He began performing with his schoolfriend Art Garfunkel in 1956; together the two came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. The duo's blend of folk and rock music in hits like "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", and "The Boxer" served as a soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their career together peaked with their last album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), at one point the best-selling album of all time. Throughout his subsequent solo career, Simon has continued to explore an eclectic mixture of genres, including gospel, reggae, soul, and more. His celebrated 1970s output—comprising Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)—kept him in the public spotlight and saw critical and commercial acclaim, spawning the hits "Mother and Child Reunion", "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover".
Across his life, Simon has intermittently reunited with Garfunkel for several tours, including the famed Concert in Central Park. The widely lauded Graceland (1986) became Simon's biggest album of his career, melding his rock sound with worldbeat flavors; its single "You Can Call Me Al" became one of Simon's top hits. A sequel of sorts, The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), preceded his own successful Concert in the Park, attended by a half-million fans. That decade, Simon focused his energies on a Broadway musical The Capeman (1997), which was poorly received. In the first quarter of the next century, Simon continued to record and tour; his later albums, such as You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011), and Stranger to Stranger (2016), have introduced him to new generations. He retired from touring in 2018. His most recent work, Seven Psalms, will see release in May 2023.
Simon is among the most acclaimed musicians and songwriters in popular music, and one of the world's best-selling music artists, both for his solo work and with Garfunkel. He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has been the recipient of sixteen Grammy Awards, including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence and Graceland, have seen induction into National Recording Registry for their cultural significance, and in 2007, the Library of Congress crowned him the inaugural winner of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He is a co-founder of the Children's Health Fund, a nonprofit that provides medical care to children.
In an in-depth interview reprinted in American Songwriter, Simon discusses the craft of songwriting with music journalist Tom Moon. In the interview, Simon explains the basic themes in his songwriting: love, family and social commentary (as well as the overarching messages of religion, spirituality and God in his lyrics). Simon explains the process of how he goes about writing songs in the interview: "The music always precedes the words. The words often come from the sound of the music and eventually evolve into coherent thoughts. Or incoherent thoughts. Rhythm plays a crucial part in the lyric-making as well. It's like a puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is saying."
You Can Cal Me Al
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He says, "Why am I soft in the middle, now?
Why am I soft in the middle?
The rest of my life is so hard
I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard"
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away in my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know, I don't find this stuff amusing anymore
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me, 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, whoa, my nights are so long
Where's my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who'll 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 you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al
Call me Al
A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the third world
Maybe it's his first time around
Doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound, the sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says, "Amen and Hallelujah!"
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al
Call me
Na na na na, na na na na
Na na na na, na na na-na na-na
Na na na na, na-na na-na na na
Na na na na, na na na na
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard
The song "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon has a number of different interpretations, but at its core it's a song about the search for identity and meaning in life. The first verse features a man who is struggling with his own physical and emotional weaknesses. He wants a chance to redeem himself and be seen as more than just a caricature. The second verse has a similar theme, but this time the man is worried about his legacy and who will take his place when he's gone.
The third verse is the most enigmatic, featuring a man who is lost in a strange world, unable to communicate or understand those around him. He is overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the marketplace, but he finds solace in the beauty of the architecture around him.
Perhaps the most famous aspect of the song is its catchy chorus, which features the lines "If you'll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal. I can call you Betty, and Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al." The use of the names Betty and Al suggests a playful and informal relationship between the two characters, and the concept of a bodyguard and a long lost pal creates an interesting dynamic.
Overall, "You Can Call Me Al" is a song that explores the human experience in a unique and compelling way. It touches on the themes of identity, companionship, and finding one's place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
A man walks down the street
The song begins by introducing a man walking down the street and questioning why he is soft in the middle compared to the rest of his life being tough.
He says, "Why am I soft in the middle, now?
The man wonders why he is physically weaker in the middle compared to the rest of his body.
Why am I soft in the middle?
The man continues to question his physical weakness.
The rest of my life is so hard
The rest of the man's life is difficult, possibly referring to emotional or mental struggles.
I need a photo-opportunity
The man desires an opportunity to be in a photo.
I want a shot at redemption
The man hopes for a second chance at something he has done wrong.
Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard"
The man wants to avoid being seen as foolish or childlike.
Bonedigger, Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away in my well-lit door
The man mentions a Bonedigger dog and describes it in the moonlight, perhaps referring to something he is afraid of. He also mentions his 'well-lit door' which might signify a safe or comfortable place.
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
The man refers to himself as Mr. Beerbelly, and asks to be protected from dogs.
You know, I don't find this stuff amusing anymore
The man no longer finds his current situation or surroundings amusing.
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al
The man is willing to make a partnership with someone, suggesting that he provide protection in exchange for a friendship and a playful nickname.
He says, "Why am I short of attention?
Got a short little span of attention
And, whoa, my nights are so long
Where's my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who'll be my role model
Now that my role model is gone, gone?"
The man continues to question his life, wondering why he lacks attention and struggles with short nights without his family. He also acknowledges the possibility of death and how that would affect his life.
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
The man recalls a memory in which he hid in an alleyway with a strange girl. He reflects on past incidents, accidents, hints, and allegations that could have affected his life.
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the third world
Maybe it's his first time around
Doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound, the sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says, "Amen and Hallelujah!"
The man finds himself in a strange, foreign world where he is unfamiliar with the language, currency, and surroundings. He is surrounded by the sounds of cattle in the marketplace and the sight of scatterings and orphanages. Despite this, he sees angels in the architecture and reflects this with Amen and Hallelujah.
Na na na na, na na na na
Na na na na, na na na-na na-na
Na na na na, na-na na-na na na
Na na na na, na na na na
The chorus repeats with a playful, nonsensical sequence of sounds.
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard
The song ends with a repetition of the man's proposition to someone to be his bodyguard in exchange for friendship and playful nicknames.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CalifornianCuttlefish
to anyone listening to this in nowadays: bless your soul, you must have taste
@braylenconner3
Love 60s through 80s some 90s
@cokedudebestmate7099
I have some taste, and that’s an understatement
@reconghostgaming3213
I don’t mind the 50’s all the way to 2016. There is only so much good songs 2017-2021 i like, but it’s a bit stale lately.
@CalifornianCuttlefish
@@reconghostgaming3213 Thank You?
@danieladiaz8259
Yeah, I have taste. 80s music is awesome because it doesn’t say any bad words
@montesace
My Dad's name was Al. He loved this song. Even after he got dementia, he'd still tell people that they could call him Al. This song means a lot to me.
@arribaficationwineho32
Amazing what we can retain even with dementia. Great story. Sorry abt your dad but it sounds like he had happy memories.
@montesace
@@arribaficationwineho32 Thank you for the kind words.
@arribaficationwineho32
@@montesace my husband had it and has died. He was very happy in his dementia….kind, appreciative and knew family until he died or acted like he did. I love when music connects us to good memories.