Genius Meanings
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Paul Simon – The Boy in the Bubble
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[Verse 1] / It was a slow day and the sun was beating / On the soldiers by the side of the road / There was a bright light, a shattering of shop windows / The bomb in the baby
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Peter Gabriel – The Boy in the Bubble
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[Verse 1] / It was a slow day / And the sun was beating / On the soldiers by the side of the road / There was a bright light / A shattering of shop windows / The bomb in the baby
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Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
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The lead single off of Paul Simon’s album Graceland, “You Can Call Me Al” was a hit in the UK in September 1986. In the US, the song originally found only moderate success, peaking
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Genius Lists – Songs Based on Historical Events
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This Genius project helps connect music to historical events
Many times, we listen to a song, not ever knowing it was based on an actual event in history. The list includes a very
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boygenius – Cool About It
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[Verse 1: Baker] / Met you at the dive bar to go shoot some pool / And make fun of the cowboys with the neck tattoos / Ask you easy questions about work and school / [Chorus: Baker
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Paul Simon (Ft. Boyoyo Boys) – Gumboots
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On track 4 of Paul Simon’s Graceland we are treated to three scenes where the main character finds himself socializing with three people and not making a good impression on himself
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Paul Simon – Graceland
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Watch Emory professor Walt Reed deliver his own 17-minute exegesis of “Graceland”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqQ_umy1lYQ
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Paul Simon (Ft. Los Lobos) – All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints
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[Verse 1] / Over the mountain, down in the valley / Lives a former talk-show host / Everybody knows his name / He said, "There's no doubt about it / It was the myth of fingerprints
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Paul Simon (Ft. Linda Ronstadt) – Under African Skies
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In track 7 of Graceland, Paul Simon uses a galloping 4/4 time signature to tell the tale of two musicians and how their earliest memories shaped themselves into the music they
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Paul Simon (Ft. Good Rockin' Dopsie And The Twisters) – That Was Your Mother
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[Verse 1] / A long time ago, yeah, before you was born, dude / When I was still single and life was great / I held this job as a traveling salesman / That kept me moving from state
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Paul Simon (Ft. Ladysmith Black Mambazo) – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
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Track 5 of Graceland features some great, inventive bass guitar work, brass, steady percussion and, of course, Ladysmith Black Mambazo providing fantastic background vocals to
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Paul Simon (Ft. Good Rockin' Dopsie And The Twisters) – That Was Your Mother
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[Verse 1] / A long time ago, yeah, before you was born, dude / When I was still single and life was great / I held this job as a traveling salesman / That kept me moving from state
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Paul Simon (Ft. Ladysmith Black Mambazo) – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
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Track 5 of Graceland features some great, inventive bass guitar work, brass, steady percussion and, of course, Ladysmith Black Mambazo providing fantastic background vocals to
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Paul Simon (Ft. Stimena) – Crazy Love, Vol. II
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[Verse 1] / Fat Charlie the Archangel sloped into the room / He said, "I have no opinion about this / And I have no opinion about that" / Sad as a lonely little wrinkled balloon
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Paul Simon (Ft. The Gaza Sisters & General MD Shirinda) – I Know What I Know
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Inspired by a South African song that describes how “the women take care of themselves,” in “I Know What I Know” Simon describes his interactions with an attractive woman at a New
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Simon & Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson
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During the filming of the 1967 film The Graduate, director Mike Nichols, who had become a fan of Simon & Garfunkel’s work, asked for permission to use their music in the soundtrack
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Paul Simon (Ft. Joseph Shabalala) – Homeless
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Emaweni webaba / Silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba silale maweni / Webaba
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Diddy (Ft. Lil' Kim, The LOX & The Notorious B.I.G.) – It’s All About The Benjamins (Remix)
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From Puff Daddy and the Family’s No Way Out album, this song features most of Bad Boy’s star lyricists (no Mase). The original appeared on a random DJ Clue mixtape, making this the
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Enur (Ft. Natasja) – Calabria 2007
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[Intro] / Easy now, no need fi go down / Easy now, no need fi go down / Rock that, run that, this where we from / Easy now, no need fi go down / Easy now, no need fi go down / Rock
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Bob James – Take Me to the Mardi Gras
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“Take Me To The Mardi Gras” is one of the most sampled songs in hip-hop history. The track’s drum fills and cowbell-centric breakbeat have appeared in over 300 songs, including Run
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Drake – Nonstop
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On “Nonstop,” Drake flexes his abilities as a rapper and the business moves being made behind the scenes of his music. The song audibly has a distinct Memphis influence, as
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JAY-Z – Imaginary Player
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On “Imaginary Player,” Jay-Z boasts about his rapping abilities and the privileged lifestyle he lives as a result of his newfound fame.
René & Angela’s August 1981 track, “
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