ONLY a month ago, the handwritten lyrics to Don McLean’s enigmatic 1971 hit American Pie sold at auction at Christie's in New York for more than $1.2 million.

Tomorrow, at York Barbican, McLean will once more sing the familiar eight-minute version of a wistful song whose annotated lyrics ran to 16 pages, including several drafts that were discarded.

American Pie was split over two sides of the original seven-inch single that reached number two in Britain and charted again in 1991, when a re-issue made number 12, before Madonna’s much derided, truncated cover version topped the UK chart in 2000.

The 68-year-old American troubadour, from New Rochelle, New York, also notched hits with Vincent (Starry Starry Night) and Crying en route to amassing 40 gold and platinum records worldwide.

In 2004, McLean was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame and his songs have been recorded by artists from every musical genre, most notably Madonna’s chart-topping reinterpretation and George Michael’s version of The Grave in 2003, sung in protest at the Iraq War.

In 2007, McLean shared his life story in Alan Howard’s biography, The Don McLean Story: Killing Us Softly With His Songs. In June 2011, he performed to 100,000 people at Glastonbury.

Tickets are still available for The American Troubadour Tour date in York at £28.50 to £34.50 on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk