Paul Simon - "American Tune"

On my U.S. commercial 45, there is, in addition to the accoustic guitar, another instrument heard before Simon starts to sing. (I can't quite make out what the instrument is.) I purchased a download of the song from the Essential Paul Simon CD, and it does not have this additional instrument. I don't know if this is the version from the There Goes Rhymin' Simon LP.

I just listened to "American Tune" on my copy of the Paul Simon 1964/1993 box set (Warner Brothers 45394) and I don't hear the additional stringed instrument reported to be on the commercial 45. Has this 45 version appeared anywhere on CD?

Thanks, Pat.

Hykker wrote: The promo has a non-standard catalog # (AE7-1105) which is what Columbia often did when they'd release an album-only track for radio.

The AE7-1105 promo-only 45 is actually a reissue that was timed to coincide with the American Bicentennial observance in 1976. One wouldn't know that by looking at the label, however, which only lists a (P)1973 date on it. The accompanying white-and-red picture sleeve featured a portion of the U.S. flag on the front side, and the song's lyrics on the back. At the bottom left corner on the back side is a "©1976 CBS,Inc. / (P)1973 CBS, Inc...." notation.

My copy is a vinyl Terre Haute CBS pressing. The Terre Haute plant was still pressing styrene-only 45s in 1973, and did not begin pressing DJ 45s on vinyl until about 1975.

The AE7 promo 45 series was also used for some more general, non-commercial purposes. We played "Where You Think You're Going," the 1972 Robert Lamm anti-dope public service announcement (AE7-1054) into the ground at my college station. It clocked in at a very awkward (for a PSA) seventy-three seconds.