In the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
And not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken

The three men I admired most
The father, son, and the holy ghost
They took the last train for the coast
The day the music died

They were singing "bye bye miss american pie"
I drove my chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singing "this'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die"

And the three men I admired most
The father, son, and the holy ghost
They took the last train for the coast
The day the music died