The Boy in the Bubble

It was a slow day
And the sun was beating
On the soldiers by the side of the road.
There was a bright light
A shattering of shopwindows
The bomb in the baby carriage
Was wired to the radio.

For a song that starts with what seems to be a terrorist attack, Paul Simon's "Boy in the Bubble" is surprisingly upbeat. It's mostly the accordion, but also the up-tempo beat that kicks in. The way Simon sings it, especially at the end of each verse where he implores the listener "Don't cry baby, don't cry" is reassuring. He's getting by and so can we. By the time he gets to the third verse, the evocation of the terror of "the days of miracle and wonder" gives way to the hope of magic and healing in the explosively alliterative exhortation to "think of the boy in the bubble and the baby with the baboon heart."

Peter Gabriel's rendition of the song on his new album Scratch My Back goes in the opposite direction. The rhythm is the same, but Gabriel's version is decidedly down-tempo. His gravelly voice eschews the highs he is capable of, a counterpoint to Simon. The accompaniment is on piano and strings, so the typical trappings of pop are nowhere to be found. As a result, the melancholy that was perhaps latent waiting to be expressed is brought to the fore, the miracle and wonder called into question.

All of which is to say that the cover should be counted among the best of covers. Most of the time a cover is the same song with a different voice, as though the artist is afraid to explore the possibilities inherent in the tune. Perhaps this is the case and perhaps it is wise to be afraid. But for those who aren't there is the potential to make the old seem new. Only the best of covers can make you hear the old song in a new way; this is one of those.