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HomeHumor & MusicPaul Simon: American Tune

Paul Simon: American Tune

[scroll below to a video to start the music]

 

Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and I’ve often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but I’m all right, I’m all right
I’m just weary to my bones
Still, you don’t expect to be
Bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh, but it’s all right, it’s all right
For lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the road
We’re traveling on
I wonder what went wrong
I can’t help it, I wonder what’s gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
And I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

Oh, we come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age’s most uncertain hour
And sing an American tune
Oh, it’s all right, it’s all right
It’s all right, it’s all right
You can’t be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day
And I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all I’m trying to get some rest


 

In an interview with in 2011, Paul Simon was asked about political references in his songs. He said: “I don’t write overtly political songs, although ‘American Tune’ comes pretty close, as it was written just after Nixon was elected.”

“American Tune” is from Paul Simon’s third solo studio album, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, released November 8, 1973. The album contains the hits “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock.” Those two songs and the album all reached #2 on the Billboard. The album received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and a nomination for best pop vocal, male.

Paul Simon did win the Grammy award for Album of the Year three times: Simon has won the Album Of The Year award three times: Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970, with Art Garfunkel, Still Crazy After All These Years (1975) and Graceland (1986).

Stevie Wonder won Grammy awards for best album in 1974 and 1975.  In Paul Simon’s acceptance speech for the Album of the Year award for “Still Crazy After All These Years” he said:

“I am very happy to win this. And I want to thank Phil Ramone, who co-produced this with me, and Phoebe Snow who sang along with me on the album, and Art Garfunkel who sang on ‘Our Little Town.’ And most of all I’d like to thank Steve Wonder, who didn’t make an album this year.”

(Stevie Wonder won again the next year — one of two musicians to win three Album of the Year awards (Frank Sinatra is the other) and the only artist to win with three consecutive albums. Stevie Wonder has won 25 Grammy awards.)

The melody of “American Tune”s verses is taken almost note-for-note from the St Matthew Passion, written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727. Bach was not credited on the album. Bach himself took the melody of Hans Leo Hassler’s Mein G’mueth ist mir verwirret, possible date 1601. The bridge (“And I dreamed I was dying”) was written by Paul Simon.

At his surprise appearance at the July 25, 2022, Newport Folk Festival (which also featured surprise performer Joni Mitchell), Simon sang “American Tune” with Rhiannon Giddens. The lyrics were changed to: “We didn’t come here on the Mayflower, We came on a ship in a blood red moon.” 

 


 

1975 BBC television production.  Very clear vocals.  Solo performance — just Paul Simon on guitar. A favorite.

Simon & Garfunkel — from The Concert in Central Park, September 19, 1981,
with Art Garfunkel singing the lead and with harmony by Paul Simon.
A very beautiful version.

The “Til Further Notice” livestream concert, March 19, 2020.  Paul Simon solo performance. At this time he is 78 years old.

The studio version. From the album “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” from 1973.

 

January 19, 1977.  Jimmy Carter inaugural concert at Kennedy Center, Washington DC.
With Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter (1:16)  Also in the audience:  John Lennon and Yoko Ono (1:17).

 

Paul Simon and Rhiannon Giddens “American Tune” Live at Newport Folk Festival, July 23, 2022

 

Paul Simon performs “American Tune” at 2011 American Academy of Arts & Sciences Induction Ceremony, where he became a new member of the Academy.  October 1, 2011.
Solo performance.  Paul Simon was twelve days shy of turning 70.

A solo performance from 1974.