#-----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE------------------------------#
# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation #
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this is my first tab to do on this site.
ok... this is the main riff throughout the whole song.
Key: ~hold and vibrado
/slide up
main riff E----------------------------|
B---10-9-9-7--10-9-9-10------|
G----------------------------| >play four (4) times
D----------------------------|
A----------------------------|
E----------------------------|
acc. for E----------------------------|
bass solo B---10-9-10------------------|
G----------------------------| >play between bass riffs
D----------------------------|
A----------------------------|
E----------------------------|
ending E----------------------------|
B---10-9-9-7~~--10-9-9-9/10--|
G----------------------------| >play main riff 4 times then play
D----------------------------| ending
A----------------------------|
E----------------------------|
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No Picture
sharon Wanna Be |
#1 by sharon howell at Sep 30, 2007 at 11:22 PM EST |
| I'd have to say that the song is about life. And the obstacles you encouter, and fears you have about ending up alone. The bodyguard is someone that's going to help you along. At least that's what I think.... | |
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No Picture
Average |
#2 by Fig at Oct 1, 2007 at 8:14 PM EST |
| Kickass little bass solo in there too ;) | |
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No Picture
Sam Average |
#3 by Sam at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:43 AM EST |
| The guy's in New York. Where else could you see all those things and still remain somewhat sane? | |
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No Picture
Andrea Average |
#4 by Andrea Lauria at Oct 6, 2007 at 11:06 AM EST |
| It's about a man wallking down a street and all the different scenes he sees. Some are funny. Some are dangerous. You might even need a bodyguard. It might be your own neighborhood or it might be in a third world country | |
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No Picture
Curtis Rhythm Player |
#5 by Curtis Lee at Oct 6, 2007 at 10:39 PM EST |
| what an album! this song has always been about life's journey to me (sometimes like being in a sitcom), so it is nice to see i am not too far off from what paul was thinking. i always got the double entendre' in the second verse. i thought it just went along with everything else being sung about. you have to give the man credit; to hear the music of other cultures and use it as the basis for the ear/brain candy this album provided definitely shows musical genius. remember, this album was wildly popular worldwide in it's day. | |
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No Picture
Da 1 n onli Mat Average |
#6 by Da 1 n onli Matt! goncalves at Oct 12, 2007 at 3:35 PM EST |
| this song was one of the first songs i knew all the words too. i think it has friendship as a theme. | |
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No Picture
Matt Lead Player |
#7 by Matt Beach at Oct 17, 2007 at 10:13 AM EST |
| The video notwithstanding, I think of this song as coming from the perspective of a sheltered American lost in another culture. Believe me, when I moved to a large African city some time ago, this song became my favorite, since I identified so much with it. I especially like the last verse where the man finally sees the good in things, and realizes he doesn't have to be in his familiar surroundings to be comfortable. I so identify with that moment. I realize I may be reading way too much into this, but at that point in my life the song meant so much to me. BTW it was recorded in South Africa, not a thousand miles from where I was living. I also love the four measure bass solo towards the end of the song. It is so smooth and rhythmic it must have been played by an African. Listen to authentic African music for a while and you'll understand what I mean. The Graceland album, along with Paul's follow-up project called The Rhythm of the Saints (recorded in South America), are quite refreshing to one with a wide cultural world view. Everything here is so damned Americanized, and we almost force our culture and language upon visitors and immigrants. As Paul Simon realized, there is so much to be enjoyed by indulging in the language, music, and culture of others. Garare //uba /i !omse. | |
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No Picture
Bryant Wanna Be |
#8 by Bryant Matthews at Oct 17, 2007 at 9:57 PM EST |
| Like madawab, I've always loved the bass solo on this song (which is 2 measures, not 4). On VH1's Behind the Record, Paul said the solo is 1 measure of bass solo spliced to the same solo played in reverse! | |