Dan Mills with Adam Podd & Mark Goodel - You Can Call Me Al
Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
Flash myself back to the late 80's early 90's. My dad, mom, little brother, & I cozily squished into a 88 Colt Vista on another cold trip to Montana.
The little 4 wheel drive chugging through the snow as my parents controlled the stereo. Even as a kid I was more into hip hop than anything my parents would play but there was one tape I was always glad to hear. My dad was a huge Paul Simon fan & our old cassette of Graceland was staple of every vacation. Everyone knew the lyrics to every song, as a family singing along was my favorite way to pass the time. My dad & I would often take adventures together, the song "Graceland" has a lyric, "my traveling companion was 9 years old." I always felt like I was my dad's traveling companion, following the trip on the map & guessing how long it would take to get to the next town.
This album began to represent a connection between my dad & I. We watched a live concert being broadcast from Africa with Paul & his band, & the Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Helped me find a deeper appreciation for the African roots of the music I loved. One of the family's favorite tracks was always "You Can Call Me Al." I'd smile as my dad would marvel over the beauty of the lyrics, "He looks around, around, he see angels in the architecture, spinning in infinity, he says amen, hallelujah!" I'd visualize my own favorite lyric, "Who will be my role model, now that my role model is gone, gone. He ducked back down the alley with some roly-poly little bat-faced girl." I still don't know what it means but I love it.
Which brings me to today, now that my role model is gone. I lost my dad to cancer in 2007. I sat by his hospital bed as he was passing, surrounded by family & friends, hating the silence, I pulled out my MP3 player & played "Graceland." In such a quiet room, the song broke free like a private concert. I smile with tears in my eyes every time I hear these songs.
I love the shared connection we all have through music. I'll have a song stuck in my head & cruise Youtube to hear everyone's own rendition of the song. From the bad to the amazing, I appreciate the connection they feel to the music. I found a Tumblr blog last year called CopyCats, that features covers, remixes, & mashups only. This was one of my favorites. Not only do they make the song their own, the bring small odes to the original video with Paul & Chevy Chase by having the two singers get stuck entering the doorway at the same time. There is the same fun sweetness to the song & plenty of their own original flavor.
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Grant
Grant
