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