carrie fisher = music muse?

That's it. I'm moving to Africa. 

I thought that maybe I wanted to give New York or London a try but no, I can hear the other half of my heart calling me to Kenya.

...Or at least that's how I feel as I'm driving south on the 405 at 9am while Paul Simon's "Crazy Love, Vol. II" blasts from my car speakers.

Now, even as a wee 2 year old I loved "You Can Call Me Al" (I remember watching that video along with my personal 2 year old fav, Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"). But now, as a 23 year old, as I listen to Simon's Graceland album, it has new meaning. Being relatively fresh to the "real world" I find companionship in Simon as I musically travel through these 11 tracks from 1986. It's an album about rebirth, about new beginnings, about starting over. And it's all done through a flowery filter.

Like I mentioned before, I can't stop listening to Crazy Love, Vol. II. After having pried into Simon's background (something my older readers probably wouldn't have had to have done seeing as though in this song Paul sings "it's all over the evening news, all about the fire in your life") I found that much of Graceland was written while he was going through his second divorce, his divorce from Carrie Fisher. 

It's strange though. Considering the subject, I would have either guessed it to be overtly sad and filled with sorrow or dark and angry oozing with hate. While the lyrics are about the end of a once lovely relationship the melody seems to suggest something else. It is light and airy, hopeful and sunny and I can't resist it.

Crazy Love, Vol. II - Paul Simon

The title track also has crept into my veins and has inspired this somewhat buried side - my adventurous side. As Simon declares "I'm going to Graceland, Graceland, Memphis Tennessee" I immediately am heading east as the whole United States races past me (oh how I wish). Plus who doesn't love his little Lou Reed moment as he recites "whoah so this is what you mean".

Graceland - Paul Simon

Short people are so awesome ;)

And if you still aren't convinced, there is just something to be said about those bass lines from the 80's. That, and the use of the flute. But more on that later.