Chevy and American pie. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Jan71 · 08-20-2010, 10:48 AM

Why does the singer in the song "American pie", take his Chevy to the levy and what is a levy? (I am European)

genuinegirly · 08-20-2010, 11:04 AM

It's levee, not levy. Two very different words.

This is a levee. You may know it as a dike.

Here is a damaged levee.

Here is an aerial photograph of a levee.

Basically, it keeps water in a river. Here is a handy diagram.

We are dependent upon them throughout much of the US to contain rivers like the Mississippi, which are prone to drastic, devastating shifts.

During Hurricane Katrina several levees were damaged, adding to the disaster.

fresnelly · 08-20-2010, 11:23 AM

That song is about the decline of America beginning in the 60's starting with the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, ie "the day the music died".

The dried up river that the levee is holding is just one of many metaphors used in the song to illustrate the theme.

Ourcrazymodern? · 08-20-2010, 12:26 PM

He took his chevy to the levy so he could reflect disappointment.

Martian · 08-20-2010, 12:31 PM

Also because taking his Studebaker to the levee just didn't have quite the same ring to it.

Baraka_Guru · 08-20-2010, 12:32 PM

And taking a Ford to the ford just sounds ridiculous.

"I took my Ford to the ford, but the Ford went and died...."

Seaver · 08-20-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

And taking a Ford to the ford just sounds ridiculous.

"I took my Ford to the ford, but the Ford went and died...."

Read more: http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...#ixzz0xCMosTKp

Ford to the Fjord.

Daniel_ · 08-21-2010, 12:38 AM

I was busy writing a commentary, when I came across this: FAQ: The Annotated "American Pie"

the TL;DR version is "the song is about the death of three important early rock and roll musicians, and the feelings of loss, followed by a feeling of rebirth"

Plan9 · 08-21-2010, 01:09 AM

This totally reminds me of my 6th grade social studies textbook. Thanks, TFP. A+.

Leto · 08-22-2010, 03:36 AM

I always wondered what was meant by levee (also spelled levy in my mind) when I was younger. Eventually I figured out it was levee as described by genuinegirly, but I never could figure out the reason why 1) the guy purposely drove to the levee, if there is a road along it already, or lacking a road, why he would drive offroad to it and 2) what is wrong a dry levee? why was he disappointed that it was dry? isn't this a good thing? that means it was doing its job of dyking back a river or lake or ocean. The song didn't say that the river was dry, just that the levee was dry.

Or maybe he went to join up with his good old boys on the levee, in order to drink whisky and rye (both drinks are whisky by the way, so i figured he meant bourbon & Canadian Rye whisky) but the good old boys weren't at the levee, and that's why it was dry. No booze.

Daniel_ · 08-22-2010, 09:49 AM

The point was that the river was the metaphorical river of inspiration for rock n roll, and that the "good ole boys" were bereft when Holly died thinking that now the river would be dry (i.e. no new rock and roll).

They realised later that this was not true.

matthew330 · 09-16-2010, 04:48 PM

.....and you get the rest of the song? You must've tried googling this first.

My uncle told me awhile ago one of his homework assignments back in the 70's was to interpret this song. I would have loved to have read the responses. You could ask a pre-schooler the same question now and he proudly hand this to you: "American Pie" Lyrics - What Do They Mean?

08-20-2010, 10:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jan71 Upright Location: Europe	Chevy and American pie. Why does the singer in the song "American pie", take his Chevy to the levy and what is a levy? (I am European)

08-20-2010, 11:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	It's levee, not levy. Two very different words. This is a levee. You may know it as a dike. Here is a damaged levee. Here is an aerial photograph of a levee. Basically, it keeps water in a river. Here is a handy diagram. We are dependent upon them throughout much of the US to contain rivers like the Mississippi, which are prone to drastic, devastating shifts. During Hurricane Katrina several levees were damaged, adding to the disaster. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy Last edited by genuinegirly; 08-20-2010 at 11:14 AM..

08-20-2010, 11:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	That song is about the decline of America beginning in the 60's starting with the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, ie "the day the music died". The dried up river that the levee is holding is just one of many metaphors used in the song to illustrate the theme. __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

08-20-2010, 12:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ourcrazymodern? still, wondering. Location: South Minneapolis, somewhere near the gorgeous gorge	He took his chevy to the levy so he could reflect disappointment. __________________ BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

08-20-2010, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Also because taking his Studebaker to the levee just didn't have quite the same ring to it. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

08-20-2010, 12:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	And taking a Ford to the ford just sounds ridiculous. "I took my Ford to the ford, but the Ford went and died...." __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

08-21-2010, 12:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
Daniel_ Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It! Location: Southern England	I was busy writing a commentary, when I came across this: FAQ: The Annotated "American Pie" the TL;DR version is "the song is about the death of three important early rock and roll musicians, and the feelings of loss, followed by a feeling of rebirth" __________________ ╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗ Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

08-21-2010, 01:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	This totally reminds me of my 6th grade social studies textbook. Thanks, TFP. A+. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

08-22-2010, 03:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
Leto Junkie Location: The Danforth	I always wondered what was meant by levee (also spelled levy in my mind) when I was younger. Eventually I figured out it was levee as described by genuinegirly, but I never could figure out the reason why 1) the guy purposely drove to the levee, if there is a road along it already, or lacking a road, why he would drive offroad to it and 2) what is wrong a dry levee? why was he disappointed that it was dry? isn't this a good thing? that means it was doing its job of dyking back a river or lake or ocean. The song didn't say that the river was dry, just that the levee was dry. Or maybe he went to join up with his good old boys on the levee, in order to drink whisky and rye (both drinks are whisky by the way, so i figured he meant bourbon & Canadian Rye whisky) but the good old boys weren't at the levee, and that's why it was dry. No booze. __________________ You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey And I never saw someone say that before You held my hand and we walked home the long way You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Leto_Atreides_I

08-22-2010, 09:49 AM	#11 (permalink)
Daniel_ Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It! Location: Southern England	The point was that the river was the metaphorical river of inspiration for rock n roll, and that the "good ole boys" were bereft when Holly died thinking that now the river would be dry (i.e. no new rock and roll). They realised later that this was not true. __________________ ╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗ Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

09-16-2010, 04:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
matthew330 Banned	.....and you get the rest of the song? You must've tried googling this first. My uncle told me awhile ago one of his homework assignments back in the 70's was to interpret this song. I would have loved to have read the responses. You could ask a pre-schooler the same question now and he proudly hand this to you: "American Pie" Lyrics - What Do They Mean?