The Early History of “American Pie”
In the years after its release, many people thought that McLean wrote the song at Caffe Lena in upstate Saratoga Springs, New York. However, McLean disputed the claim in an interview for the New York Times in 2011. Despite some employees of Caffe Lena claiming that he started to write the song there, McLean stated that he wrote it in Cold Spring and Philadelphia. The Tin & Lint bar on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs displays a plaque that claims McLean wrote it there.
Photo of Don McLean (Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns)
Not only was the place where McLean wrote “American Pie” disputed but also the place he first performed it. Saint Joseph’s University claims to be the place McLean performed the song for the first time, but according to McLean, he debuted the song in Philadelphia at Temple University on March 14, 1971.