DUTC#123 February 27, 2026

Feature Song: “You Can Call Me Al”

Paul Fredric Simon (1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, know both for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, later coming to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. Their blend of folk and rock, which included such hits as “The Sound of Silence” (1965), “Mrs. Robinson” and “America” (1968), and “The Boxer” (1969), all served as a soundtrack to the 1960s counterculture. Their final album together, Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), is among the best-selling albums of all time. Before becoming one-half of this folk rock phenomenon, he and Garfunkel had written songs under the moniker, Tom and Jerry. As a freshman in college, he met and worked briefly with a different, female partner he met in college, Carol Klein. They tried to earn some extra cash while studying by cutting some demos as a duo named The Cousins. Some of their songs were minor hits, but they didn’t make much money and their partnership was short-lived. The Carol Klein behind those songs soon became Carol King, and the rest, as they say, is history. Paul Simon and Carol King are responsible for some of the most iconic hits of the 20^th century.

As a solo artist, Simon has dabbled in many different genres, including gospel, reggae, and soul. His albums, Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975), all of which drew disserved acclaim and kept him in the public eye, producing hits like, “Mother and Child Reunion” (1972), “Me and Julio Down by the School Yard” (1972), and “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” When this song first came out, my brother and I used to sing it on the long chairlift rides up the mountain, coming up with some memorable additional lines to rhyme along with: “Just slip out the back Jack,” “Make a new plan Stan,” “Just drop of the key Lee, “Get off the bus Gus,” and “You don’t need to be coy Roy”…well, they were memorable in 1972. I doubt if either of us can remember them now!

In 1986, Simon released his most successful and acclaimed album, Graceland, incorporating South African influences. “You Can Call Me Al” was the lead single from that album, his seventh studio album, becoming one of Simon’s most successful singles. Written by Simon, its lyrics follow an individual seemingly experiencing a midlife crisis. The lyrics were partially inspired by Simon’s trip to South Africa and the subsequent experience with its culture. The song reached to top five in seven countries. The names used in the song apparently come from an incident at a party Simon attended with his then-wife Peggy Harper. French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who was attending the same party and mistakenly referred to Paul as “Al” and to Peggy as “Betty.” The song begins with its protagonist wondering aloud why his life is difficult, while asking other questions. Simon structured the song’s lyrics in a way that listeners would be given the simplest information first, before getting abstract with his imagery in the song’s third verse: “A man walks down the street/It’s a street in a strange world/Maybe it’s the third world/Maybe it’s his first time around/Doesn’t speak the language/He holds no currency/He is a foreign man/He is surrounded by the sound, the sound (Ooh, ooh).” It is this third verse’s abstraction that moves the song from a generic portrait-like perspective to a personal and autobiographical one, which echoes his experiences from his journey to South Africa and became the inspiration for the entire Graceland album. Simon has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, has won 16 Grammys, including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence (1966), as part of Simon & Garfunkel, and Graceland were inducted into the National Recording Registry for their cultural significance.

So how did I go from all this fame and recognition of an iconic artist and performer to a somewhat obscure cover band from Canada that I am sure many of you have never heard of? The short answer: “It’s what I do.” Besides, as a Canadian, how could I pass on a band called Dwayne Gretzky! They are labeled as North America’s premier party band, and after watching a few of their videos, including the one you’re about to watch, I can’t find any fault with that label. Celebrating classic pop and rock songs from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that unite people across generations, Dwayne Gretzky has delivered electrifying renditions of over 800 songs. Over the last 15 years, they have developed a fervent fanbase across Canada solely on the strength of their live shows – performing timeless classic hist with faithful precision and breathtaking energy. Even though the clip of this cover is not a live performance, that energy and joyfulness is on full display. The culmination of these live performances was the band headlining one of Toronto’s biggest outdoor venues, Budweiser Stage, to over 7,000 people in the summer of 2025. Don’t even get me started as to why it isn’t called Labatt Stage. Also, in the summer of 2025, the band launched their new YouTube series, Dwayne’s World, which has gone viral and caught the attention of music fans globally, expanding their audience across the globe. They are largely a rotating group of musicians featuring core members Tyler Kyte (bandleader, singer, guitarist), and Nick Rose (guitarist, singer), with different guest vocalists and players from the Canadian music scene.

Enjoy!

Paul Simon. “You Can Call Me Al” live in Tokyo 1991.

Dwayne Gretzky. “You Can Call Me Al’ cover. Filmed and recorded live at Dwayne’s World, 2025.

Los Angeles 2026