I’ve been asked why I don’t include Paul Simon’s America in my Independence Day post. Beats the hell outta me, so I decided to post it as this week’s FCH tune.
Paul Simon wrote America in 1968 for Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends album. It contains some of the best lyrics Simon ever wrote and that’s saying a lot.
We begin with Paul and Artie. They may not get along, but their voices do.
When Jon Anderson and Chris Squire first met, they talked about how much they loved Simon and Garfunkel. The proof is in this cover featuring some gobsmacking guitar from Steve Howe.
David Bowie singing America whilst playing a teeny tiny keyboard is new to me. It’s pretty darn good.
Lucy Wainwright Roche is an American folk singer with an impressive pedigree. She’s Loudon Wainwright and Suzzy Roche’s daughter and Rufus’ sister. She also nails the Simon classic.
What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time, Paul Desmond followed by Phil Upchurch.
Ready for some lagniappe? Here’s another Paul Simon classic:
That’s it for this week. Let’s drink to American democracy. It’s been in jeopardy before and survived. It’s what Jimmy Cagney as George M. Cohan would want. Never argue with him: he might come back as Cody Jarrett.
Interesting juxtaposition of the end of the S&G original, which has kind of a carnival ride instrumental and the Bowie cover on the teeny tiny keyboard which very much has a carnival ride sound and cadence.