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I've always had a pet theory on who the "Jester" is. It's...

<< Back to: FAQ: The Annotated "American Pie"

Question by SKane
Submitted on 10/18/2004
Related FAQ: FAQ: The Annotated "American Pie"
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I've always had a pet theory on who the "Jester" is.  It's only partially Dylan, if at all (I don't put an amalgam of characters, cycled through throughout the song, past McLean).  It seems more likely to me that the Jester is John Lennon, for many reasons.  First, of course, Lennon was a joker who flaunted his cynicism and radical ideas in people's faces.  But the references in the song seem to back it up.  I don't know about the Queen, but the first King reference is almost certainly Elvis, who the Beatles idolized early on.  Lennon met Elvis early in there career and there is no doubt that he was influenced by Elvis.  Elvis in turn listened to the Beatles ("sang for the King") and was intimidated by the new music coming out - which probably helped him on his paranoid self-destruction.

Lennon was a devotee of Rock and Roll and (red windbreaker aside) wore a leather jacket more typically associated with the image of James Dean.  I think the "voice that came from you and me" reference is as applicable to Lennon as to anyone else.

The thorny crown reference sees the King change from Elvis to Jesus, re: Lennon's infamous statement "We're more popular than Jesus," which saw the great Beatles boycott.  The courtroom was adjourned and the crown was returned when Lennon apologized and said that he was not trying to compare himself to Jesus - he proclaimed that Jesus was the true King.

And then, of course, he stays on the Lennon theme with the next line and seems to answer the question of the Jester's identity right there in the song.

Just my humble opinion!


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