people thought that black people were put on this earth to work as slaves
The Jim Crow laws were discriminating to African Americans because they received unfair punishments, no one cared about the African American’s opinions, and they replaced slavery with laws that encouraged racial inequality. The Jim Crow laws were established because people wanted to segregate the African Americans and it allowed them to live happier lives and only allowed their lifestyle to become more content. They were treated like they were less than other people, couldn’t get a job, and they couldn’t sit where they wanted to on a bus. Racist groups did this because they believed in a lie: they believed African Americans were nothing. But they were utterly and ignorantly wrong.
Jim Crow laws are laws which were meant to segregate whites from blacks and to prohibit blacks from obtaining the same social status as whites. Jim Crow laws were in effect for nearly a century, from around 1875 to approximately 1964. These laws were primarily used in South but were also loosely used in the North. These laws came from the post war South where racial stresses were still high. With the passing of these laws came violence and aggression for those, for and against these laws. The South was hard to change, as is the world.
The United States faced the worst economic downfall in history during the Great Depression. A domino effect devastated every aspect of the economy, unemployment rate was at an all time high, banks were declaring bankruptcy and the frustration of the general public led to the highest suicide rates America has ever encountered. In the 1930’s Franklin D Roosevelt introduced the New Deal reforms, which aimed to “reconcile democracy, individual liberty and economic planning” (Liberty 863). The New Deal reforms were effective in the short term but faced criticism as it transformed the role of government and shaped the lives of American citizens.
During the beginning of the civil rights movement, racial segregation was a growing issue in the southern United States of America. The Jim Crow laws were enacted in the 1880’s and their soul purpose was to enforce separation of the races. Jim Crow laws were a set of black codes, in which mocked black citizens of the Southern United States and enforced racism. “‘Jim Crow’ was a derisive slang term for a black man” (A Brief History of Jim Crow 1). These laws got their name from actor Thomas Dartmouth, who would impersonate and mock African Americans citizens and servants. Thomas, would paint himself black to appear African American, while this was very offensive it seemed to amuse the Caucasian population. The Jim Crow laws are an example of
“The ‘Jim Crow’ laws got their name from one of the stock characters in the minstrel shows that were a mainstay of popular entertainment throughout the nineteenth century. Such shows popularized and reinforced the pervasive stereotypes of blacks as lazy, stupid, somehow less human, and inferior to whites” (Annenberg, 2014). These laws exalted the superiority of the whites over the blacks. Although equally created, and affirmed by the Supreme Court, and because of the Civil War officially free, African Americans were still treated with less respect than many household pets. The notorious Jim Crow laws mandated segregation and provided for severe legal retribution for consortium between races (National, 2014). Richard Wright writes about this, his life.
Entrails torn from the body with bare hands, eyes gouged out with razor blades, battery cables, rats borrowing inside the human body, power drills to the face, cannibalism, credit cards, business cards, Dorsia, Testoni, Armani, Wall Street; all of these things are Patrick Bateman’s world. The only difference between Bateman and anybody else is what is repulsive to Bateman and what is repulsive to the rest of the world. Bateman has great interest in the upper class life, fashions, and social existence, but at the same time he is, at times, sickened by the constant struggle to be one up on everybody else. On the other hand Bateman’s nightlife reveals a side of him never seen during the day. Bateman is relaxed, impulsive, and confident while torturing and killing. He doesn’t have to worry about being better than anyone else. The only competition he has is his last victim. Torture and murder are the two true loves of Patrick Bateman.