Don McLean’s Successes Are Many, but ‘Pie’ Still Takes the Cake

Long, long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile . . .

But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.

--”American Pie” by Don McLean

*

Long, long time ago, in 1971, Don McLean went from being a little-known folk singer to the kind of successful performer most only dream about: A song he’d written called “American Pie” had become a gigantic megahit.

And the music didn’t die for McLean, who is coming to the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Sunday on the local leg of a national tour celebrating “Pie’s” 25th anniversary.

“I’ve done 12 world tours, and I have 40 gold and platinum albums worldwide,” he said proudly. “I have a different recording profile on different continents.”

Though other hits did follow, McLean is still remembered chiefly for “American Pie.”

Unlike most pop hits that deal with the many facets of love, this was an 8 1/2-minute-long metaphorical paean to the rock ‘n’ roll generation. It spent four weeks at No. 1 and sold millions of copies.

Its very singable chorus was part of its appeal, but so were its enigmatic lyrics: Thinly veiled mentions of rock figures triggered discussions over the song’s hidden meaning. Years later, McLean would tell concert audiences that the song’s true meaning was that he didn’t have to work anymore if he didn’t want to.

But that was never the case. In 1972, he scored another hit with the ballad “Vincent.”

Another McLean song, “And I Love You So,” was an international hit for Perry Como. Years later, McLean charted again in the United States with “Crying,” “Castles in the Air” and “Since I Don’t Have You.” His latest album is 1995’s “River of Love.”

Success being the funny thing it is, there was a period when McLean wouldn’t perform “American Pie” in concert. But that period has passed.

Actually, he says, “I’m happy to have written a handful of songs that people love.”

He grew up in New Rochelle, N.Y., where his early musical interests were the pop and rock of the late ‘50s.

“Pete Seeger was an enormous influence,” McLean said. “I wanted to be Pete Seeger.”

Now living in Maine, McLean, married and the father of two young children, does about 100 live dates a year. “I’m in a very wonderful time period right now.”

He is scheduled to go into the studio in June to record new material. Meanwhile, he has been asked by San Francisco 49ers Coach George Seifert to sing the national anthem for a televised game Oct. 20.

McLean says he was in a Virgin Megastore in New York recently and saw his first album--”Tapestry,” recorded almost 30 years ago--on the shelf “looking at me.”

“It was surrounded by acts I never heard of. And I thought, ‘This is all right!’ I thought I would last about 30 seconds. And now, 30 years!”

* Who: Don McLean.

* When: Sunday at 4 p.m.

* Where: The Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive.

* Whereabouts: Take the San Diego (405) Freeway to Jamboree Road. Head south and turn left onto Campus Drive. The theater is on Campus, near Bridge Road, across from the Marketplace mall.

* Wherewithal: $20-$25.

* Where to call: (714) 854-4607.