Bye bye, “American Pie”.
For nearly a half-century, Don McLean’s classic 1972 ode to “the day the music died” has held a unique position in music history as the longest-ever song to hit No. 1 on the charts.
Clocking in at a lengthy eight minutes 42 seconds, “American Pie” no longer holds that distinction now that Taylor Swift’s re-recorded version of “All Too Well” hit the top spot on the Billboard chart, boasting an even longer length of 10 minutes 13 seconds.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift Thanks Fans For ‘Red’ Support in AMAs Acceptance Speech For Favourite Pop Album
“There is something to be said for a great song that has staying power,” said McLean in a statement congratulating Swift.
“’American Pie’ remained on the top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry,” he added. “Let’s face it, nobody ever wants to lose that No. 1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor.”
Following McLean’s announcement, on Dec. 1 he took to social media to share a bouquet of flowers that Swift sent him, accompanied by a note that reads, “Don, I will never forget that I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. Your music has been so important to me. Sending love one writer of LONG SONGS to another. Your fan, Taylor.”
“What a class act!” wrote McLean in the caption. “Thank you Taylor Swift for the flowers and note.”
As a press release pointed out, McLean is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of “American Pie” and recently announced dates on the European leg of his world tour, with North American dates to be announced in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, “American Pie” continues to remain a pop-culture touchstone, recently featured in Tom Hanks’ new Apple+ film “Finch” and Marvel’s “Black Widow”.
