Every movie and TV show made better by Paul Simon’s music
Paul Simon’s music has often had a feel-good factor to it. He has persistently written upbeat music, particularly on the seminal album Graceland. When Simon embarked on his own solo career after Simon and Garfunkel, he found that many of his tunes would be sought after as they would perfectly compliment a range of emotions and feelings.
One of Paul Simon’s most beloved tracks is ‘Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard’. It is the second single to be released from his self-titled second studio album. One effective use of the song in a film came in Wes Anderson‘s 2001 picture, The Royal Tenenbaums. The scene in which it is used sees the titular Royal Tenebaum – played by Gene Hackman – take his sons out for a day of fun, and the inclusion of Simon’s track makes the scene all the more wonderful.
Simon would also play the track on Sesame Street back in 1977. The scene features Simon sitting outside on a doorstep with a young girl, playing the tune on an acoustic guitar. The little girl provides her own lyrics about dancing, and her melodies are perfectly suited to the song. We then see a bunch of other kids dancing to the tune. Very sweet indeed.
Another of the best Paul Simon songs is ‘You Can Call Me Al’, which is arguably Simon’s best known. The track is the lead single from his excellent seventh studio album Graceland, released in 1986. The song is influenced by the South African culture that comprises much of the album, and the lyrics explore an individual’s experience of a mid-life crisis.
‘You Can Call Me Al’ was used to tremendous effect in an episode of This is Us, a family drama show that followed a family and their several children and relatives. The scene in which the song is used sees Sterling K. Brown’s character woken up by the tune, as it is his alarm tone. The upbeat nature of the song gives the father of the family an overwhelming positive feeling.
He then runs around the house, waking up the rest of his family for Thanksgiving, or “turkey day”, as he calls it. Unfortunately, many of his family members aren’t quite as enthusiastic about waking up early as he is. But Simon’s tune gives the audience the feel-good factor, and we share in the father’s delight.
Simon’s legendary tune ’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ was used in the 2001 comedy-action flick 3000 Miles to Graceland, which starred Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, David Arquette and Courteney Cox. Although it was both a commercial and critical failure, the film made tremendous use of Simon’s song in a scene where a helicopter pilot is meant to be picking up a group of heist artists. When the chopper is late, the crew ask where he is. Then the scene hilariously cuts to the pilot casually flying the aircraft whilst singing along to ’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’.
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