I have often wanted to take a shot at this song so here goes.
First off "the Myth of Fingerprints" is actually that no two are alike. It's a myth. With six billion people, fingerprints are often shared but rarely enough that you can still use them as evidence.
The talk show host is Dick Cavett. Read the Wikipedia article about him and I think you will agree.
Out in the Indian Ocean somewhere
There's a former army post
Abandoned now just like the war
This can only be Diego Garcia since I don't believe there are any other American bases past or present in the IO. The story of how the native peoples were removed wholesale (they were the descendants of slaves that worked the plantations) Since this song was written in the 80's, he may not have known that the base was still in use.
Black Pit Town - A pit town is a mining town, usually referring to places in England that mined coal. A Black pit town would be Soweto or other mining towns in South Africa.
Watermelon- Like everyone is saying. Racist American humor.
My one "out on a limb statement" is "A People's History of the United States" came out in 1980. It was an interesting take on history and probably was a book that Paul Simon was influenced by.
So here is my read on the meaning of the song. This is a song about how Capitalism is built upon the backs of a subclass. Look to different capitalist societies and you will see the same fundamental abuse of power hence same fingerprints but different perpetrators - the myth of fingerprints. All around the world.
I've loved this album for years, been mystified by this song. Really surprised to find a post so similar to my theory: fingerprints are a myth that has divided us; 'all around the world', 'that's why we must learn to live alone'.
I've loved this album for years, been mystified by this song. Really surprised to find a post so similar to my theory: fingerprints are a myth that has divided us; 'all around the world', 'that's why we must learn to live alone'.
I have often wanted to take a shot at this song so here goes.
First off "the Myth of Fingerprints" is actually that no two are alike. It's a myth. With six billion people, fingerprints are often shared but rarely enough that you can still use them as evidence.
The talk show host is Dick Cavett. Read the Wikipedia article about him and I think you will agree.
Out in the Indian Ocean somewhere There's a former army post Abandoned now just like the war
This can only be Diego Garcia since I don't believe there are any other American bases past or present in the IO. The story of how the native peoples were removed wholesale (they were the descendants of slaves that worked the plantations) Since this song was written in the 80's, he may not have known that the base was still in use.
Black Pit Town - A pit town is a mining town, usually referring to places in England that mined coal. A Black pit town would be Soweto or other mining towns in South Africa.
Watermelon- Like everyone is saying. Racist American humor.
My one "out on a limb statement" is "A People's History of the United States" came out in 1980. It was an interesting take on history and probably was a book that Paul Simon was influenced by.
So here is my read on the meaning of the song. This is a song about how Capitalism is built upon the backs of a subclass. Look to different capitalist societies and you will see the same fundamental abuse of power hence same fingerprints but different perpetrators - the myth of fingerprints. All around the world.
I've loved this album for years, been mystified by this song. Really surprised to find a post so similar to my theory: fingerprints are a myth that has divided us; 'all around the world', 'that's why we must learn to live alone'.
I've loved this album for years, been mystified by this song. Really surprised to find a post so similar to my theory: fingerprints are a myth that has divided us; 'all around the world', 'that's why we must learn to live alone'.