As if everybody knows

Next, Back, Thread Ahead: St. James United Church, Montréal, Thread Back: This is the day which the Lord hath made.

(a-wa) o kodwa u zo-nge li-sa namhlange
(a-wa a-wa) si-bona kwenze ka kanjani
(a-wa a-wa) amanto mbazane ayeza
She's a rich girl
She dont try to hide it
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

He's a poor boy
Empty as a pocket
Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose
Sing ta na na
Ta na na na
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

People say she's crazy
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Well thats one way to lose these
Walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

She was physically forgotten
Then she slipped into my pocket
With my car keys
She said youve taken me for granted
Because I please you
Wearing these diamonds

And I could say oo oo oo
As if everybody knows
What I'm talking about
As if everybody would know
Exactly what I was talking about
Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes

She makes the sign of a teaspoon
He makes the sign of a wave
The poor boy changes clothes
And puts on after-shave
To compensate for his ordinary shoes

And she said honey take me dancing
But they ended up by sleeping
In a doorway
By the bodegas and the lights on
Upper broadway
Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes

And I could say oo oo oo
As if everybody here would know
What I was talking about
I mean everybody here would know exactly
What I was talking about
Talking about diamonds

People say I'm crazy
I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes
Well that's one way to lose
These walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of your shoes
      Paul Simon, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
      Graceland, 1997.

Grace, Providence ... what on earth do these words mean? Who knows what they mean? When you got the diamonds and when you ain't? Walkin' around, full of holes; horizon full of holes too. Pig lifts up his head from the trough for a sec, swill drippin' off his chin, and all of a sudden it is a mirror and he is you, you are him.

Jews walkin' into the ovens of Graceland; Necdet Kent steppin' on board the boxcar to Graceland, later on sayin', "What I have done is what I should have done. I knew I had to act." Dietrich Bonhoeffer hangin' in Graceland. Roméo Dallaire stumblin' in there, Simon Charlie curled up in there last time I saw him, Martin Luther King on the streets of Selma ... my friend Ed pushin' a shopping cart up and down the hills of old St. John's; up and down the streets and hills of Graceland; yeah.

Photos by Natasha Barabasha (Natasha and Andrei).

Tags: Paul Simon, Grace, Boobage.