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Bodo
Jan-07-2005, 12:09 GMT
IP:
Austria

To tell you the truth.
This was the first Paul Simon studio album I ever bought. A coincidence, but it´s still one of my top 4 albums.

The coincidence is, I already had Graceland and ROTS, but my dad bought them years back, and I had the 1964-1993 compilation and another S&G compilation, but they don´t count as studio albums ;-)

When I first heard the opening track - Adios Hermanos - in the CD store, I thought I will not buy that album. I wasn´t expecting anything like that, back in 1997 I didn´t have internet and we never got any news about Paul Simon (for a while I thought he may be death)

I walked around in the store, and later gave it a 2nd chance. Some tracks now got my attention (The Vampires is still my favourite one), so I finally thought: hey, you have been waiting for a new Paul Simon album since 4 or more years now, so go and buy it now. :-)

For me ´The Capeman´ is the only album which has really songs you can dance to. Yes, Graceland also has a good beat, but it´s not the same. While Graceland was/is something absolute new, the Capeman has it´s roots in the caribbean music - a long tradition of dance music.

I also have to mention I never heard anything about a big flop on Broadway that time, I once saw an interview in an German paper where Paul only mentioned that he will never go on tour and the new songs will only be played in NY in a musical. The reporter then asked Paul if he will sing there every evening, and Paul said no.... and something like that he isn´t good enough to sing every evening and the cast has better voices... uh you can´t imagine how I was dissapointed about Paul.
Well, 1 year later he was back on stage.

The Tracks

Adios Hermanos:

I like that song now, it´s still not my favourite but the feeling of doo-woop is in it.

Born in Puerto Rico:
A great song - my favourite number 3 on this album. I like especially the end, with the trumpets.

Satin Summer nights:
Great - IMO the best track where Paul doesn´t sing lead vocal. I especially like the part when he starts this rap alike part: "BANANA COLORED LIGHT SKINNED PICES"

Bernadette:
Also one of my top favourites on the album. Simon´s brother ones described on AMPS what made it so great - and I never knew that before. It´s the change of speed when the refrain comes. BUT without changin the rhythm of the song!

The Vampires:
Nothing more to say. It is my number 1. You can dance great to this song.

Quality:
I rate it somewhere in the middle. (Yes I prefer the faster songs), I never really got a feeling for the lyrics, because I think Paul Simon could write more interesting things like ´Come on baby...

Can I forgive him:
Uh. I´ll pass on that one (as I do often)
No, ok. The idea of recording it at home only with one guitar is nice, and the song has good strong lyrics.
But it doesn´t fit to any other song on this album (the music, and the way he recorded it)
It´s like pouring someone a bottle of cold water onto the face after all these fast rhythm songs. I don´t like the song on this album... mabye on another one (but I understand, it´s a musical so sometimes you can´t decide)

Sunday Afternoon:
Thats a wonderful one. I had to listen to the album for let´s say about 40 times until I realized how beautiful this song is. Ednita Nazario has a great voice. The blowoff is the 2nd verse :"On such days I find I´m longin for Puerto Rico..."

Killer wants to go to College
It´s ok. Not on my top list because the rhythm is rather boring and Pauls singin monotone.

Time is an Ocean:
This is a tribute to the lead singers of the musical. I wonder if there is a version with only Paul´s voice somewhere hidden in the record studios - but I guess Marc and Ruben are doing a better job here. I Love the lyrics at the ending.

Virgil:
Nothing special for me with that song.

Killer wants to go to College II
I like that one. It is great IMO. To make a song from an Old speach isn´t easy I guess, and it works very good in that context.
"So you really have no answer for them"... that´s an explosion when you listened (as a foreigner) to all the text carefully before. Also after 100 times of listening it´s still an explosion. I wonder if this person still lives, and when - why he allowed Paul to use this tape for the song...

Trailways Bus:
Thats my 2nd favourite song. Mybe I listened to it even more often than to "The Vampires". I like the sad mood Pauls voice has, while on the other side the music sounds very happy and relaxing. And the verse Ednita sings, wow...only wow. That´s the highlight of the song - together with ´Phantom figures in the dust´

Scaaty
Jan-07-2005, 22:36 GMT
IP:
Ireland

I Love this album, probably 2nd favourite with TROTS after HAB. I love Quality and Satin Summer Nights; the line "f ----- Porto Rican etc " helped through me through many a rough time writing up my thesis. I agree about " can I forgive him" probably in the musical itself it is more fitting esp as it is suppose to be sung by a woman.
Don´t forget Bodo the words "come on baby" are being said by an uneducated 16 yr Old in the "50´s. so are suitable for the song. I love voice of the girl is wonderful l when she sings " I want to know will you be my beautiful boy etc.
the lyrics of Trailways Bus is are very clever and this song is a 90´s version of "America". The live recordings of the interviews are a moving touch as well.
I wonder if there will ever be a DVD of the full musical.
Is it just me or has anyone noticed that wishes expressed on this forum often come true eg release of Songbook on CD, DVD of SNL Paul Simon special.

Julie
Jan-07-2005, 23:25 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

Can I forgive him ?

My favourite track on the album ! Love everything about it especially the way the guitar squeaks haven´t been edited out.

Julie
Jan-07-2005, 23:29 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

I remember reading somewhere that Paul had left off some of the best songs from the musical for the cast album. Which songs do you think he meant ? Would you have liked to see any other songs on the official album?

Micky
Jan-08-2005, 03:06 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

I must admit it´s a wonderful album and like yourself Bodo; I Love The Vampires song and I love the way Paul sings it, more than the cast album.

I also enjoy Bernadette, Trailways Bus and I like Can I forgive him. I know it´s very different to the rest of the album, but as you said Bodo, it´s a musical and the music varies greatly in a musical.

I like the way he sings it and even more so because he´s recorded it at home, it adds to the loneliness someone feels when they´ve lost someone dear to them.

Well it´s late so I´ll leave it there.

Hugs

Me

Ans
Jan-08-2005, 10:35 GMT
IP:
Netherlands

It´s indeed a great album, but I think he choose the right songs for the album, they fitt his voice, which was his intention. Maybe Shopliftin´ Clothes would have been a catchy song for the album.

I like Chimes, Sal´s Last Song and Esmeralda´s Dream. I would have loved to see the musical. I know the story but it would have given me more insight in the songs.

miriam
Jan-08-2005, 11:52 GMT
IP:
Germany

Oh yes, The Capeman is one of Paul´s best albums. It definitely grew on me. Capeman was _my_ first PS album, too, and just like you Bodo I accidently discovered it in a record store and thought: Hey, something new by PS! I bought it without knowing any of the songs. Well, I was quite disappointed when I first listened to it. The music style was so unusual and not what I´d have expected. I only knew a few of Paul´s songs back then and most of the S&G stuff, which is a big difference of course...
Well I already wanted to return the CD to the store but decided to give it a try.
I listened to it every day but somehow the music remained strange to me. I must admit I never thought about it as danceable ;-)
Well I became interested in the story, I was 16 at that time, just as Old as Sal, and I wondered what makes a teenager commit a crime.
I remember I even did a little speech about The Capeman in front of my English class a few years later (they didn´t seem to like it...).
Meanwhile the album has grown on me, but that doo wop stuff still isn´t my kind of music.
My favourite tracks are Trailways Bus, The Vampires, Time Is An Ocean and Bernadette. Quality is definitely a skipper for me, it just gets on my nerves ;-)
I wish I could have seen the play. It´s a pity it wasn´t successful - I guess it shows that most people go to see a musical to be entertained and not to think (Personally I´d never go to see a musical about rollerskating trains or singing cats...)...

Bodo
Jan-08-2005, 12:10 GMT
IP:
Austria

About a musical DVD:

I know that there are several video tapes around...but I never got one :-
And there is also one tape in NY at a library, you are only allowed to watch it there.

miriam
Jan-08-2005, 14:21 GMT
IP:
Germany

So, someone must go to this NY llibrary with a camcorder and do a video of the video :-)

BingFrisby
Jan-15-2005, 15:45 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

Yes, Bodo, "Songs From The Capeman" is great. I never realised you were so "NEW" to Paul Simon.Capeman is in my top 106 albums.....it really is that good!

lost
Jan-16-2005, 02:40 GMT
IP:
Canada

I Love the capeman album, I like the killer wants to go to college songs and I got a taste of a different, and wonderful kind of music. And BingFrisby, top 106 albums? WOW!

jefferson street
Jan-16-2005, 04:29 GMT
IP:
USA - United Staates America

"can i forgive him?" is my all time favorite song of Paul´s. it was a dream come true of mine to hear paul alone with his guitar now that his music and lyrics are so much more complex and creative (Songbook didnt do it for me. pauls songwriting just wasnt as intimate or as good as it is now or after S&G broke up).

the guitar work is some of the best that he has ever done. the lyrics are powerful and so meaningful and deep. and the fact that it was recorded in his house made the song so much more alive and intimate.

just my 2 cents. i have just started enjoying this album in the past few weeks (other than ´can i...´ which i have loved for years). it is a good album. it is a little weird to hear paul make the racial slurs and drop the f-bomb (which i Love hearing him say).

travis
Jan-26-2005, 01:17 GMT
IP:
USA - United Staates America

There are few Paul Simon songs better than Adios Hermanos, Bernadette, Can I Forgive Him? and Trailway Bus.

The line "but i think you´d have to be Jesus on the cross to open your heart to such a loss. Can I forgive him?..." is one of my favorites ever especially the way Paul´s voice sings it.

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