Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig covers Paul Simon's 'Papa Hobo': Hear it here
Vampire Weekend have heard the Paul Simon comparisons one or two thousand times before, so it makes sense that frontman Ezra Koenig would record a version “Papa Hobo,” from Simon’s self-titled 1972 solo album. Give it a listen here:
Like Simon’s original version of the song, Koenig’s take is a low-key shuffle that features some hearty acoustic plucking and swampy accents from a ramshackle collection of background instruments (there may or may not be a mouth harp in there somewhere). Koenig doesn’t stray far from the original, which wraps a simple melody around a narrative about a kid growing up in Detroit.
Koenig recorded the song specifically for the soundtrack to the upcoming film Ceremony, a new film starring Uma Thurman and Michael Angarano that, based on the trailer, seems to channel the same kind of quirky prep-school energy that informs Vampire Weekend’s whole aesthetic.
The film features score work from Eric Johnson (the mastermind behind indie favorites Fruit Bats) and also contains like-minded tracks from Pete Townshend, Ringo Starr, and Van Dyke Parks.
How does Koenig’s Simon “Hobo” hold up to previous VW covers of Fleetwood Mac and Bruce Springsteen? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
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