Don McLean - The Legend Of Andrew McCrew Lyrics

Stumbled across this song, fuck. Lost for words.

Okay. This creeps me out. Anyone?

That he was, Andrew, turned into a....sideshow ? Or the fact that some one made a song about a homeless man who died ?

A MaC The whole "dead body as sideshow" and then the fact that nobody knew who he was/he didn't have a family :(

Andrew McCutchen who is buried in Dallas Texas

There was a mummy at the fair, all crumpled in a folding chair.
The people passed, but didn't care that the mummy was a man,
so tell me if you can

Who are you? Who are you?
Where have you been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

Down on nightmare alley, where the shady people sway
a hobo came a-hikin' on a salty summer day
Well he hopped a freight in Dallas, and he rode it out of sight
But on a turn he slipped, and he lost his grip
and he fell in-to the night.

Who are you? Who are you?
Where have you been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

Well, Andrew had one leg of wood, the other leg was small.
And when he fell off the train that night he found he had no legs at all.
Well they found him in the thicket, and the undertaker came.
And they mummified his body for a relative to claim.

Who are you? Who are you?
Where have you been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

Well no one came to claim him, until the carnival passed through.
The carnies took him to their tent and they decided what to do.
Well they dressed him in a worn-out tugs and they put him on a stand.
And millions saw the legend called the 'famous mummy man'.

Who are you? Who are you?
Where have you been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

Well, what a way to live a life and what a way to die.
Left to live a living death with noone left to cry.
Petrified amazement, and wonder beyond words,
A man who found more life in death than life gave him at birth.

Who are you? Who are you?
Where have you been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

But what about the ones who live and wish that they could go.
Whose lives are lost to living and performing for the show.
Well at least you got the best of life until it got the best of you.
So from all of us, to what's left of you, farewell, Andrew McCrew.

Thanks!

+1 Becca, McLean is a legend. Good on ya for understanding.

I first heard this song in 1979..in Don's Solo live album..a great and moving song !

I used to live in Dallas... made a pilgrimage to the cemetery nearby and visited the grave of Andrew McCrew because of this song. The experience was more emotional than I had expected it to be.

Great album.

all time favorite. i always find strength in his songs whenever life is bad.

Rebecca Reiger.... Take no notice of Orwood or similar TROLLS.

I am happy that you posted. It is refreshing to hear from a young lady who is capable of recognizing a true talent like Don McLean. All too often , people your age succumb to the peer pressure of their age group and fixate on extremely marginal talent such as Beiber, Gaga or Taylor Swift. Take your own path by listening carefully. Your ears will tell you who is singing in tune, who can easily hit the correct notes without strain, who is actually singing instead of shouting. Real songwriting takes real talent and the best songs sound great today, tomorrow and 50 years later.

I like it. By the way im 12.

@Rebecca Reiger So what, you want an award or something?

@Orwood Wellson So what? You want an award for being Captain Obvious with the power of sarcasm?

alright pal

@Rebecca Reiger she just wanted to point out, that also young people are interested in his music. I don't understand, why you are being so edgy...

@Nachteule I guess because I was 12 back then, lmao. 16 now, idek why said my age, I think I was about to turn 13 or something and just wanted to comment it 😂😂😂😂

Don Mclean was one of my favourites, his lyrics & music was so true. This one is a prime example. If you listen carefully to his lyrics, it will tell you the true story of Andrew McCrew, an African American hobo who died when he fell off a train 1913. Nobody claimed his body and it was heavily embalmed, ending up in a carnival show for over 50 years. The show closed and Andrew ended up in a warehouse, eventually taken home by a widow Elgie Pace. She couldn't afford a marker for his grave but Don McClean's song generated so much interest that finally he got his marker, it reads: Born 1867. Died 1913. Buried 1973. The marker was put up around 1974.
.

Kenneth Lyneham, Thanks for posting the story of Andrew McCrew. When there are still people like Elgie Pace and Don McLean left in the world there is still hope for the future. :)

Back in 1989 I sang this song at the campfire at the Thunderbird Ranch summer camp near Healdsburg in the USA... Brings back great memories.

Don McLean was very popular in his time.  I have several of his albums (this is my favorite) and saw him in concert 3-4 x.  I do not consider him underrated just because he did not continue recording for the times whatever is the popular style  of the day or because he is not a superstar  in the modern mode.

"There are wardens in the woods"

Please listen to the song;

The Great War The Writers.

Thanks.

sad thing about it is, don mclean never gets the recognition he deserves. Most people only know him for songs like "American Pie" and "Vincent". Those songs only show a portion of just how great of a songwriter Don truly is.

he was in a dallas storage

i can believe you i know this story his real name was anderson right

FindAGrave memorial #51299610

A true story based on a newspaper article he read. The 4th verse on engraved on mccrews headstone. Don wrote about the homeless long before it came in fashion to.

もう四十年位前にレコードを買った思い出がある、懐かしく聞いたドン マックリーンは伝説になっているな、娘さんも歌が上手いので後をついで欲しい。

ACtually a tru story

I'd love to see a photo of the actual mummy.

'who's lives are lost to living' ;)) priceless

I was planning on doing that - you beat me to it! good. thx

You're welcome! Yeah, I noticed it wasn't on youtube so I took the chance to upload it myself. I'm probably going to upload a one or two more Don Mclean songs soon.

One of my favourite McLean songs - a hidden gem on a largely overlooked album - thanks zomgzx.

Yes, wow.

Hong Kong