The melody of Paul Simon’s “American Tune” is based on the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”. You may also recognize it as something that appears in J.S. Bach’s Saint Matthew’s Passion. Simon wrote it just after the election of Richard M. Nixon.
Both the music and the lyrics speak to me in
this summer of dread and unrest, so that’s what we’re having today. That line "I'm just weary to my bones" describes me most days.
We’ve got the fear and uncertainty, the utter
weariness at the constant firehose blast of fuckery, the confusion and abuse.
But—as he points out—we can’t expect to be bright and bon vivant all the time. And
if we can’t be forever blessed, we can get up on the working days and get after
it.
Here’s Simon singing it in 1974. Have a listen and then listen again.
©2024 Bas Bleu
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