When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder I can think at all
And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
Give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
And brought 'em all together for one night
I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Leave your boy so far from home
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome, mm
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Okay
It's a wonder I can think at all
And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
Give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
And brought 'em all together for one night
I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Leave your boy so far from home
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome, mm
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Okay
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by MonkeyShaman, emilym
Kodachrome Lyrics as written by Paul Simon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Anyway, so many great thoughts in this song... I love this line, "And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none." How brilliant --- the emphasis on his lack of education is exaggerated by his incorporation of bad grammar.
I agree with firenexus - he's begging his "mother" (who, in herself, is probably symbolic for the nuturing elements of the universe) not to take away the memories that he's exaggerated in his mind. The real events would probably never match the importance and details that his imagination has given them. Like when you think about a great lovemaking experience with a girl from your past. It always seems to have been more magical than it probably was at the time.
One other thing I like about this metaphor -- "bring them together for one night," can almost be seen as the way you view slides in a slide projector. "Bring them together," like you would have a box of slides, with all the pretty pictures neatly stacked, one-after-the-next.
It's a wonder I can think at all
Best lyrics ever. This song is about how nostalgia doesn't match reality but we still prefer nostalgia and memory.
Yes, I think the song is about stark reality versus imagination. And trying to balance the two, "please don't take my Kodachrome away."
It doesn't matter if you're a scientist, an engineer, a medical-researcher, a photographer, a painter -- if you want to accomplish something new, you need at least a little creative / semi-original thinking. High school tries to take that away. That's only good if you're a straight-laced accountant, lawyer, or brick-layer and, even then, you might need a little creative thinking sometimes.