Countin’ the cars on the New Jersey turnpike

They’ve all come to look for America, all come to look for America

— Paul Simon

I blame this on the self-proclaimed “cultural concierge” Jesse Kornbluth. If you don’t follow his remarkable blog, Headbutler, stop reading this right now and sign up.

There. Much better.

Jesse’s been an active New York journalist for decades. Over the years you’ve probably seen his name in Vanity Fair, New York, Architectural Digest, Reader’s Digest, The Los AngelesTimes Magazine, Departures, The New Yorker or The New York Times. Man gets around. And I love his insights. I don’t always agree with everything he writes, but he always makes me think and that, my friends, is something of an achievement from the media these days.

Anyway, I was reading one of his pieces last week in which he crowned Paul Simon as our Poet Laureate, and I couldn’t agree more. For 40+ years, Paul Simon has been the voice of our (my) generation. Sure, there’s Bob Dylan and Lennon/McCartney. But, like the Energizer bunny, Paul’s still going. That counts for something.

So I went right out and picked up his new CD, Songwriter, which is a stunning 2-disc collection of the “best of” Paul Simon. Thirty-two songs, from “The Sounds of Silence” all the way up to his latest release, “So Beautiful, or So What?” I was listening to it in my car today and I had to pull off the road when “American Tune” came on. I’d forgotten about it and, as I listened, realized that it could have been written yesterday.

Here’s a clip from the old Dick Cavett show from September 1974, with a young (weren’t we all young in 1974?) Paul singing it: http://youtu.be/l_sl4r0eGVY

And here are the lyrics:

American Tune

— Paul Simon

Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken

And many times confused

Yes, and I’ve 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

Oh, but it’s all right, it’s all right

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 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 up above my eyes could clearly see

The Statue of Liberty

Sailing away to sea

And I dreamed I was flying

Well, 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

And 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

Phwew!

I’m going to Iceland (not Graceland) next week, so I’ll have lots to tell when I get back. Maybe even some decent photos of the Northern Lights. Keep your fingers crossed. I’m packing right now and have more layers in my suitcase than a puff pastry…

Buon viaggio!

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