You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon

Artist: Paul Simon

Genre: Pop

Length: 4:40

Released: 1986

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 at #44 the same month. However, the song was promoted heavier in early 1987 and re-charted at the higher position of #23 in May. Most fans agree the song appears to be written about a man having a midlife crisis. Its chorus was written about a time a man mistakenly called Paul “Al” and called his wife Peggy “Betty...

You Can Call Me Al lyrics

A man walks down the street
He says, "Why am I soft in the middle now?
Why am I soft in the middle?
The rest of my life is so hard
I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard"
Bonedigger, Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away, my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know, I don't find this stuff amusing anymore
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long-lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me
You can call me Al
A man walks down the street
He says, "Why am I short of attention?
Got a short little span of attention
And whoa, my nights are so long
Where's my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who'll be my role model?
Now that my role model is gone, gone"
He ducked back down the alley
With some roly-poly, little bat-faced girl
All along, along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long-lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al
A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound, sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says, "Amen and Hallelujah!"
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long-lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can call you Betty
If you'll be my bodyguard