'And as the flames climbed high into the night I find this a bit puzzling, since the early Stones recorded a lot of 'roots' rock and roll, including Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away'. It's also possible that McLean views the Stones as being negatively inspired (remember, he had an extensive religious background) by virtue of 'Sympathy for the Devil', 'Their Satanic Majesties' Request' and so on. This incident is chronicled in the documentary film 'Gimme Shelter'. Public outcry that the song 'Sympathy for the Devil' had somehow incited the violence caused the Stones to drop the song from their show for the next six years. In the darkness near the front of the stage, a young man named Meredith Hunter was beaten and stabbed to death - by the Angels.
'While playing a concert at the Altamont Speedway in 1968, the Stones appointed members of the Hell's Angels to work security (on the advice of the Grateful Dead). Don Mclean has steadfastly refused to explain the 'meaning' of this iconic song, but that hasn't stopped others! Here is one suggestion.
