Stranded In a Limousine

He was a mean individual
He had a heart like a bone
He was a naturally crazy man and better off left alone
He stopped one night at a traffic light
And when that light turned green
He was a mean individual
Stranded in a limousine

Hey, hey, hey, hey
All the children on the street
They come running out of their front doors
Running out their back doors
Flying on their feet
They said Mama oh
Papa oh
See what I have seen
There's a mean individual
Stranded in a limousine

Then everybody came running
Everybody said Lord, Lord
Everybody was gunning
Gonna divvy up the reward
Then wah wah wah wah wah wah wah
There's a siren, a flashing light
But the mean individual
Had vanished in the black of night

Hey, hey, hey, hey
They wondered where to begin
'Cause he left that neighborhood
Just like a rattlesnake sheds its skin
Then they searched the roofs
And they checked out the groups
And then photographed the scene
Of the mean individual
Stranded in a limousine

Then everybody came running
Everybody said Lord, Lord
Everybody was gunning
They're gonna divvy up the reward
Then wah wah wah wah wah wah wah
There's a siren, a flashing light
But the mean individual
Had vanished in the black of night
The mean individual
Had vanished in the black of night
The mean individual
Had vanished in the black of night

 


Guitarra: Paul Simon
Bajo:
Gordon Edwards
Percusión:
Steve Gadd
Piano:
Richard Tee
Trompetas:
Randy Brecker, Marvin Stamm e Irvin Markowitz
Saxofón:
Michael Brecker, David Sanborn y Lou Delgado
Arreglo de la sección de viento:
Paul Simon

 

© 1977 Paul Simon (BMI)
Disco:
Greatest Hits, etc.

Ver traducción en Español

Comentarios: La canción parece contar la historia de un hombre "malvado" o peligroso que de repente se encuentra atrapado en una limusina en medio del tráfico. La gente del barrio lo nota, se alarma y corre a ver qué está pasando. Hay una sensación de histeria colectiva: los niños gritan, los adultos buscan una recompensa, e incluso la policía se involucra. La canción podría estar burlándose de la forma en que la gente reacciona de manera exagerada ante alguien "extraño" o "sospechoso". La comunidad se alarma y busca castigar a este personaje sin saber realmente quién es ni qué hizo.

Durante un programa de The Dick Cavett Show de 1970, Paul Simon comentó que "no es muy interesante escribir una canción sobre una limusina", por lo que la canción puede estar inspirada en parte en la autoironía.