Paul Simon — American Tune
Album: There Goes Rhymin' SimonAvg rating:
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Length: 3:42
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Many's the time I've been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
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
And 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
But it's all right, it's all right
We've 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 went 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 up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
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
But 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
And many times confused
Yes, and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
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
And 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
But it's all right, it's all right
We've 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 went 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 up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
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
But 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
Comments (45)add comment
dejapete wrote:
For those who don't know, the tune is "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."
by Bach
For those who don't know, the tune is "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."
by Bach
Clarentine wrote:
And again today!
Excellent series this morning - Ten Million Slaves, Sail Away, American Tune.
And again today!
Excellent series this morning - Ten Million Slaves, Sail Away, American Tune.
Bob Zim' Nobel Dylan has never been as good as this genius. 
such beautiful lyrics.
With a huge nod to J.S. Bach who wrote the tune....
cely wrote:
i most certainly agree with all you've said 3 years ago. still, today.
This is one of the greatest American songs of the 20th century. The music is pretty, but the lyrics are all about then, now and anytime in this country. What a genius Paul Simon is.
i most certainly agree with all you've said 3 years ago. still, today.
Genius. So grateful to have lived through Mr. Simon's greatness.
Chi_Editrix wrote:
Today followed by Jim Pepper, Muscogee tribe, singing about a Pow Wow. Yes, welcome to America! Help us reach for our collective dream!
Interesting trilogy Taylor, Newman, and Simon. Welcome to America.
Today followed by Jim Pepper, Muscogee tribe, singing about a Pow Wow. Yes, welcome to America! Help us reach for our collective dream!
I've always thought Paul including a live version of this song for his late 70s greatest hits collection was a wise decision....same with Duncan.
smartn1 wrote:
"Some days it feels farther away than ever." Especially when many want to hide this ugly chapter in US history. Study it, learn from it, and make progress.
We still have a long way to go. Some days it feels further away than ever.
"Some days it feels farther away than ever." Especially when many want to hide this ugly chapter in US history. Study it, learn from it, and make progress.
Interesting trilogy Taylor, Newman, and Simon. Welcome to America.
We still have a long way to go. Some days it feels further away than ever.
cely wrote:
I saw Paul Simon play live in Johannesburg in 1996 , i have never really connected with him that much but i see he has a huge following.
This is one of the greatest American songs of the 20th century. The music is pretty, but the lyrics are all about then, now and anytime in this country. What a genius Paul Simon is.
I saw Paul Simon play live in Johannesburg in 1996 , i have never really connected with him that much but i see he has a huge following.
happy 4th of july in the year 2022
I was skipping over slow tempo songs, but you slowed me down, Bill. Thanks.
Still relevant, sigh.
Last year during the peak of COVID, Paul Simon performed an acoustic version of this song online. It was so poignant and perfect for the time.
Once again, Bill is reading my mind by playing this right after Randy Newman's Sail Away. What a terrific source of music on the Internet. There's no other place I want to be.
Sure would be great to get back to the America of 1973.
This is playing on Jan. 20, 2021, America's first good night of sleep in four years. A new President and hopefully a new era. Anyway, a great playlist:
Otis Taylor - Ten Million Slaves
Randy Newman - Sail Away
and now this...
Thank you Bill for the great musical journey thru this day.
This is playing on Jan. 20, 2021, America's first good night of sleep in four years. A new President and hopefully a new era. Anyway, a great playlist:
Otis Taylor - Ten Million Slaves
Randy Newman - Sail Away
and now this...
Thank you Bill for the great musical journey thru this day.
Thanks for playing this RP, sounds so good and I haven't heard it in a long time.
Always hear the live duet version with Garfunkle... This is nice - thanks for playing, Bill!
cely wrote:
Amen. And oh so needed right now.
This is one of the greatest American songs of the 20th century. The music is pretty, but the lyrics are all about then, now and anytime in this country. What a genius Paul Simon is.
Amen. And oh so needed right now.
This is one of the greatest American songs of the 20th century. The music is pretty, but the lyrics are all about then, now and anytime in this country. What a genius Paul Simon is.
A master poet
So many years since I last heard this....but still fabulous
Beautiful song.
Marvelous! A great song from a great album and a great artist - thanks Paul!
Bonus points for the clever album name.
Mandy Patinkin (Broadway star, Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride, and Saul Berenson on Homeland) covered this 10-12 years ago on a record that IIRC, focused on the Jewish immigrant experience. Think he sang part of it in Hebrew.
marvelous... love this song...
Simon was a has-been before his time.
Bach !
Everybody in my church loves this song...
Great song. There's a sensitivity to it, in music and lyric, that is so special and dear. I saw jazz vocalist Kurt Elling do a great cover of this in Seattle a few weeks ago. Bill, get on that.
romeotuma wrote:
I would say it is a tie between Dylan and Simon... but I agree with you that this song is incredible, and it is from a great album...
Having seen both this summer I'd like to point out that there may have once been a contest but Mr Simon is still a legendary and amazing performer who rocked the whole of Hyde Park while Bob Dylan's lamentable performance saw droves of people leaving the Hop Farm Festival early due to the awful state of his voice and his insistence on playing obscure tracks nobody knows and ruining classics so badly it takes 3 minutes to realise he is actually playing How do you feel?
I would say it is a tie between Dylan and Simon... but I agree with you that this song is incredible, and it is from a great album...
Having seen both this summer I'd like to point out that there may have once been a contest but Mr Simon is still a legendary and amazing performer who rocked the whole of Hyde Park while Bob Dylan's lamentable performance saw droves of people leaving the Hop Farm Festival early due to the awful state of his voice and his insistence on playing obscure tracks nobody knows and ruining classics so badly it takes 3 minutes to realise he is actually playing How do you feel?
Antigone wrote:
For those who don't know, the tune is "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."
Simply beautiful. Great lyrics. Sweet tune.
For those who don't know, the tune is "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."
I love this song!!
Thank you, Bill: great song from a great album. More than Dylan, America's poet laureate.
Song is OK but that album cover, c'mon!
gets a 9
Simply beautiful. Great lyrics. Sweet tune.
Fairly boring, Paul.
Sure would be great to get back to the America of 1973.
This is playing on Jan. 20, 2021, America's first good night of sleep in four years. A new President and hopefully a new era. Anyway, a great playlist:
Otis Taylor - Ten Million Slaves
Randy Newman - Sail Away
and now this...
Thank you Bill for the great musical journey thru this day.
If you wrote this I doubt that you lived through 73. These times where insane. Euphoric recall