There are at least 3 levels of meaning in that song, it’s pretty deep. The whole “Buddy Holly” interpretation is just superficial, this political/historical one hits on some of the deeper elements, but beyond that there is a lot of Biblical symbolism that McLean might have used to convey yet another message.
Just a few examples:
“I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride”
Widowed bride, as in the Bride of the Lamb who was slain, the Church. One can read about this bride in the Bible, of course. He can’t remember if he cried, but something touched him deep inside when he read the Bible, in other words, his spirit was moved.
“Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry”
Since “chevy” can also mean “torment”, and “levee” can be rendered as “Levi”, this verse could mean “Took my torment to the Levi (the priest) but the priest was dry (depleted). The power of the Levites was depleted when Christ institued the New Covenant.
“Did you write the book of love”
The “Book of Love” can easily be as descriptive of the Bible, God’s book of His love for mankind. From that perspective, the questioner may be doubting whether God really wrote the Bible, and the doubter’s questions are continued in the next verses:
“And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?”
This faith based on the Bible is contrasted with the modern-day alternative in the next verse:
“Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?”
Rather than having faith in God and his Book of Love, do you believe in the works of men, and their power to save you?
“Oh and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown”
The king that wears the thorny crown is, of course, Jesus. Stealing this crown would be the act of someone trying to claim Christ’s authority, or counterfeit it. Therefore, the “Jester” is a type of the antichrist.
“The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned”
What courtroom springs to mind in reference to the King with the thorny crown? The court of Pontius Pilate, where he refused to render a verdict, and adjourned the hearing instead.
There’s more Biblical symbolism in there, too, so I think there a 3rd, more spiritual message that McLean was really trying to convey, especially considering he named the music publishing company that holds the rights to this song “Yahweh Music”.
This really puts it all together. Thanks.