But then Dylan came along, and closed the chapter on the 1950s for good, ushering in a new style for the 1960s, a style that he himself shaped. McLean was more partial to the music of the 1950s and in particular, the work of Elvis Presley, otherwise known as the king. J/ 8:03 PM / CBS New York NEW YORK - Fifty years after his song 'American Pie' became a hit, singer/songwriter Don McLean is talking about the meaning of the song. It may also be true that McLean felt a bit of resentment towards Dylan for his success and the way he changed music in the 1960s.
If McLean shared that belief, all the more reason for him to consider Dylan somewhat of a… well-jester.
McLean mentions how the jester wears a coat borrowed from James Dean, almost certainly a nod to how Dylan donned a jacket on the cover of his 1963 album Freewheelin, which closely resembles a jacket worn by Dean in the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause.Īnd then McLean says the jester was in a cast on the sideline, an apparent reference to Dylan’s mysterious 1966 motorcycle accident near Woodstock, New York, which led Dylan to cancel all of his upcoming public appearances thereafter while he nursed his injuries.īut then again, there are those skeptics who believe Dylan’s motorcycle accident was staged, little more than an excuse to get out of those upcoming public appearances. The first reason is that simply put, the descriptions of the jester match up to the persona and image of Dylan at the time.
