Fun Facts about “American Pie”
As he owns the phrase “American Pie” as a registered trademark, McLean received money for licensing the title for the “American Pie” movies. This comes as a surprise for many since the serious song has nothing to do with the comedy series.
Additionally, from “Pinkie Pie” to “The Day Guitar Hero Died,” the song has been used as a parody by many YouTubers in recent years.
Although it was snubbed at the Grammys and other awards despite being a critical success, the song was enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame 29 years after its release.
Joelle Carter and Jason Biggs are caught in bed by parents Molly Cheek, Eugene Levy, and Larry Drake in a scene from the film ‘American Pie 2’, 2001. (Photo by Universal/Getty Images)
At the time of the song’s release, many radio stations in the US had a policy that limited airplay to 3:30 minutes. As such, those stations banned the song simply because of its length. Many suggested McLean wrote such a long song as a protest against the policy.
“American Pie” was responsible for the revival of interest in Buddy Holly, who wasn’t much remembered in the 1960s. McLean himself said in an interview: “By 1964, you didn’t hear anything about Buddy Holly. He was completely forgotten. However, I didn’t forget him, and I think this song helped make people aware that Buddy’s legitimate musical contribution had been overlooked. When I first heard ‘American Pie’ on the radio, I was playing a gig somewhere, and it was immediately followed by ‘Peggy Sue’. They caught right on to the Holly connection, and that made me very happy. I realized that it was gonna perform some good works.”