The Wanderer
Paul Simon Dion Lyrics


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Oh well I'm the type of guy who will never settle down
Where pretty girls are well, you know that I'm around
I kiss 'em and I love'em 'cause to me they're all the same
I hug 'em and I squeeze 'em they don't even know my name
They call me the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I roam around around around...

Oh well there's Flo on my left and there's Mary on my right
And Janie is the girl with that I'll be with tonight
And when she asks me which one I love the best
I tear open my shirt I got Rosie on my chest
'Cause I'm the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I roam around around around...

Oh well I roam from town to town
I go through life without a care
'Til I'm as happy as a clown
With my two fists of iron and I'm going nowhere

I'm the type of guy that likes to roam around
I'm never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for some girl
I hop right into that car of mine and ride around the world
Yeah I'm the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I roam around around around...

Oh yeah I'm the type of guy that likes to roam around
I'm never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for some girl
I hop right into that car of mine and ride around the world
Yeah 'cause I'm a wanderer yeah a wanderer
I roam around around around...




'Cause I'm a wanderer yeah a wanderer
I roam around around around...

Overall Meaning

The Wanderer by Paul Simon Dion is a song that represents the lifestyle of a restless, carefree man who compulsively moves from one place to another without ever settling down anywhere. He travels from town to town, meets different women, and never stays in one place for too long. He's the type of guy who falls in love with pretty girls, but he never gets emotionally attached to them. Instead, he embraces the philosophy of enjoying himself while he can. He's not interested in finding a permanent love, but he finds satisfaction in going around the world.


The Wanderer is a character who's proud of his freewheeling lifestyle, almost as if he's showing off his adventurous and independent spirit. He's not ashamed of his actions and doesn't seem to care about the consequences of them. The lyrics suggest that he loves many women simultaneously and sees them as interchangeable objects of affection. He desires the physical pleasure of their company, but he doesn't want to be emotionally attached. Despite that, he's never lonely, and he always has his car to pick him up and help him move on to the next adventure.


Overall, The Wanderer is more than just a song about a traveling man; it's a celebration of the abandon and freedom that comes with a nomadic existence. The lyrics reflect a time of sexual liberation and rebellion against the conventional societal values of the era. It's a classic tune that captures the spirit of the 1960s rock and roll movement.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh well I'm the type of guy who will never settle down
I am not the kind of guy who can commit to one person


Where pretty girls are well, you know that I'm around
I am always on the lookout for pretty girls


I kiss 'em and I love'em 'cause to me they're all the same
I don't mind hopping from one girl to another because they are all the same to me


I hug 'em and I squeeze 'em they don't even know my name
I don't care if the girls don't even know my name, as long as I can hug and squeeze them


They call me the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I have become known as 'the wanderer'


I roam around around around...
I am always on the move, never staying in one place for too long


Oh well there's Flo on my left and there's Mary on my right
There are always new girls around, like Flo on my left and Mary on my right


And Janie is the girl with that I'll be with tonight
Tonight, I have my sights set on Janie


And when she asks me which one I love the best
If Janie asks me to choose, I won't be able to answer truthfully


I tear open my shirt I got Rosie on my chest
I have a tattoo of another girl, Rosie, on my chest, which is a reminder that I'm not ready to settle down


'Cause I'm the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I continue to wander and not settle down


Oh well I roam from town to town
I continue to travel from town to town


I go through life without a care
I live my life carefree with no worries or commitments


Til I'm as happy as a clown
I continue to roam until I am as happy as a clown


With my two fists of iron and I'm going nowhere
I may have two fists of iron, but I am not going anywhere in life


I'm never in one place I roam from town to town
I continue to travel and never stay in one place for too long


Yeah 'cause I'm a wanderer yeah a wanderer
I continue to wander and not settle down


I hop right into that car of mine and ride around the world
When I find myself falling for a girl, I hop in my car and travel around the world to avoid commitment




Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CTM Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ernie Maresca

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@roman14032

the thing that always floors me about dion is theres always a moment in all his songs, one special moment, when two things happen, 1. the underlying tragedy in life is exposed (with my two fists of iron, but im going NOWHERE) and 2. simultaneously YOUR HEART EXPLODES WITH JOY!
that is a mystery to me
this song for example,on the surface is not deep, its youthful swagger, but then there's that moment that makes your heart hurt and jump at the same time
there's something deep going on there,
as an artist he touches something so subtle, so hidden deep in our souls, we can't even understand it, its primal
ITS TRAGIC AND LIFE AFFIRMING!!??
there is something deeply profound going on there but its to fragile to grasp, it cant be expressed in words,and thoughts or concepts
you can only feel it, its a punch in the gut that feels good????
its like those moments in italian opera where the clown on stage is suicidal but the audience is rockin
i dont know what im talking about here, but , do you feel me?



All comments from YouTube:

@alfredoolivares1942

Only Dion Dimucci could have Paul Simon as back vocal,,, love it. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

@DrinksJokesStorytelling

How epic is that!!!

@lindamclennan8645

Right- who else could command that kind of respect? YES IT IS EPIC! Wow what a performance

@susansapp6136

Some team, eh? WOW!

@roman14032

the thing that always floors me about dion is theres always a moment in all his songs, one special moment, when two things happen, 1. the underlying tragedy in life is exposed (with my two fists of iron, but im going NOWHERE) and 2. simultaneously YOUR HEART EXPLODES WITH JOY!
that is a mystery to me
this song for example,on the surface is not deep, its youthful swagger, but then there's that moment that makes your heart hurt and jump at the same time
there's something deep going on there,
as an artist he touches something so subtle, so hidden deep in our souls, we can't even understand it, its primal
ITS TRAGIC AND LIFE AFFIRMING!!??
there is something deeply profound going on there but its to fragile to grasp, it cant be expressed in words,and thoughts or concepts
you can only feel it, its a punch in the gut that feels good????
its like those moments in italian opera where the clown on stage is suicidal but the audience is rockin
i dont know what im talking about here, but , do you feel me?

@arnoldblashak171

Wow that's deep and heavy🤔

@johnlaughton6403

When Dick Clark passed away, Dion became America's oldest teenager. He's in his 6th decade of performing and recording. One of the last of that great 1950's and early 60's era He went on to record many albums later.

@arnoldblashak171

I never saw it that way but now that you said it it sounds right to me

@rschlessel6133

Dion looks amazing for his age ..very youthful ..still has the swagger ..still sounds great.Rock on

@robertweschsr

+R Schlessel U got that right R

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