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America", a Paul Simon song, was made popular
by 1960s folk duo Simon and Garfunkel. It was
included in their album Bookends, released
April 3, 1968.
The song was released as a single in 1972, to
coincide with the album Simon and Garfunkel's
Greatest Hits.
In poetic terms the song describes in
first-hand terms the physical and
metaphorical journey of two companions in
search of the true meaning of America. Their
initial hopefulness, indicated by such lyrics
as "Let us be lovers," turns to a sense of
frustration and sadness, accompanied by the
inevitable breakdown of their relationship:
"Kathy I'm lost, I said—though I knew she
was sleeping."
Finally the realization dawns on the singer
that, like El Dorado, the fabled America for
which they are searching is an illusion, and
all the travelers (and by extension all
Americans) are seeking this mythical land in
vain. Tags : Simon and garfunkel |