Lyrics to Paul Simon’s “American Tune”

Here’s another prompt for self-selected homework, should you chose to embrace it:

 

Here are the lyrics to Paul Simon’s “American Tune” and a link to an early performance on The Dick Cavett Show. How might the reader’s / listener’s experience of this song have changed from its 1974 debut to our post 9/11/01 world?  Write a thoughtful page

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_sl4r0eGVY

Many’s the time I’v been mistaken

And many times confused

Yes, and 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 Irom 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

But it’s all right, it’s all right

We’ve lived so well so long

Still, when I think of the road

we’re traveling on

I wonder what went wrong

I can’t help it, I wonder what went wrong

And I dreamed I was dying

And I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly

And looking back down at me

Smiled reassunngly

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

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 hour

and sing an American tune

But 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