About the Song
Simon & Garfunkel’s “America”. It brings back a flood of memories, doesn’t it? Released in 1968, on their album Bookends, this folk-rock masterpiece captured a very specific moment in American history. The Vietnam War raged on, social movements for civil rights and equality were gaining momentum, and the idealism of the early 1960s was starting to feel a little frayed around the edges.
“America” isn’t a flag-waving anthem. It’s a more complex meditation on the American experience. The lyrics, written by Paul Simon, paint a picture of a young couple, Kathy and the narrator, setting out on a journey “to look for America”. They’re hitchhiking across the country, fueled by youthful dreams and a vague sense of dissatisfaction. There’s a mix of hope and disillusionment in the lyrics. They’re looking for something, but it’s not entirely clear what that is. Perhaps it’s the wide-open possibilities America promised, or maybe it’s a sense of belonging they haven’t quite found.
As the song progresses, the wide-eyed optimism starts to fade. They’re tired, lost, and a little bit lonely. The scenery rolls by, but they don’t seem to be getting any closer to whatever they’re searching for. The final image, of counting cars on the New Jersey Turnpike, with the repeated line “All come to look for America”, leaves us with a sense of both longing and uncertainty. Is America a place, or an ideal? Can it ever be truly found?
“America” is a song that resonated deeply with a generation. It spoke to the confusion and disillusionment of the times, but it also captured the enduring American spirit of searching, hoping, and never giving up on the dream.
Barbara Desetto