This 1971 Classic Rock Song Was Ranked the Best 1-Hit Wonder of the 1970s

Some artists record such a massive hit that it overshadows every other song they've made. This can be both a blessing and a curse for a musician. They've created something nostalgic, great, and memorable. But their other work gets little notice.

And so it is with Don McLean, who recorded a hit so massive that it ranked number one on a list of the "greatest one-hit wonder songs of the 1970s." The list was compiled by Ranker.However, some debate whether he's truly a "one-hit wonder."

The song is American Pie. "We see flash-in-the-pan artists come and go with every decade, but one-hit wonders of the '70s ironically always seem to stick around," Ranker wrote. "For example, you’ve probably heard the classicsAmerican Pie by Don McLean or Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum, despite not knowing any of their other songs or discography."

Fans Wrote That 'American Pie' Has Emotional Meaning in Their Own Lives

Fans expressed appreciation for American Pie in the comment thread of McLean's YouTube music video. "Thanks to my father for raising me with this kind of masterpiece," wrote one person.

"Good to see people still listening to this song even now," wrote another person. "As a 16-year-old, I can confirm that this song is still loved by the younger generation," added another fan.

Many people wrote that the song reminded them of a loved one they had lost. "My oldest and dearest friend passed a couple of weeks ago, one of my many memories with him are driving around in his ‘73 mustang singing this song at the top of our lungs," a person wrote.

Which other songs made the list? In order, the other songs in the top four were Brandy (You're a Fine Girl); Spirit in the Sky; and The House of the Rising Sun.

Don McLean Has Explained the Meaning of American Pie & the Phrase, 'The Day the Music Died'

McLean opened up about the song in a documentary on Paramount+ called The Day the Music Died.

He confirmed that the phrase refers to the plane crash in 1959 that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, according to Forbes.

“It was too hard in an interview to explain the subtlety of what I was trying to say. So, I would say, ‘Look, I really don’t talk about the lyrics.' And that’s all I would say. Because it would require a setup such as this movie makes, for me to then come in and talk about how I lived through this," he said in the documentary.

According to Forbes, McLean revealed the following details about the song's lyrics:

• The reference to the Jester was not Bob Dylan, and the reference to the King did not refer to Elvis Presley. “I said James Dean in the song. If I meant Elvis or Bob Dylan, I would have said their names," he revealed. Rather, the King refers to Jesus Christ.
• He said the reference to Lenin in his song also refers to John Lennon.
• The title is a reference to being “American as apple pie."

Fans Debate Whether 'American Pie' Can Truly Be Called a 1-Hit Wonder

Some fans disagree that American Pie was a one-hit wonder. There is even a Reddit thread devoted to the debate.

"Now I am of the belief that American Pie is best song ever to be recorded and pressed. It would be kind of funny if the greatest song ever made was written by a guy was never heard from again in popular music," wrote a person on the thread. "Sure you could argue Vincent was a big hit also, but it isn't what Don's 'Remembered for.'" Rather, the person noted, people think of McClean as "the American Pie guy."

Contended another fan: "McLean is The American Pie Guy. But, Vincent was not only a big hit at the time, it still gets play today. Heck, it showed up on The Simpsons at one point." Argued another fan, "Not quite… He has just enough of a repertoire that he IMHO cannot be called that. He is I guess you could say a 'lopsided hit wonder' IOW he has one hit that is bigger than all his others combined."

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