A long, long time ago
I 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

Did you write the book of love?
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Now 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 (both kicked off your shoes)
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage bronking buck
With a pink carnation and a pick-up truck
But I knew that I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singing

Bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

I meet a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
Then I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play

Well now, in the streets the children screamed (the children screamed)
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed (the poets dreamed)
But not a word was spoken (not a word was spoken)
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire the most
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
We started singing

Bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin': This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

We started singing
We started singing
We started singing
We started singing