Don McLean: ‘I like to be left alone’

Don McLean (69) grew up in New Rochelle, New York state, and began performing on the folk circuit as a teenager in the 1960s. He gained considerable underground success with his first album, Tapestry, but it was his second album, American Pie (1971), that brought him worldwide acclaim with songs such as the title track, which runs for eight minutes and 36 seconds; and Vincent, inspired by Van Gogh. Last month the manuscript containing the lyrics for American Pie sold at auction for $1.2 million. He lives in Maine with his wife, Patrisha, and their two children.

Most enduring childhood memory?

A dog killing my cat. It was terrible. The dog yanked the cat right out of my arms.

How ambitious were you starting out in music?

I had an ambition to be really, really good at what I did. But no economic ambition or great hopes in myself. Success was not a word I cared about.

When did you last cry?

Probably when Mickey Mantle died [the Major League Baseball player died in 1995]. That was heavy.

What is your favourite book?

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I carry a little version of it that I got in England around with me. Sometimes I give it to people.

Your favourite song to sing?

One of my own that I sing on tour at the moment, Ain't She A Honey. The band does some interesting New Orleans patterns.

If I wasn’t a singer I’d be . . .

An alcoholic.

Who do you need to apologise to?

I don’t need to apologise to anyone.

Best thing about America?

A lot of open space; you can get away from people.

The worst thing about America?

Too many automobiles taking over the cities.

Why did you sell the American Pie lyrics? 

I am getting old and none of my family have any instincts about making money or holding on to money. So I want them to have a decent life and something to show for all the work I did. I have good instincts about these things.

If you could go back in time, where and when would you go?

I would go back to about 1880, around that time; I probably would have gone out west to be a cowboy and never come home.

Best advice you were ever given?

Don’t go into debt.

What saying or phrase annoys you?

I don’t like people who say everything happens for a reason. Yes it happened for a reason; the reason is I made it happen.

When were you happiest?

When my daughter was born.

What song do you wish you had written?

Oh, God, there's so many. If I had to pick just one: White Christmas.

What is your favourite smell?

Saddle leather.

What do you owe your parents?

A sense of right and wrong.

How do you relax?

I don’t really relax much. Play the guitar, I guess.

What are you most proud of?

My children: they are good people, creative people. And my marriage. I managed to stay married for 28 years. My usual record with most women was 28 minutes. So that’s amazing.

Dead or alive, who would your dream duet be with? 

I'd like to sing I Wanna Be Loved By You with Marilyn Monroe.

Do you have a motto? 

“Perfection is a direction.” It’s what I tell my kids.

How did you deal with fame?

It was a lot to cope with. Things were a lot more intense than I was used to. A kind of hysteria built around me. I didn’t fan those flames. I am a loner. I like to be left alone.

Advice for young singers starting out?

Keep your dreams in check. Keep your aspirations low. Don't assume you will be the next Elvis Presley. You've got to find out where your talent lies. Maybe you shouldn't be a singer; maybe you should be a sound engineer or a producer. Keep trying. Try hard.

Death Row meal?

Potatoes, roast beef and cabbage. A good, hearty meal for the long journey ahead.

What should your obituary say?

I have influenced a lot of singers out there and I don't really get credit for that, not that I care. A lot of them used the American Pie album as a Rosetta Stone for songwriting and singing . . . I'd include Garth Brooks in that . . . even Ed Sheeran, who I would think probably studied that album when he was a young boy. So I'm kind of proud of that.

What will your obituary actually say?

A lot of stuff from Wikipedia.

What happens when we die?

We go back to the world of dreams.

• Don McLean's album Live in Manchester is out now. He plays at Vicar Street, Dublin, May 31st and June 1st (sold out); the Millennium Forum, Derry (June 2nd); Cork Opera House (4th); Seapoint, Galway (September 25th); Vicar Street, Dublin (28th); Limerick University Concert Hall (29th); and the Waterfront, Belfast (30th). ticketmaster.ie