Duncan Lyrics
Bound to win a prize
They've been goin' at it all night long
Well, I'm tryin' to get some sleep
But these motel walls are cheap
Lincoln Duncan is my name
And here's my song, here's my song
My mama was a fisherman's friend
And I was born in the boredom and the chowder
So when I reached my prime
I left my home in the maritime
Headed down the turnpike for New England
Sweet New England
holes in the knees of my jeans
It's left without a penny in my pocket
Ooo wee! I's about as
Destituted as a kid could be
And I wish I wore a ring so I could hock it
I'd like to hock it
Was preaching to a crowd
Singin' sacred songs and
Reading from the Bible
Well, I told her I was lost
And she told me all about the Pentecost
And I seen that girl as the road to my survival
When I crept to her tent with a flashlight
And my long years of innocence ended
Well, she took me to the woods
Sayin': "Here comes somethin', and it feels so good!"
And just like a dog, I was befriended
I was befriended
Oh, what a garden of delight
Even now that sweet memory lingers
I was playin' my guitar
Lyin' underneath the stars
Just thankin' the Lord for my fingers
For my fingers...
This is one of those songs I feel a real closeness to. Theme song or whatever. A coming of age tale that somehow fits with how my life spread itself out. Oh, music!
The lines about wanting a ring to hock reminds me of those relationships you have that, while not solidified by marriage or anything, when they fall apart, you wish you had a wedding ring you could hock just to make a statement that you're ready to move on.
As for the last verse, yum. One of my favorite in any song. The bit about thanking god for his fingers, I love that. How clever!! Thankful both for his talent with the guitar as an escape, and for providing some great memories of playing something else...heh. :P
Also, it's amusing to me that this song was submitted on my birthday.
Seriously, am I the only one who thinks this song is about losing his virginity? I mean, "When I crept to her tent with a flashlight And my long years of innocence ended". The way I see it, he talks about coming from a small town, going to the big city as a very young man, trying to find something new to follow and lead him to a better place. Then he finds a girl. THAT changed his life forever! No one forgets losing their virginity... And the fingers part? Maybe because the something that felt so good that she showed him in the woods could only be expressed by playing his guitar. How else can you describe that feeling? :)
LOL of course it is about him losing his virginity.
LOL of course it is about him losing his virginity.
I don't think it's just about losing virginity.
I don't think it's just about losing virginity.
He is remembering when he was completely down and out. He met a girl who accepted him, and loved him; and this completely changed his outlook. By the end of the song, instead of feeling "destitute" he felt thankful just for being alive, and whole.
He is remembering when he was completely down and out. He met a girl who accepted him, and loved him; and this completely changed his outlook. By the end of the song, instead of feeling "destitute" he felt thankful just for being alive, and whole.
What did you think it meant, given the preceding verses?
@ShineYouDiamond \r\nI think so, because he uses the Peruvian/Andean (?) pipes in this song, as well as in El Condor Pasa. I had to google it it after hearing it on my Pandora channel today because of exactly this sound compounded by how long it’s been since I’ve heard it. It certainly brought me back and I suspect it will be my earworm for a bit. Filled with so many paradoxical situations and memories that it brought up.
@ShineYouDiamond \r\nI think so, because he uses the Peruvian/Andean (?) pipes in this song, as well as in El Condor Pasa. I had to google it it after hearing it on my Pandora channel today because of exactly this sound compounded by how long it’s been since I’ve heard it. It certainly brought me back and I suspect it will be my earworm for a bit. Filled with so many paradoxical situations and memories that it brought up.
Accidentally posted on wrong comment, so deleted and sent to the next comment.
Accidentally posted on wrong comment, so deleted and sent to the next comment.
this song reminds me of el condor pasa. is that just me?
"is that just me?"
"is that just me?"
Yes.
Yes.
Just kidding. You're right, they're very much alike in at least two respects, and probably several others that someone who knows music theory / composition could explain to us. The instrumentation is similar -- I'm pretty sure those woodwinds are pan-pipes in both tracks. And the backing musicians playing them, plus at least some of the rhythm section, are the very same: the Andean music group "Los Incas" were some of the backing musicians on "El Condor Pasa," as well as on "Duncan," and toured with PS in the early 70s. They show up...
Just kidding. You're right, they're very much alike in at least two respects, and probably several others that someone who knows music theory / composition could explain to us. The instrumentation is similar -- I'm pretty sure those woodwinds are pan-pipes in both tracks. And the backing musicians playing them, plus at least some of the rhythm section, are the very same: the Andean music group "Los Incas" were some of the backing musicians on "El Condor Pasa," as well as on "Duncan," and toured with PS in the early 70s. They show up on the live album from his '73-'74 tour, "Live Rhymin'". And then, of course, there's the part where they're both heartbreakingly beautiful songs -- but then again so are another half-dozen to dozen Simon songs, most of which don't sound anything like this. (Tho' that loooooonnnnngggg coda to "The Boxer" has a feel very much like the coda to "Duncan," doesn't it?)
@Richie45069 \r\n@ShineYouDiamond \r\nI think so, because he uses the Peruvian/Andean (?) pipes in this song, as well as in El Condor Pasa. I had to google it it after hearing it on my Pandora channel today because of exactly this sound compounded by how long it’s been since I’ve heard it. It certainly brought me back and I suspect it will be my earworm for a bit. Filled with so many paradoxical situations and memories that it brought up.
@Richie45069 \r\n@ShineYouDiamond \r\nI think so, because he uses the Peruvian/Andean (?) pipes in this song, as well as in El Condor Pasa. I had to google it it after hearing it on my Pandora channel today because of exactly this sound compounded by how long it’s been since I’ve heard it. It certainly brought me back and I suspect it will be my earworm for a bit. Filled with so many paradoxical situations and memories that it brought up.
This is of course ambigious (all the best songs are) but in my take on this, the key line is 'And I seen that girl as the road to my survival.'
Latching onto the happy-clappy, Pentecostal community is a smart move for someone struggling so hard. So Simon leaves it ambigious - is it his viriginty that's taken, or is he going along (or surely not, converted! - it's not clear) by a laying on of hands, giving of the spirit.
I experienced Pentecostal Christianity in my late teens and it was as intoxicating as sex (and, indeed, often accompanied by it - a gift from the Lord!).
A young man, struggling, finds hope, direction, and love in the Pentecost - and sings for joy. His true, deep, response to it is hidden - is it real, is he acting, is the joy for real or is he faking it to survive? Maybe even he doesn't know.
"Just thankin' the Lord for my fingers for my fingers"
Bit of a double entendre?
Yes, I think so. Thanking the Lord that he has his fingers to play the guitar, play with the girl, and play with himself.
Yes, I think so. Thanking the Lord that he has his fingers to play the guitar, play with the girl, and play with himself.
hmmm never really thought about that before...hmm
maybe one of the greatest songs ever written. everyone should hear it at least once in their life.
Could be a simple longing for 'love' / 'finding love' song. Believe me, that's the country life for ya.
But, it would also make a great bio-song. We just need a part ii, part iii, etc.
This song is a great irony. Rebel song against the status quo in a tender way, almost a bad ass lullaby