Bye-bye, “Miss American Pie”’s top slot — hello, kind condolence gift.
Last month, Taylor Swift’s 10-minute version of “All Too Well” beat out Don McLean’s 8-minute 1971 hit “American Pie (Parts I & II)” for the title of longest song to ever top the Hot 100. This week, the 76-year-old former record-holder announced that the 31-year-old singer-songwriter sent him a charitable and kindly gesture: flowers and a note.
“What a classy artist! Thank you @taylorswift13 for the flowers & note!” the fellow singer-songwriter wrote in a Wednesday post featuring his smiling, sunglasses-sporting face holding up the bouquet in front of a Christmas tree. The tweet has accrued more than 21,000 likes in under a day.
The good-winner gesture by Swift follows McLean admitting that, while disappointed to be dethroned from the title he had held for more than 49 years — “American Pie” remained at No. 1 for four weeks in January 1972 — he couldn’t imagine a better artist to best him.
“Let’s face it, nobody ever wants to lose that #1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor. Congratulations @taylorswift13!” he tweeted on Nov. 23.
The bittersweet interaction follows a series of much less positive headlines for McLean, who made news in September for cutting his daughter off financially following her mental and emotional abuse accusations against him.
“I stopped supporting my daughter last year,” Don told the Daily Mail at the time. “I have a son [Wyatt], you know, who grew up the same way, who thinks I’m a great father and who has none of these complaints. But I said to my daughter, ‘If you speak out about me and trash me, I’m going to disinherit you.’ ”
McLean’s ex-wife Patrisha slammed him for the monetary decision.
McLean’s representatives offered no further comment, and Swift’s did not immediately reply to The Post’s request.