1971-72 Don McLean - American Pie (mono promo 45 version)

Here’s the one that we usually heard on AM radio in 1972. Minus the third verse (of four) and the slower opening and closing passages found on the complete 8:42 LP version, this much more ‘radio friendly’ promo 45 was distributed to Top 40, adult-contemporary and other stations to facilitate airplay but was not issued commercially in the U.S. The #1 charting 45 single purchased at the record stores contained the full-length version separated into two parts over both sides (listen here:    • 1972 HITS ARCHIVE: American Pie - Don McLe...   ). Transferred from mono 45 single (promo) United Artists 50856 - American Pie (Don McLean) by Don McLean, produced by Ed Freeman