American Tune

“American Tune” is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the third single from his third studio album, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973), released on Columbia Records. The song, a meditation on the American experience, is based on the melody of the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” and bears a striking resemblance to JS Bach’s “Erkenne mich, mein Hüter“. The song reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview with Tom Moon in 2011, Paul Simon was asked about political references in his songs, and he said: “I don’t write overtly political songs, although ‘American Tune’ comes pretty close, as it was written just after Nixon was elected.” Billboard described it as a “discourse on inner security while being far from home. Cash Box called it a “gorgeous, haunting, highly lyrical track” and said that the “soft vocal performance is heightened by sweet string section.” Record World said that it “should touch the hearts and ears of many Americans” with a “beautiful melody wrapped around meaningful lyrics.”It is ranked number 262 on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Years after the song’s release, the Los Angeles Times wrote “It does not ring with the loud anger that runs through our time. It is mournful, as if unspooling in the candlelight of a day’s end,” and praised the song for its tender, timeless nature, noting it as a “visceral [reminder] of our history