“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.” It ends with the powerful image of the Statue of Liberty “sailing away to sea” while Simon dreams of taking flight. “I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered,” Simon sings. The song is a reflection of America’s weary, restless mood during the Watergate crisis as the Vietnam War was finally winding down. Here’s video of them doing it at their 1981 Central Park gig. It’s been featured on most of Simon’s tours during the past five decades, and is one of the few solo tunes he plays at reunion concerts with Art Garfunkel. The song was the third single released from There Goes Rhymin’ Simon and received only a fraction of the airplay that earlier singles “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock” generated, but it’s had a very strong afterlife. The list includes Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys, Billie Joe Armstrong, Joan Baez, Joan Jett, Dave Grohl, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, and too many others to mention.īut one of the most poignant clips was Paul Simon performing his 1973 classic “American Tune” outside of his home. Paul Simon was twelve days shy of turning 70.Over the past couple of weeks, many artists have have shared homemade performance videos with their fans to help them through the nationwide coronavirus shut-in. Paul Simon performs “American Tune” at 2011 American Academy of Arts & Sciences Induction Ceremony, where he became a new member of the Academy. Paul Simon and Rhiannon Giddens “American Tune” Live at Newport Folk Festival, July 23, 2022 With Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter (1:16) Also in the audience: John Lennon and Yoko Ono (1:17). Jimmy Carter inaugural concert at Kennedy Center, Washington DC. From the album “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” from 1973. The “Til Further Notice” livestream concert, March 19, 2020. With Art Garfunkel singing the lead and with harmony by Paul Simon. Simon & Garfunkel - from The Concert in Central Park, September 19, 1981, Solo performance - just Paul Simon on guitar. The lyrics were changed to: “We didn’t come here on the Mayflower, We came on a ship in a blood red moon.”ġ975 BBC television production. The bridge (“And I dreamed I was dying”) was written by Paul Simon.Īt 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. Bach himself took the melody of Hans Leo Hassler’s Mein G’mueth ist mir verwirret, possible date 1601. 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. (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. 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.” In Paul Simon’s acceptance speech for the Album of the Year award for “Still Crazy After All These Years” he said: Stevie Wonder won Grammy awards for best album in 19. Paul SimonMusicianAmerican TuneLyrics by Paul SimonMany's the time I've been mistaken, and many times confusedAnd I've often felt forsaken, and certainly mis. 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). The album received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and a nomination for best pop vocal, male. American Tune Lyrics by Simon & Garfunkel from the The Concert in Central Park Video album- including song video, artist biography, translations and more. The album contains the hits “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock.” Those two songs and the album all reached #2 on the Billboard. “American Tune” is from Paul Simon’s third solo studio album, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, released November 8, 1973. He said: “I don’t write overtly political songs, although ‘American Tune’ comes pretty close, as it was written just after Nixon was elected.” In an interview with in 2011, Paul Simon was asked about political references in his songs. Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day Oh, we come on the ship they call the Mayflower I can’t help it, I wonder what’s gone wrongĪnd I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered So far away from home, so far away from home
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