Till Tomorrow

'Till Tomorrow' is a 50 minute, 1971 documentary about the music of Don McLean, made by Robert Elfstrom, the guy who is perhaps better known for a much praised documentary about Johnny Cash (titled 'Johnny Cash - a Man and his Music'). Looking fairly dated now, and fairly grainy (picture qualitywise), it consists of film of a Don McLean concert at Columbia University (where the audience are all students), interspersed with a series of short films which have been specially made to illustrate some of Don's songs.

It was broadcast on TV in Britain only once, on BBC2, back in 1972, and was available on video up till about the early 80's when I bought my copy on that old videotape format known as Betamax.  Since then, it has apparently been unavailable to buy anywhere which is a pity as it is quite historic, showing as it does, Don at the very beginning of his career.  Hopefully there will be a digitally remastered release soon, maybe next year which will be the 30th anniversary of American Pie's release in America (Summer of 1971).

Till Tomorrow - the Review.

The program starts with a peaceful country scene, with the faint sound of a marching band in the distance.  The band gradually comes closer, the noise increasing in volume.  As it reaches a cresendo, it quickly cuts to Don onstage, singing . . .

American Pie

Not the full version, but a selection of verses.  The chorus, verse 2, chorus, verse 5, then the chorus to finish the song, whereupon Don leaves the stage to great applause (as the titles to the Documentary appear on the screen).  Don returns, to sing . . .

Empty Chairs

Footage of Don singing this song is mixed with film of Carol McLean (Don's wife at the time) looking moody and walking around empty rooms.  After the song, Don recites a poem.

There's a place where love begins
And a place where love ends
There's touch of two hands that foils all dictionaries
There's a look that love has
As fierce as a big Bethleham open hearth furnace
Or a tiny green fire acetylene torch
There are descriptions of love in every language
But none is found to be wiser than this
There's a place where love begins
And a place where love ends
And love asks nothing . . .

Sister Fatima

This is the version from the American Pie record and it provides the soundtrack to a film showing the 'down and outs' drinking the meths and gathering at the soup kitchens etc.  Back to Don onstage, and after a comment about Woody Guthrie, it's straight into . . .

Orphans Of Wealth

A terrific performance.  Impassioned and singing with all his heart, with Don doing his trademark 'big finish' by lifting his guitar to the 'voice' microphone to accentuate the last moments of the song.

The Grave

Another specially made film.  Set in snow covered conditions, it shows a grave being dug, and then extensive filming of the many headstones, panning across them as the song builds to a climax.  

Back to Don onstage.  He murmers that the cameras make him very paranoid, adding "you know what they say, just because you're paranoid, they're not trying to get you".  He picks up his banjo and (prompted by a request from the crowd) says "Cripple Creek it is".

Cripple Creek

Great version, adding in some cheeky lyrics . . .

I love you in blue
I love you in red
But most of all
I love you in . . . blue 

Next, it's that rare, unrecorded song . . .

I Want her

This is a g-r-e-a-t song, with a fast banjo backing throughout.  All about aching for the girl who doesn't love him.  With it, another specially made film.  This one shows a burly (presumably single and unhappy) New York bus driver driving his bus around the city, gazing wistfully at the women who get on and off his bus.  The song itself is very very catchy and it's a real mystery why Don rarely sings it.  The sheet music is included in the first 'Don McLean Songbook', though the final verse (mentioning Shelly, Keats and Byron) is not sung in this recording. After some chat to the crowd, a film to illustrate . . .

Castles In The Air

A fairly simply made film showing scenes of the busy, fastmoving and crowded city and contrasting them with scenes of the quiet, uncluttered countryside. Back to the concert footage and . . .

Vincent

Mostly film of Don on stage, but also nicely merged with some of the Vincent Van Goff paintings which are mentioned in the song (such as 'Starry Night').

Tapestry

Another special film, this time showing how man is destroying his enviroment. Shots of black smoke pouring out of banks of chimmneys etc.  Programs and reports of how Man is destroying his environment are commonplace now, but I guess in 1972 they were still quite new and radical.

Babylon

Don on stage, coaxing the audience to sing Babylon, dividing the audience into three parts as he used to do at so many concerts.

General Store

Another specially made film.  This one features exclusively black people, and is filmed at a wedding.  Then it's back to Don's concert and . . .

On the Amazon

Don describes it as the 'best collected song' that he ever came across in his entire life (he was 25 at the time :-).  During the song one of the theatre staff walks onstage, says something to Don and then takes the mike to ask the audience to check around them and under their seats for suspicious packages (ie a bomb scare). The audience seem bemused by it all, whilst the guy on stage insists that it is serious and not a joke. Minutes later, Don returns, continues the song from where he left off and receives rapturous applause.

American Pie

We hear the chorus being sung (while seeing some film of trains passing by), then it cuts to Don on stage, singing the final verse (6?) and the chorus.  He picks up his guitar and banjo and walks off stage.  It's not over though, since he returns to sing one final song . . .

Till Tomorrow

Don with his guitar with some film of the Statue of Liberty at sunset blended in towards the close of the song.