Don McLean Knew About The “Woke Bull- Culture” Even Before It Was A Thing

In an interview with Metro, Don McLean, best known for his legendary 1971 hit American Pie, recently opened up about the song’s enduring relevance. Reflecting on the eight-minute anthem, McLean explained how it captured the shifting tides of the 1960s and still resonates today.

American Pie and America’s Direction

McLean shared:

“The song really does open up a whole historical question about what happened in the ’60s and assassinations and the history that forms the backbone of the song as it moves forward.
“This song talks about the fact that things are going somewhat in the wrong direction, and I think that they’re still going in the wrong direction. I think most people looking at America now kind of think that too.”

While acknowledging America’s greatness, McLean also voiced his frustration with what he described as “woke bullsh–.” He elaborated:

“All this other stuff that there is absolutely no point to, as far as I can see, other than to undermine people’s beliefs in the country. That’s very bad.”

McLean also expressed concern about today’s youth, particularly college students. He noted:

“There’s so much anger out there.
“So many of these college students have been given everything, and they’re just angry. They don’t know why they’re angry. They don’t even know what to be angry about. It’s really a symptom of the fact that they’re frustrated. They don’t have a path that they can tread in life that leads to a better life.”

Taylor Swift: Breaking Records and Sending Flowers

For decades, American Pie held the title of the longest No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, reigning for four weeks. That record was finally broken in 2021 by Taylor Swift’s 10-minute version of All Too Well. McLean took the news with grace, telling Billboard:

“If I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor.”

Swift didn’t let the moment pass unnoticed. She sent McLean a bouquet of flowers and a touching note that read:

“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.”

McLean’s Admiration for Swift

McLean has remained a fan of Swift ever since. In a recent chat with The Standard, he praised her as a “monster star, the size of the galaxy” and a “person who is an example of what talent and really hard work can accomplish.” He continued:

“She’s working all of the time, and she does everything that she does better than everybody else, whether it’s a video or a performance or songwriting or records or whatever.
“The only thing is that she stays happy.”