DON MACLEAN - CASTLES IN THE AIR

CASTLES IN THE AIR

DON MCLEAN

SONGWRITER: DON MCLEAN

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: BELIEVERS

LABEL: MILLENNIUM

GENRE: COUNTRY

YEAR: 1981

 

      Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1971 hit song "American Pie", an 8.5-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation.

          His other hit singles include "Vincent", "Dreidel", a rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying", a rendition of the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You", and "Wonderful Baby".

           His composition "And I Love You So" has been sung by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and others, and in 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie".

         In 2004, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" and "Vincent" had reached five million and three million airplays respectively.

        "Castles in the Air" is a song by Don McLean. Originally recorded in 1970, it was his first American single release, preceding "American Pie". The original version of "Castles in the Air" was included on the Tapestry album. In February 1971, it was released as the first single from the album and reached Nº. 40 on the Billboard Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary chart. After the success of the "American Pie" single, "Castles in the Air" was included as the B-side to its follow-up, "Vincent", and received enough radio airplay to reach the Hot 100 chart as a "flip".

        In 1981, McLean re-recorded and re-released "Castles in the Air" The new version of the song, a slower ballad version compared with the more mid to uptempo version of the original, first appeared on his álbum Believers, and later replaced the original version on some copies of Tapestry. The new rendition was more successful, becoming a Top 40 hit in the US (No. 36 Billboard and Nº. 31 Cash Box), and reaching No. 11 in Australia. It was also a top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary charts of both the US (No. 7) and Canada (Nº. 2). "Castles in the Air" became McLean's final pop hit before his genre shift to country music in the mid-1980s

          The song describes a man who is unsatisfied with and weary of an urban lifestyle. Although native to the city, he decides to forsake not only his urban 'castle in the air' but also his love interest there. Because of his desire for and love of a country life, he decides to seek romance with a like-minded woman.

And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you

That I'm tired of Castles in the Air

I've got a dream I want the world to share in castle walls

Just leave me to despair

 

Hills of forest green where the mountains touch the sky

A dream come true, I'll live there 'til I die

I'm asking you, to say my last goodbye

The love we knew, ain't worth another try

 

Save me from all the trouble and the pain

I know I'm weak but I can't face that girl again

Tell her the reasons why I can't remain

Perhaps she'll understand if you tell it to her plain

 

Oh, but how can words express the feel of sunlight?

In the morning in the hills away from city strife

I need a country woman for my wife

I'm city born, but I love the country life

 

For I will not be part of her Cocktail-Generation Partner's Waltz

Devoid of all romance

The music plays and everyone must dance

I'm bowing out, I need a second chance

 

Save me from all the trouble and the pain

I know I'm weak but I can't face that girl again

Tell her the reasons why I can't remain

Perhaps she'll understand if you tell it to her plain

 

And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you

That I'm tired of Castles in the Air

I've got a dream I want the world to share in castle walls

Just leave me to despair.