American Pie

”American Pie” by Don McLean has always been one of my favorite songs. For about a year now I have been starting most of my runs listening to it on my iPod. At 8 minutes and 33 seconds long it is the perfect length for my warmup. It’s got a nice slow tempo. Whatever comes up next is always faster paced and then I pick up my pace.

I was 10 years old when that song was released. I never knew what it was about; I just liked it. “The day the music died” was February 3, 1959, when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson “The Big Bopper” died in a plane crash. In the song, that plane crash symbolizes the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation.

Everything you could ever want to know about “American Pie” can be found at understandingamericanpie.com. If you want to listen to “American Pie” click  youtube.com/American Pie.

Album released November 1971

Anyway, my last three or four runs I had started out listening to “American Pie” as usual and realized that the same songs were coming up. The third time it happened I thought “Wow, that’s a coincidence” but the fourth time I realized my iPod was playing in alphabetical order. Duh!

When I started my run yesterday I started with a “B” song which was “Baby I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton (Frampton Comes Alive album) and went from there. I am going to work my way through my iPod alphabetically. I bet when I have it set to shuffle there are hundreds of songs that never come up.

Now I will get to hear all the songs.