Thumbing through my iTunes music collection, I came across a song I haven't heard in ages. America by Simon & Garfunkel. A simple, silly song that magically captures the spirit of youth and that of a nation. It takes me back to when I was younger and exploring a new land. This, I thought, would be a good epilogue to the prior post.
Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together
I've got some real estate here in my bag
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies
And walked on to look for America
"Cathy," I said, as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw
I've gone to look for America
Laughing on the bus, playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit is a spy
I said be careful his bow-tie is really a camera
"Pass me a cigarette I think there's one in my raincoat"
"We smoked the last one an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, and she read a magazine
The moon rose over an open field
"Cathy, I'm lost", I said though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for America
15 comments:
never heard of it. You should sing it and post the recording.:-)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5n4TULPMEsU
Interesting post. Now you've got me all in a thinky mood.
Sigh... I hear you
Am looking for America too, esp the more generous optimistic one rather this new fearful inward looking nation. All this cos of 911?
That isn't YOU singing it. SO not the same!
i know i know, i KNOW the song!
;-)
and i like it too.
though, to tell the truth, i never paid attention to the lyrics earlier. nice stuff.
autogato: focus on the dissertation!!!
anon: sigh
sanjay: I think most of this was brewing already - 9/11 just caused the pot to boil over
andy: my guitar's broken :(
vibhor: check the link above
closetalk: glad you like it too. Have you seen the movie Almost Famous?
I know, I know. Thanks for the reminder about the dissertation.
Dissertation. Or as I prefer to call it, PISSERtation.
I've never heard of this song either, but it sounds pretty deep. I'll have to check out that youtube link
i like the song...my fave part is the one about the spy and his bowtie being a camera ;)
any idea why that was included? poking fun at bond movies? or was something happenng in greyhound buses in the 70's? :P
this is what happens when u read too much between the lines :P
autogoto: Yesss - you do that!
chic_mommy: check out that link!
tq: I think those lines just capture the cold war paranoia that captured America in the 60s & 70s
i looooooooooooved Almost Famous. ;-)
yep nice song!:)
Beautiful.
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