You Can Call Me Al
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008) |
| “You Can Call Me Al” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by Paul Simon from the album Graceland |
|||||
| Released | October, 1986 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Recorded | 1986 | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Length | 4:40 | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | ||||
| Producer | Paul Simon | ||||
| Paul Simon singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
"You Can Call Me Al" is a song by Paul Simon, the first single released from his album Graceland. The song originally charted in the U.S. at #44 in October, 1986 but it was reissued with greater promotion in March, 1987 and hit #23. In the UK it peaked at #4.
The lyrics describe a man experiencing an identity crisis[1] ("Where's my wife and family? What if I die here? Who'll be my role model?").
The song features an impressive and unusual bass run performed by Bakithi Kumalo, in which the second half is a reversed recording of the first half. The bass solo was recorded on Kumalo's birthday.[citation needed]
The names in the song came from an incident at a party that Simon went to with his wife Peggy Harper. The host of the party called Paul "Al", and Peggy "Betty", inspiring Simon to write a song.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Music videos
Paul Simon did not like the original music video that was made, which was a performance of the song Simon gave during the monologue when he hosted Saturday Night Live in the perspective of a video monitor.[2] A replacement video was conceived partly by Lorne Michaels and directed by Gary Weis, wherein Chevy Chase lip-synced all of Simon's vocals in an upbeat presentation, with gestures punctuating the lyrics.[3] Simon wore a bored expression throughout the piece, while also lugging instruments into view (such as conga drums) to sync them with the audio track at the appropriate moments. The only time he sings was to provide the lower-pitched harmony on the phrases "If you'll be my bodyguard" and "I can call you Betty" in the chorus. During the fade-out instrumental, Chase and Simon performed a rhythmic dance step in sync. Chase, being 6ft 4in, towering over the much shorter 5ft 3in Simon.
[edit] Cultural references
During the 1992 campaign for the Presidency of the United States, politician Al Gore used the song as part of his bid for Vice President, which he campaigned for alongside running mate Bill Clinton.
The song is used as an unofficial theme for the Florida Gators basketball and volleyball team (the school's mascot is Albert the Alligator). Traditionally, the pep band waits until the under eight minute or under four minute time out to play the song. The Florida band has also begun playing the song during football games as well, typically during the 4th quarter.
The song is also traditionally played after every home football game by the Appalachian State University Marching Mountaineers.
The song has also recently been used in basketball again, this time the opening bars being played after three pointers scored by New York Knicks player Al Harrington
[edit] Cover versions
- Pop-punk band Inspection 12 recorded an acoustic cover of this song for their 2003 album Get Rad.
- Though not a cover, the line "you can call me betty, betty when you call me" is featured in The Casket Lottery song "Stolen Honda", replacing "al" with "out".
- Team Waterpolo, a new wave indie band from preston, recorded Call me Al as a song for their EP, Room 44
