In a sense, 'American Pie' was a very despairing song but it can also be seen as very hopeful.

Don McLean has continued to record new material including River of Love in 1995 on Curb Records and more recently the albums You've Got to Share Don McLean Sings Marty Robbins and The Western Album on his own Don McLean Music label. McLean had started recording in Nashville with Elvis Presley's backing singers The Jordanaires and many of Elvis's musicians. His 1981 re-recording was a top-40 hit reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1981.

He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie containing the songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".