#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 13:19:32 +0100
From: "Spindler, Roland"
Subject: CRD: "You can call me Al" by Paul Simon
Song: YOU CAN CALL ME AL
Artist: Paul Simon
Album: Graceland
transcription by Roland Spindler (roland.spindler@ooe.gv.at)
Corrections welcome!
G D
A man walks down the street,
C D
he says why am I soft in the middle now,
G D
why am I soft in the middle,
C D
the rest of my life is so hard,
G D
I need a photo-opportunity,
C D
I want a shot at redemption,
G D
dont want to end up a cartoon,
C D
in a cartoon graveyard,
G D
bonedigger, bonedigger,
C D
dogs in the moonlight,
G D C D
far away my well-lit door,
G D
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly,
C D
get these mutts away from me,
G D C D
you know I don't find this stuff amusing anymore.
G D
If youll be my bodyguard
C D G D C D
I can be your long lost pal,
G D
I can call you Betty,
C D
and Betty when you call me
G D C D
you can call me Al.
A man walks down the street,
he says why am I short of attention,
got a short little span of attention,
and wo my nights are so long,
wheres my wife and family,
what if I die here,
wholl 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,
all along, along
there were incidents and accidents,
there were hints and allegations.
If youll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal,
I can call you Betty,
and Betty when you call me
G D C D
you can call me Al,
G D C D
call me Al.
A man walks down the street,
its a street in a strange world,
maybe its the Third World,
maybe its his first time around,
he doesnt speak the language,
he holds no currency,
he is a foreign man,
he is surrounded by
the sound, the sound,
cattle in the marketplace,
scatterlings and orphanages,
he looks around, around,
he sees angels in the architecture,
spinning in infinity,
he says Amen and Hallelujah!
If youll be my bodyguard...
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
geoff Average |
#1 by geoff at Sep 28, 2007 at 5:57 PM EST |
| Its a Great Music Video and Chevy Chase is great in it!! Heres the music video for anyone who was not seen it... http://ultrawarp.com/chevy/paulsimon.htm | |
|
No Picture
*evan* Average |
#2 by *evan* at Sep 29, 2007 at 5:44 PM EST |
| CHEVY CHASE, I hope I ruined something | |
|
No Picture
geoff Average |
#3 by geoff at Oct 2, 2007 at 2:45 PM EST |
| i think this song was one that paul simon wrote when he returned from a trip to africa and he wrote it about some of his experiences there. | |
|
No Picture
Devin Average |
#4 by Devin Moreno at Oct 4, 2007 at 3:00 AM EST |
| I think this song is about a many who feels empty/lacks spiritualism and drinks and doesn't think that's what he should do with his life (1st verse). He doesn't think he's seeing the real things to life, then he picks up and leaves his family to a foreign country possibly Africa and there he apparently finds God.(2nd and 3rd) as far as the Chorus I think while he's in this strange place he is asking someone to watch out for him in exchange for his friendship. Basically I think its about Paul being in Africa and sort of finding himself. | |
|
No Picture
The Random Rock Average |
#5 by The Random Rocker at Oct 4, 2007 at 6:07 AM EST |
| Apparently Paul was at an international dignitaries' party - where the host thought that his name was actually Al (and his wife was Betty). | |
|
No Picture
Steve Wanna Be |
#6 by Steve Smyth at Oct 5, 2007 at 8:36 PM EST |
| In regards to the bass solo being played by an African, it wasn't. Paul Simon played a six-string electric bass throughout the song. The incredible bassline is really the driving force behind the song, in my opinion, and I think that Paul should get the credit that he deserves for it. | |
|
No Picture
Avinash Average |
#7 by Avinash Dutta at Oct 6, 2007 at 4:51 AM EST |
| why am I soft in the middle, now Why am I soft in the middle The rest of my life is so hard i think this is a great image, i think it is saying that while life gets harder, we are still 'soft' meaning that we still have the same weaknesses and needs (the need for a friend/bodyguard). basically saying that through all of life's hardships, we're still human. Paul Simon is a genious, no contest with any other songwriter alive today. | |
|
No Picture
Eric Average |
#8 by Eric Phillips at Oct 7, 2007 at 12:14 AM EST |
| Ok, if there is ONE song that really should be discussed here, it would be this one!! Although I think this is a really great song, I don't have a clue what it is about!! I want at least 50 comments!!;-) | |
|
No Picture
Austin Average |
#9 by Austin Schrauben at Oct 8, 2007 at 4:02 AM EST |
| Paul Simon is a genius. Rather than just look at the meaning taking it at face value there are few songs which do a better job of putting a smile on your face and making you laugh especially the video. Great tune. Its just about his life and facing the hurdles it confronts you with. If you'll be my bodyguard I can be your long lost pal It's just about asking for friendship isn't it? If you help protect me against this world i'll be your friend. So i agree when you say its about friendship | |
|
No Picture
Bobby Lead Player |
#10 by Bobby Parker at Oct 8, 2007 at 6:45 PM EST |
| In regards to the bass solo being played by an African, it wasn't. Paul Simon played a six-string electric bass throughout the song. The incredible bassline is really the driving force behind the song, in my opinion, and I think that Paul should get the credit that he deserves for it. | |
|
No Picture
phil Average |
#11 by phil gdfgr at Oct 12, 2007 at 4:18 PM EST |
| I agree much with what Anakin says, but I think it's more of a song of the plight of the middle-aged. The man looks around and wonders what has become of him, why isn't he where he's supposed to be, with a wife and kids and happy? He looks for happiness and meaning, only to find "hints and allegations" in a less-than-reputable place, so he continues to wander. He finds "angels in the architecture" and believes this is Nirvana- this is what it's all about. I interpreted the last stanza as the futile attempts of a lost person to find spiritual meaning in somethign superficial, they believe they've found God but it is in fact simply a statue and nothing more. | |
|
No Picture
Da 1 n onli Mat Average |
#12 by Da 1 n onli Matt! goncalves at Oct 13, 2007 at 7:36 AM EST |
| i actually saw an interview with paul simon about this song. its alot about his life and alot about going to africa and stuff written in a joke-like format. 'a man walks down the street' its the same as 'a man walks into a bar' its a classic opening line for a joke, paul simon actually said that. amusingly in this interview he also said that the first 4 lines of the second verse are actually a penis joke... think about it the betty and al thing is as jed said in the first comment posted. | |
|
No Picture
Punk Rock Princ Wanna Be |
#13 by Punk Rock Princess at Oct 13, 2007 at 5:54 PM EST |
| I don't think it can be New York. Not much cattle in the marketplace there. | |
|
No Picture
Jay Dizzle Wanna Be |
#14 by Jay Dizzle holden at Oct 14, 2007 at 5:43 AM EST |
| What FABULOUS song! | |
|
No Picture
Average |
#15 by KitCat at Oct 15, 2007 at 3:48 AM EST |
| chevy chase? ruin something? what are u talking about?! he gives the song such a better image having beein associated with it! this song is amazing, i could listen to it on repeat for hours, just brings up so many different images.... | |
|
No Picture
silent Rhythm Player |
#16 by silent support at Oct 16, 2007 at 1:01 PM EST |
| I am giving it a shot..and i think im definitely wrong..here's my attempt..i think its about 'three people'/'or one man' who feel out of place..1st is a successful man..2nd is a man alienated from his family and third a man in a foreign country... chorus i think is probably these men/man is asking a favor from diffrent ladies in diffrent verses.. | |
|
No Picture
Shreder Dude Wanna Be |
#17 by Shreder Dude at Oct 17, 2007 at 4:35 AM EST |
| I get the sense this song revolves around the theme of belonging and family. As in the lines that say, "who'll be my role model" "I can be your bodygaurd" "long lost pal" "where's my wife and family" ... Also, the African rhythms are so well crafted to go along with it, its a great song altogether | |
Top 7 Paul Simon Guitar Tabs
Popular Guitar Tabs