The Best of Don McLean

Don McLean

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: December 6, 1988
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002UUF
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,629 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musical Poetry, February 4, 2004

By	Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Don McLean is the subject of Roberta Flack's heartfelt tribute in the 1973 hit 'Killing Me Softly With His Song'.
McLean is certainly one of the greatest balladeers, coming out with some really superior music, soothing, thoughtful and with poetic lyrics.

This album begins with McLean's most famous hit 'American Pie' (1971) which was inspired by the tragic death of one of McLean's earliest role models and musical influences, Buddy Holly, in 1959.
Later commentators have tried to put other significance to the song, such as claiming it was an anti- Vietnam War protest song, but there is no evidence for such claims, as McLean refuses to comment on such spurious analysis.

At any rate , American Pie is one of my less favourite McLean songs so I don't know why it is his most famous.

It is followed by the sad tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, Vincent (1971).

But these two well known songs where certainly far from the sum total of Don Mc Lean's talent. 'And I Love You So (1970) is McLean's beautiful version of this poignant love song, also done by various other artists.
He also does a great version of Crying (1978), originally the hit of Roy Orbison in 1961.

Castles In The Air (1970) is in my opinion, perhaps McLean's greatest piece, an exquisite song of longing for the beauty and simplicity of the country life away from the shallow 'cocktail generation': "Words cannot express the feel of sunlight in the morning , in the hills away from city strife.I need a country woman for my wife , I'm city born but I love the country life" . The words are poetic and set to fantastic music. I can relate to the song perfectly.

Dreidel (1972), another superb piece, refers to the spinning top played with by Jewish children at the festival of Chanukah, and he compares it's spinning to the spinning of life.

Then there is the musical poetry of Winter Wood (1971) and the feel good love song Everyday (1973).

Mountains o'Mourne (1973) is an Irish ballad of longing and love , and as always McLean does it perfectly

While all the songs on this album are exquisite there are other wonderful songs, which McLean sung, which are unfortunately left off this album such as The Birthday Song (1972) , Wonderful Baby (1974) , Fools Paradise ( 1973) and Respectable ( 1970) .
With only ten songs on this album, there should have been space for some more McLean gems.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so much more than just American Pie, June 3, 2000

By	FujiSaki93 (Out There) - See all my reviews

Every song is truly great. American Pie is the standard, but the others are really gems. McLean is one of most underrated singer/song-writers of all time. I still can't understand why Prime Time isn't a major classic. This is truly a great song. Vincent, Castles in the Air, and Winterwood are beautiful songs. And I Love You So was my parents wedding song. Absolutely go out and buy this CD.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING SONGS, June 2, 2003

By	Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Not a prolific artist, Don McLean's small body of work does contain some brilliant compositions. American Pie is a magnificent epic in the folk or singer/songwriter tradition, an avalanche of cinematic surreal images set to a memorable tune. It has been said that McLean outdylaned Bob Dylan here! Madonna certainly likes it as she recorded it recently. Vincent, about the painter Vincent Van Gogh, is perceptive, gentle and poignant and reminds me of Anne Sexton's poem Starry Night from the book To Bedlam And Part Way Back. And I Love You So, a hit for Perry Como in the seventies, is a gorgeous love song, Castles In The Air is sad and moving and McLean demonstrates his interpretive skills on this lovely cover of Crying. The aforementioned tracks are light years ahead of the rest but they're so unique and gripping that I gladly award this album 5 sparkling stars.