Still hip after all these years

Samuel’s Musician of the Week is Paul Simon – quite appropriate considering earlier this month saw the debut of his latest solo album ‘So Beautiful or So What’, and also because Simon is one of my favourite solo artists (although he was pretty good with that Art bloke, too.)

I hope Samuel won’t mind me joining him this week on a tribute to this gifted songwriter.

Rather than include a song from Simon’s latest album, I have looked back to 1973 for the following seldom-heard, musically intense elegy. To be accurate, I should have said 1973 and 1727 (the latter due to a melody line from J S Bach.)



Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but I’m alright, I’m alright
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
Oh, but it’s alright, it’s alright
For we’ve lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the
Road we’re traveling on
I wonder what’s gone wrong
I can’t help but wonder what’s gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
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 hours
And sing an American tune
Oh, and it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
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