HAVING probably heard American Pie, currently in the news, between 50 and 100 times, I have never unduly dwelt on the various shades and levels of meaning, if any, in the lyrics.

I was always amused though that in Spain the allegedly blasphemous reference to the Trinity in the Christian faith was originally bleeped out, thus self-deflatingly and characteristically drawing disproportionate attention to the omission.

The Kinks’ Lola, released at a time when homosexuality was not exactly encouraged, nevertheless seemed to have proved a little too subtle for the censors.

David Diment
Riverside Court, Oxford