American Pie

From the unofficial Duke TIP Wiki

American Pie is or has been a traditional song at all of the main campuses. At the last dance of the term, a lot of people start bawling when it is played, especially fourth years.

[edit] How to do it

The traditional dance for the song is to form a large circle (with most or all of the TIPsters). Then everyone begins kicking their legs in rhythm with the song. Eventually, the circle breaks down into smaller ones and some people (usually during the faster parts) link their arms and spin. After the line "This will be the day that I die" is sung, it is traditional for everyone to shout "Die, die, die!". TIPsters should know, however, that during the chorus following the slow verse, "Die, die, die!" is not chanted, except by two or three random second years who have no idea what they are doing, and should be subsequently jeered at. Others believe that it is insulting to yell the "Die, die, die" due to the fact that Don McLean (writer of the song) was writing the song about Buddy Holly, who was supposedly "the next Elvis" and tragically died in a plane crash.

At East, the circles are generally everyone on the outside, 4th years in their own special inner circle. Kicking happens during all the main verses except for the slow part, which is just swaying. It has not always been the tradition during Term I at East for the large circle to form. This is a recent occurrence (2002ish). At Term I 2006, the students had to form one large circle for a minute in order to "earn" the right to stay up the whole night, as mandated by Sam Prevatt, the OSC. The fourth years did, however, form their own circle after the first verse and chorus. In addition, at Term 11, 2008, all TiPsters had to form a circle to win back the Llama. This was a blow to the fourth years, as it is tradition to have a separate 4th year circle, but they decided that Llama Llove was stronger than that tradition. A few unloyal TiPsters merely ran around the circle, determined NOT to get back the Llama, but their efforts failed, and Kyle [the Llama Mama] and Steve Wazny [the guy who lost the Llama] went to the steps of the Union to retrieve the Llama from Laurel [the Mind and Manuipulation TA who stole the Llama].

At Davidson, the staff stays on the upper level of the 900 room, which is continued until the end of the dance. In 2005, students popularly acted out parts of the chorus, such as miming drinking whisky and rye. As of 2007, students would break into some smaller groups with one HUMONGOUS group in the center and kick their legs and yell "die, die, die" after the line "this will be the day that I die", except for the slow part.

At West II 2005 a new part of the tradition was borrowed from the Center for Talented youth program (CTY), where after "This will be the day that I die" you yell "die, die, die, die, live, live, live, live, sex, sex, sex, sex, more, more, more, more" and then go back to being sad in your circle. (copycats.....)

It was also attempted at East Term 1, 2005 to change the "Die, die, die" to "love, love, love," which should be appreciated as a demonstration about the unconditional affection that TIPsters should feel for each other. However, the purpose of the chant is to remind TIPsters of the way the program is a metaphor for life

At West II 2004 & 2005, the circle was broken during the fast part...people would separate to dance and then get back in the main circle for the end.

At Texas I 2008, there were several varriatons;

Swaying during first verse, than mosh pit, than kneeling on the ground for the last verse
Getting into a circle, swaying during all verse, kicking on all verses exept last verse, and than returning to kicking for final refrain
Getting into a circle for first verse, swaying, circle breaks up, people start jumping around solo moshing untill last verse where circle sway starts again

[edit] Lyrics

Is is customary to sing along with the song when one knows the words.

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.

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.

So bye-bye, miss american pie.
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

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 ’n 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 dancin’ 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.

I started singin’,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

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.

We were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

Helter skelter in a summer swelter.
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling fast.
It landed foul on the grass.
The players tried for a forward pass,
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While the sergeants played a marching tune.
We all got up to dance,
Oh, but we never got the chance!
`cause the players tried to take the field;
The marching band refused to yield.
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?

We started singing, "bye-bye, miss american pie." Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

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 his 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

He was singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news,
But she just smiled and turned away.
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.

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.

And they were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

They were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."