Don McLean ‘American Pie predicted woke young people with so much anger’ | Music | Entertainment

The 78-year-old music legend released American Pie back in 1971, which became a huge chart-topping success.

The almost 9 minute track’s lyrics have been debated by fans for decades, with Don McLean refusing to divulge much of the symbolism.

That was until a 50th anniversary documentary in which he said the song was driven by impressionism.

In a new interview, the singer-songwriter claimed that American Pie predicted woke culture.

Speaking with Metro, McLean said: “The song really does open up a whole historical question about what happened in the ‘60s and assassinations and the history that forms the backbone of the song as it moves forward

“This song talks about the fact that things are going somewhat in the wrong direction, and I think that they’re still going in the wrong direction. I think most people looking at America now kind of think that too.”

“I mean, we certainly have a wonderful country, and we do wonderful things, but we also are in the middle of all this woke bullshit, you know? And all this other stuff that there is absolutely no point to, as far as I can see, other than to undermine people’s beliefs in the country. That’s very bad.”

He then went on to claim how people today “would just like to anesthetise themselves against any emotion” and are “in permanent party mode’ without the ability to ‘get a handle on what really matters in life anymore”.

McLean added: “They’re so addicted to their telephones and their iPads – and I am too. There’s a constant flow of information and suddenly nothing makes much sense. You have to concentrate in order to write songs like I did, or like other songwriters did in the past, or screenplays or novels or poetry.

“We have the opportunity to make a change and make a difference in people’s lives simply because we’re alive and you can do a good thing for somebody, you can forgive someone, you can help someone, you can love someone, rather than be angry all the time.”

“There’s so much anger out there. So many of these college students have been given everything, and they’re just angry. They don’t know why they’re angry. They don’t even know what to be angry about. It’s really a symptom of the fact that they’re frustrated. They don’t have a path that they can tread in life that leads to a better life.”