Since its release in 1971, Don McLean's song ""American Pie"" has become an indelible part of U.S. culture. It has sparked countless debates about the various references within the song; it has been celebrated as a chronicle of American life from late 1950s through the early 1970s; and it has become iconic itself as it has been remade, parodied, and referenced within numerous texts and forums since its initial popularity. This edited volume offers a set of new essays that focus on the cultural and historical significance of the song. Representing a variety of perspectives and emanating from a multitude of disciplines and fields of study, the essays address such topics as historical and literary interpretation of the song's lyrics and musical qualities, dissection of the commentary the song offers on rock and roll history, analysis of the continuing significance of the song, and examination of ways in which the song has been used by various writers and artists.