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American Pie


I mentioned previously that Forrest's love poetry is linked to music as songs are really poems put to music and listen good is something that is distinctly related to music. Many wonder why he chose to put the clues in the form of a poem and I believe the that in itself is a hint to music, since he twice emphasizes this, "Hear me all and listen good." Listening to a poem is naturally music, so what kind of music could Mr. Fenn be hinting at?

Lets look at what music has in common with Forrest first. He lived in Lubbock Texas and he loved to fly. Got it yet? How about his hint to take a search Buddy when you seek? Or even his suspicious use of the seeker "Sumbuddy?" The answer of course is Buddy Holly who is not only famous for his song about Forrest's wife - Peggy (Sue), but that he was killed in an aircraft accident along with the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens near Clear Lake, Iowa. Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock Texas, so Forrest certainly would be knowledgeable of the famous singer. Buddy Holly was the first white group and ranked as one of the top groups to perform at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, and is featured in the movie, The Buddy Holy Story. I mention that because of the Apollo 8 rocket/thumb connection.

Buddy Hollys band was named the Crickets which is interesting because Mr. Fenn has mentioned many times about searchers rolling over a log and seeing what scurries beneath it. One of the few creatures that live under logs are crickets. Cricket is a game played with a wooden paddle, connected to two words in the poem (paddle an wood) and the sport loved by many in India and no doubt the Little Girl from India. Jiminy Cricket sang Wish Upon a Star which is very similar to Fenn's latest book, Once Upon a While and the star on the cover. Jiminy Crickets is an euphemism for Jesus Christ and holly is also symbolic to the Christmas season as is the date, Christmas eve when Forrest returned to Lubbock Texas after being shot down in his aircraft. Holly and holy have the feel of a suspicious subliminal hint.


Don McLean wrote of the Buddy Holly crash with the famous song American Pie. Forrest mentions many times of pie and one aberration when he was accused of stealing a pie, he wrote, "The Ruler thought both excuses were pretty lame and he fired me right there in the dessert section of the cafe." This is an aberration as he capitalizes ruler implying a king or Jesus King of the Jews.

If you note the cover on the American Pie album, there is that suspicious thumb linked to Forrest Fenn's Philadelphia T-33 incident, which he copied form the Apollo 8 mission which occurred the same day he flew home to Lubbock after being shot down.

Also, that album cover thumb has a star on it, which builds our confidence as we follow the a musical star to the next clue. It is important that we introduce the musical connection and more importantly the Crickets prior to solving clue 3.


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