A great cover-version from the Queen of Pop!

Madonna opened up the new millennium with style when she released the cover of Don McLean's classic 70's hit, American Pie. The song was a massive European bestseller, and topped the UK chart in March 2000. The song spent 12 weeks on the chart, and later re-entered the chart for two weeks in June 2000, when the song climbed to No.68. The song was a big flop in the US, however, and didn't even scrape the Top 20. Many critics hated this cover version from Madonna, while fans lapped it up and saw it as a triumph in her career.

American Pie opens straight away with Madonna singing, "A long long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile. And I knew that if I had my chance, I could make those people dance. And maybe they'd be happy for a while." An organ plays softly in the background, and then the beat kicks in and Madonna starts singing the first verse, "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, and can music save your mortal soul? And can it teach me how to dance real slow? Well I know that you're in love with him, 'cos 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 bronkin buck, with a pink carnation and a pick-up truck, but I knew that I was out of luck the day the music died." It's a very long first verse, and then Madonna goes on to sing the chorus, "I started singing, 'Bye, bye Miss American Pie.' Drove my shevy to the levvy, but the levvy was dry. And good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing 'this'll be the day that I die.' This'll be the day that I die." Madonna then sings the second verse, "I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news. She just smiled and turned away. Well 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 lovers cried and the poets dreamed. But 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." Madonna then sings the chorus once more, before going on to sing the chorus a few more times. The song goes all strange and twisted towards the end and it just stops!

The video to American Pie shows Madonna sat on a wooden stool, in front of a big American flag. She's wearing a pair of jeans, and a slack blue top which shows plenty of cleavage! Her hair is a big ginger mess, and she just looks normal. The screen is split at various times to show clips of what Madonna is singing about - the woman who just smiles and turned away, for example. It's a good video, but definitely not one of Madonna's best. All in all, a great Madonna cover-version, with a decent video to match.

great single

worth it for all the great remixes!!

sorry

When I first heard this I was like what the heck is she doing this is a classi song. I'm a big Madonna fan but I just think she didn't do her best on this song and the song sounds chop up to me but I know she can do but but hey it Madonna. I just like the first one a lot better than this one. Sorry Lady M it didn't work for me.