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"The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's 'American Pie'" explores meaning of hit song

Don McLean opens up about hit song "American Pie" in new documentary
Don McLean opens up about hit song "American Pie" in new documentary 00:51

NEW YORK -- Fifty years after his song "American Pie" became a hit, singer/songwriter Don McLean is talking about the meaning of the song.

McLean opens up in a new documentary called "The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's 'American Pie'" on Paramount+.

He wrote the classic song in 1971, and he reveals the song refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed his idol, singer/songwriter Buddy Holly.

"The song was a phenomenon immediately, and even though I didn't mention Buddy Holly, I dedicated the album to him in, like, two-point type, very small, and everybody figured it out, you know. They started connecting the whole thing," McLean said.

You can watch "The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's 'American Pie'" now streaming on Paramount+, which is owned by CBS2's parent company, Paramount.

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