Song of the Day 8/30: Yes, “America”

Recorded around the same time as the band’s “Fragile” LP, released in 1971, their 10-minute deconstruction of the Simon and Garfunkel classic was left off the album, but surfaced the next year on an Atlantic Records sampler of its various artists, where it incongruously followed John Prine’s “Sam Stone.” Guitarist Steve Howe, who had just joined the band, displays his chops on a three-minute-plus solo.

Simon wrote the song in 1966, when he went to Saginaw for a concert and brought along his British girlfriend, Kathy Chitty, before going to New York by bus. Simon and Garfunkel released the song on “Bookends” in 1968, with the Los Angeles Wrecking Crew, including Hal Blaine on drums and Larry Knechtel on organ, playing behind them. It was quickly recognized as one of Simon’s best compositions. It wasn’t released as a single until 1972, when it reached No. 26.

Before S&G recorded it, the song was being played in concert by a Scottish keyboard-bass-drums trio called Clouds, formerly 1-2-3, one of the first bands to venture into what became progressive rock. They added many of the elements that Yes later adopted, particularly the changing time signatures and extended solos. They never did a studio recording, but a live performance taped in 1967 was later included on a compilation album.

The Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit performs a moving version of the song. In 2012 they performed it before Simon himself at the concert for the Polar Music Prize, which honored Simon that year. He responded with a standing ovation.