After a heartwarming performance of “American Pie” forPresident Joe Biden, South Korean PresidentYoon Suk Yeoljust got a special invitation to sing the song again — sort of!
The man behind the classic,Don McLean, has since joked about his future plans to perform with the politician.
“I intend to go over to South Korea next year and sing it with the president, so that’s probably going to be another news story,” McLean toldCNN. “He wanted me at the White House to sing the song, but I’m in Australia right now on tour.”
“It has a melody which is something that is pretty hard to find these days, and that’s just the opening part of the song – I mean, the song is eight and a half minutes, and it’s a rock and roll song,” McLean also told CNN.
Don McLean, Yoon Suk Yeol.Emma McIntyre/Getty Images; Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
“I get a kick out of the fact that the song is still alive,” he continued. “Musicians are dealing with a thing called alchemy, we deal in magic, and some of the things that we do fall on their face, and others if we’re very fortunate are magical and live forever.”
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Don McLean.Jason Kempin/Getty
Back in December 2021, McLean shared praise forTaylor Swiftafter she broke his record for longest No. 1 hitwith her 10-minute versionof “All Too Well,” calling the musician a “major rock and roll force of nature.”
“It’s really good for young people who want to get into this business. You can make it as a singer with a guitar if you figure out what Ed [Sheeran] did. And you can make it as a major rock and roll force of nature, which is what I callTaylor Swift, if you want to do that.”
McLeanpreviously revealed on Instagramthat “class act” Swift, 32, sent him a bouquet of flowers and a special note, in which she wrote that she “will never forget that I’m standing on the shoulders of giants.”
In astatementat the time, the musician said that while “nobody ever wants to lose that No. 1 spot.. if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor.”
As for whether the world will ever see the two collaborate, McLean is hopeful. “Anything is possible, if it’s done the right way,” he said at the time. “I’m always interested in doing anything.”
source: people.com
