Flashback: Simon and Garfunkel Play a Poignant 'American Tune' in Central Park

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Paul Simon's 'American Tune' seems especially apt for the current moment. Watch him play a poignant version of the song with Art Garfunkel in 1981

Over the past couple of weeks, many artists have have shared homemade performance videos with their fans to help them through the nationwide coronavirus shut-in. The list includes Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys, Billie Joe Armstrong, Joan Baez, Joan Jett, Dave Grohl, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, and too many others to mention.performing his 1973 classic “American Tune” outside of his home.

The song is a reflection of America’s weary, restless mood during the Watergate crisis as the Vietnam War was finally winding down. “I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered,” Simon sings. “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.” It ends with the powerful image of the Statue of Liberty “sailing away to sea” while Simon dreams of taking flight.

Crucially, the song doesn’t reference Nixon, Vietnam, or anything that ties it to the time and place in which it was written. That makes it adaptable to any troubled age. When Simon sings “I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered” in 2020, everyone can relate. Dave Matthews even played it onrecently as opposed to any song in his own catalog. That’s because there is no better song for this moment. That’ll be true 50 years from now as America is dealing with some other nightmare.

 

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As music seems to repeatedly be my savior in times is (dis)tress I love this and Paul Simons later vid of the song . Don’t know if I’m habingbtearsnofnsadnessnor vheer. Missing all my own people and the distance while realizing at the same time how much worse it is for so many.

Dave Matthews just did a nice version for Kimmel

Great song 👍🏻

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