The following contains spoilers for Marvel's Black Widow.
When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy might get the most attention for its use of music, but that doesn't mean other MCU ventures don't have some great song choices. With Black Widow, there's plenty of talk about Malia J's cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" playing over the opening credits, but another song also plays an important role in the movie.
That song is Don McLean's "American Pie." The American classic hit the radio in 1971, but it's remained a popular song in both its original and cover forms. In Black Widow, it's introduced while Natasha Romanoff and her "family" are undercover in Ohio, on a mission for the Soviet government. Yelena Belova proclaims that it's "her song." It might seem like a strange choice for a six-year-old in 1995, but the song fits the theme of the scenes in which it's featured.
When Black Widow Uses "American Pie"
Black Widow uses McLean's song at two different points in the movie. Both center on the family of spies.
The first use of "American Pie" occurs when the family has to leave Ohio. Alexei Shostakov promises Yelena that they're all going on a "big adventure" as the foursome scramble to get out of their house, leaving all of their belongings behind. Yelena isn't even permitted to grab a pair of shoes. As they drive away from the house, Yelena demands "her song" be played, and Alexei obligingly puts a tape into the deck. Yelena is the one who sings along as Natasha and Melina Vostokoff watch the world they've been living in for three years pass them by. Once they reach the airfield, however, the track stops.
The second use of the song isn't a recorded version on the soundtrack. Instead, it's when the four members of the family unite 21 years later in Melina's home. After being angry that none of the family she knew ever told her they weren't her real family, Yelena stalks away and intends to drink alone. Alexei tries to tell her a story about his own father. When that backfires, he starts to sing her song to her instead. It's a moment to tell Yelena that their family might have been created as part of a spy operation, but they're still family.
What "American Pie" Is About
Without knowing the many meanings attributed to "American Pie," the team behind Black Widow could have just picked a song that's considered quintessentially American for Yelena to cling to. In fact, that still may be the case.
The song, however, is very much about the loss of innocence in changing times and the decline of the American dream. While a lot of song critics and even pop culture analysts liked to rip apart the song over the decades after its release, it wasn't until 2015 when McLean's original notes for the lyrics were auctioned off that fans were able to get more insight.
McLean penned the song as a way of mourning the loss of musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. All three died in a 1959 plane crash. He even dedicated the album to Holly. McLean saw their deaths as the end of an era as the world began to shift in the 1960s. Political turmoil, assassinations, the beginning of the cold war, and a changing music scene all culminated in what McLean saw as the decline of what was thought of as the traditional American dream. It became harder and harder to achieve.
What The Song Means For Black Widow's Family
At six years old, Yelena isn't conscious of the fact that her American dream is over. She thinks the family is just going on a fun trip until military officials separate her from her parents and Natasha grabs a gun to protect her. It's Natasha and Melina who know what's happening when Yelena innocently enjoys the song the first time around.
Both Natasha and Melina voice that they don't want to go back to Russia. They both want to live out their pretend life in Ohio. Melina even apologizes to Natasha before they all get in the car. Though it's Yelena's song, it belongs to all of them.
When the movie employs the song the second time, it's to acknowledge the dream that Yelena lost. 21 years later, she's aware of that loss in a way she couldn't have been then. Adopted into a family of spies, Yelena wound up in the Red Room at just six - though that's apparently older than Natasha when she began her training. Alexei singing the song for her, even while he wears his Red Guardian suit, is an acknowledgement of what he helped take from her, and a way to mend the burned bridge between them.