American Pie

American Pie

    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
    How 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 carnation¹ and a pickup² truck
    But I knew I was out of luck
    The day the music died
    I started singin'
    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
    Now for ten years we've been on our own
    And moss³ 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 thorny⁴ 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 dirges⁵ 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 foul⁶ out 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 Sergeants⁷ 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, Jack⁸ be nimble, Jack be quick
    Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
    'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend
    Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
    My hands were clenched⁹ 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 sacrifical 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
    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
    Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
    Singin' this'll be the day that I die.

1 carnation   

n.康乃馨（一种花）

参考例句：

• He had a white carnation in his buttonhole.他在纽扣孔上佩了朵白色康乃馨。
• He was wearing a carnation in his lapel.他的翻领里别着一枝康乃馨。

2 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

3 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

4 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

5 dirges   

n.挽歌( dirge的名词复数 )；忧伤的歌，哀歌

参考例句：

• The radio played dirges all day long. 广播电台整天都在播放哀乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was as if the Night sang dirges with clenched teeth. 那仿佛是夜神正在那儿咬牙切齿地唱挽歌。 来自辞典例句

6 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

7 sergeants   

警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士

参考例句：

• Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。
• The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。

8 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

9 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》