Note: In this version of the song, my goal is to make each verse and its accompanying chorus alliterate with the next letter in the alphabet. So, the first verse and refrain alliterate with "A", the second with "B" and so on, up to the last verse and refrain alliterating with "F" (someone else can do a version of "G" to "L":-)
This Looong song is a bit harder than others I've tried, so the lines don't fit quite as well into the metre of the song as they might. Not to worry; just squeeze the extra syllables in, Joni Mitchell-style, and all will be well. Many of the lines are quite a stretch to make the rhymes work out. If you have any improvements to suggest, send 'em in
American Pie--Don McLeanI can still remember how that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance that I could make those people dance and maybe they'd be happy for a while But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't 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 (refrain) So bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
An A-to-F Pie--Stanley Anderson'am able to acertain how that anthem made me anti-aggrieved And I acknowledged, ample and fleet, I'd activate their amblin' feet And they'd afterwards be 'appy and relieved. But after autumn made me algid With all the ads I'd toss to be rid arrant ads arriving, Unable to keep a-driving I asked if tears had avalanched when allerted to his avianced, my abyss afflicted with askance, The afternoon the anthem blanched (refrain) So adios all American afters, Aimed my auto at the grotto, but the grotto was arid The association acted with their ale and their laughter Alledgin' they'd be 'angin' from the rafters, They'd be 'angin' from the rafters. |
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Did you write the book of love and do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so? Do you believe in rock and roll? Can music save your mortal soul? and can you teach me how to dance real slow? Well, I know that you're in love with him 'cause I saw you dancing in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died (refrain) I started singin' bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
Did you build the book beloved and do you believe in the Breath above If the Bible bids you so? Is Be-bop your basic belief? Can Beatles bathe your being, brief? And can I be the best break-dancer below? Well, I believe he's your belov'ed all 'Cause you bound beside him at the ball You both unbuckled your shoes Boy, I'm bewitched by those backbeats and blues I was bashful baby broncin' buck with a beige begonia and a beat-up truck But I believed I bailed with luck When Begin the Beguine bought it. (refrain) I began brayin' bye-bye babe with baseball and bread brought my tank to the embankment but the bank had been bled And them benevolent boys imbibed in booze to be fed Babblin' "This'll be my burial bed." "This'll be my burial bed." |
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Now for ten years, we've been on our own And moss grows fat on a rollin stone But that's not how it used to be. When the jester sang for the King and Queen In a coat he borrowed from James Dean And a voice that came from you and me. Oh, and while the King was looking down The jester stole his thorny crown The courtroom was adjourned. No verdict was returned. And while Lennon read a book of Marx the quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died (refrain) we were singin' bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
For consecutive chapters we've been calm and hip And cholesterol collects on a circling chip But you can't claim what became of me When the court clown crooned for the couple crowned in a coat copied from the coolest cat around And a cry that came collectively. Oh, concurrent with the king cast down The court clown copped his cusped crown The courtroom was curtailed. The conclusion was concealed And while the communist had a commedian crave the choir congregated by the grave And we crooned carnage in a cave The chance the cantor croaked (refrain) we were croonin' Ciao, Ciao, cute continental cream puff Charged my Charger to the barge, er, but the barge was cut off And them cheerful chaps had cups of chianti and snuff chanting "My coffin like a couch will get stuffed." "My coffin like a couch will get stuffed." |
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Helter Skelter, in a summer swelter The Byrds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul in the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester in the sidelines in a cast. Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance. 'Cause the player tried to take the field The marching band refused to yeild Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died (refrain) we started singin' bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
Disarray in the damp dog days, dense The ducks darted off with the doomsday defense distant and, descending down, drastic It dug in, disgusting in the dichondra They drove in the defense direction, kinda With Dylan disabled in the ditch, inelastic. Now the demi-time demeanor had redolence, pretty, While drill dudes delivered a drumbeat ditty We all decided to dance Oh, but we didn't, due to chance. They declared their drive to defeat, unslowed The demonstrators denied the road Did you decant what was decoded? The day the drumming died (refrain) we started droning Depart, depart, dear Wash., D.C. dessert Drove my Dodge down to the lodge but the lodge was dry dirt And them dandy dudes were drinkin' daquiris, inert Droning "Don't delay the day we desert." "Don't delay the day we desert." |
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Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation Lost In Space With no time left to start again So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend. Oh, and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satan's spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died (refrain) He was singin' bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
Oh, and everyone was entrench-itized an era existing on the Enterprise with no epoch to re-engage. So emerge, Jack be eager, Jack be Errol Jack Effulgent endured the enlightened Eiffel. 'Cause energy is the Evil's exclusive exchange. Oh, and as I examined the enemy My extremities were entangled in enmity No Erebian encampment Could erase that Evil's enchantment. And as the energy erected in the evening's attic To enlighten the encircling edict, erratic I envisioned Evil at ease, and ecstatic The eve the evensong ended (refrain) He enacted End, end, effeminate Eagle's eyre Embarked my Edsel to the edge-o-hell but the edge was empty And them ethical Earls were emptying each [Eberle] echoin' "Early on, I'll expire, see?" "Early on, I'll expire, see?" |
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I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked for for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store When I'd heard the music years before But the man there said the music wouldn't play And in the streets, the children screamed The lovers cried and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken And the three men I admire most The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died (refrain) And they were singin' bye-bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ol' boys were drinkin' wiskey and rye Singin' "This'll be the day that I die." "This'll be the day that I die." |
I found a female who was full of blues And I frisked her for some friendly news But, without a frown, she fled from me I went forth to the friar's front When I'd found the fiddling, not current But the fellow said the fiddler wasn't free. The freeway's filled with infants colic The firm friends frowned and performers frolicked No phrases said, in fact, were; The faithful's knell was fractured One fewer than four that I admire The Father, Filius, and the Flames of Fire They flew the final frequent flier The phase when the fiddling failed (refrain) And they're affirmin' Farewell, female Federal frill flew my Ford forth to the fjord but the fjord was unfilled And them fellow friends flung the flask that they swilled Affirmin' "Finally, they'll find I was killed." "Finally, they'll find I was killed." |