Column: How a song can survive, becoming more relevant than ever

The melody was derived from a medieval hymn, ‘O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded’, which became a favourite of the English emigrants who settled on the west coast of North America in the 17th century.

What had prompted Simon to write the song was his concern about the existing state of American politics. The lyrics express the despair of the growing number of citizens feeling lost and alienated in their own native land.

Simon begins by admitting to having felt ‘confused’, ‘forsaken’ and ‘misused’; and now he feels ‘far away from home’. He goes on: ‘I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered. / I don’t have a friend who feels at ease. / I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered / Or driven to its knees.’

He can only ‘wonder what’s gone wrong’.

But in the depths of the unconscious, he understands fully, as is indicated by the symbolism that comes to him in a dream where he is not only ‘dying’ but also ‘flying’:

‘And high up above, my eyes could clearly see / The Statue of Liberty sailing away to sea.’ All that America stood for – including the welcome it always gave to those seeking refuge – seems to be disappearing.

Lastly we have the image of promises unfulfilled: ‘For we come on the ship they call the Mayflower. / We come on the ship that sailed the moon.’ This may seem a glorious history, but now we are entering ‘the age’s most uncertain hour / And sing an American tune.’

Here is a song prompted specifically by Nixon’s ‘Watergate’ scandal, which involved bugging the Democratic Party’s headquarters. Nixon wisely decided not to run again for president.

But here is a song which also resonates today. Indeed, it seems more relevant than ever, given the crimes and misdemeanours perpetrated by the current president.

As a result of what Donald Trump had done during his first term in office (2017-21), he was faced with four main indictments, involving 78 felony charges in all.

Worst than any of these, though, was his explicit incitement to riot when addressing his followers after the result of the 2020 election had been declared. This resulted in well over 1,500 of his followers storming the US Capitol. 140 police officers were injured, and five died in the days following.

With this man back in power, what song could be more relevant today than ‘American Tune’?