America
Simon & Garfunkel
Lyrics currently unavailable…
11 facts about this song
Release DateThe song "America" by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, who performed as "Simon & Garfunkel," was released on their fourth studio album "Bookends" on April 3, 1968.
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SongwritingPaul Simon wrote the song when he was 26 years old, inspired by a road trip across the U.S. with his then-girlfriend Kathy Chitty in 1964.
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PopularityDespite its popularity, "America" was not released as a single in the U.S at the time, but it reached #35 in the UK when it was eventually released as a single there in 1972.
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LyricsThe song's lyrics chronicle a cross-country journey from Michigan to New York City, capturing scenes of everyday life in America and expressing feelings of both patriotism and disillusionment.
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Cultural Significance"America" is considered a signature song of Simon & Garfunkel and one of the greatest songs ever, regularly featuring on lists made by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and other music publications.
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Cover VersionsThe song has been covered by numerous artists across different genres, including David Bowie, Yes, and most notably by Bert Sommer at the Woodstock Festival in 1969.
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Movie featureIn the film "Almost Famous" (2000), "America" is prominently used in a pivotal scene, showing the song's continued cultural relevance decades after its initial release.
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Political themeThe line "Michigan seems like a dream to me now" was taken from the 13th-century poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi's line "The whole world is a form for truth."
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Tour InfluenceA 2018 re-interpreted version by Paul Simon during his Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour incorporates a recited piece about the fragility of democracy in America, demonstrating the song's enduring topicality.
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Musical Structure"America" is in the key of E major, with the guitars tuned down a full-step (as is common in Simon & Garfunkel's music), creating a rich, resonant sound. It is notable for the harmonic complexity (relative for a pop song) and the intricate fingerpicking guitar work.
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Commercial UseThe song was used in an advertisement for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, which helped to introduce it to a new generation of listeners.
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Citation
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"America Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Jun 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/6586257/Simon+%26+Garfunkel/America>.
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