The day the music died – 50 years ago today

On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, United States killed three American rock and roll musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean in his 1971 song “American Pie”.

Here’s a remix of that song by Alvin and the Chipmunks.

An possible explanation of those lyrics which were written written by Don McClean

Note:  “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, Roberta Flack’s Grammy Award-winning single of 1973, was written by Charles Gimble and Norman Fox about McLean.

5 thoughts on “The day the music died – 50 years ago today”

  1. As much as I love this website, leaving a soundtrack by Alvin and the Chipmunks as a memorable tribute to such musical futurists as Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson (not to mention pilot Roger Peterson) is deplorable. Pox on you, Jonco…

  2. We have a quiet tribute to this on the model railroad club on the layout. A member found a very similar plane and put the proper registration number on it. The plane is “crashed” near the top of a hill.

    I know that isn’t quite how it happend. But at least we remember.

    Guard SGT (ret)

  3. It’s ok to be sentimental instead of funny. Sometimes it’s better to act sentimental even if you don’t feel it.

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