Talk:You Can Call Me Al

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Contents 1 instrument? 2 interpretations 3 irony 4 Fair use rationale for Image:40379.jpg 5 The lyrics describe? 6 Wrong wife

[edit] instrument?

If the bass solo rates mention, why not mention the type of instrument used for the "whistling" solo during the song? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.107.219.92 (talk) 08:56, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] interpretations

Why do people keep deleting the possible interpretations of the song? As long as they are valid, and could be used to understand the song better, who are they hurting? The Beatles' "a Day in the Life" has 3,000 words written about it, many of them speculative; Bohemian Rhapsody has an almost note by note analysis - is this just Paul Simon bashing I'm witnessing here? AshcroftIleum 18:04, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

Please see WP:NOR (no original research). If these interpretations have been published, then they can go in the article with citations (it's the unpublishedness, rather than the speculativeness, that's the problem). It's true that NOR is often poorly enforced on Wikipedia, especially in articles about songs, but since it's a fundamental Wikipedia policy the only solution is to increase, not decrease, enforcement of NOR. --Allen 21:00, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] irony

this isn't the place for me to say it, but it is funny that Al Gore used this song back in his vice presidential bid, since the song (it seems to me {although i wouldn't write this in the article proper, lacking basis, besides my own judgement}) is about a pair of homeless men.

on a more serious note, i don't see anything wrong with wikipedia writers trying to interperet this song, so long as their motives and the limits of their expertise are made clear. this is usually done by titling a section "possible interpretation" as is done in the film articles.

I think it's funny that Al Gore used the song because the song is about a man whose "role model... ducked back down the alley with some roly-poly little bat-faced girl. All along, there were incidents and accidents; there were hints and allegations." AJD (talk) 10:25, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:40379.jpg

Image:40379.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in Wikipedia articles constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.Betacommand ^{(talk • contribs • Bot)} 05:14, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The lyrics describe?

It originally said something like "the lyrics the describe a man who faces an identity crisis, which is resolved when he decides to take a trip to the Third World." Okay, whoever wrote that just might have heard the song once at least ten years ago, but I highly doubt it. I changed the lyrical synopsis to something more general (and accurate), but it'd be nice if someone could expand. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.104.94.236 (talk) 07:50, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

What is your objection to the previous, more detailed version? What you reduced it to is very vague and omits all mention of the final verse, where the resolution is. AJD (talk) 10:17, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wrong wife

"Betty" in the song is Simon's first wife, Peggy Harper, not Carrie Fisher as stated in the article. Simon says this in interviews promoting the song. If I can find a reference, I will change it. --Jdd204 (talk) 23:50, 18 December 2007 (UTC)