When it comes to wondering what One Direction's new song "Walking In The Wind" is about, I'm pretty sure you're gonna guess wrong. Unless your guess is Paul Simon and his album Graceland, in which case congratulations, you are right on the money. Are you some kind of guessing wizard? Because for the rest of us Muggles, this is a pretty surprising turn of events. Most of the other tracks on 1D's newly-released and hotly-anticipated Made In The A.M. seem like they're about the ladies, which has been a theme for the lads' music for years now. But Paul Simon is decidedly not A. a lady or B. someone who Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, or Liam Payne would have a crush on, so what gives?
As it turns out, it's really intended to be a tribute to the casual, conversational style that Simon showed off to such great effect on Graceland. Styles in particular has long admired the artist, and really appreciated the opportunity to share that admiration with Directioners via this track. And conveniently, he explained that thought process in a video One Direction released about the song:
I like "Walking In The Wind" because I'm a big Paul Simon fan, and I think the inspiration behind it was Graceland. And just kind of the way in which the verse is so conversational and informal. It's like spoken-word ... I love that album. And when I listen to it, I love hearing the influence from that in this song. And it's cool to be able to — obviously not copy — but it's cool to be able to have influences that you've loved for so long. I really like this song.
So do I! And the fact that it sounds like it's one of Styles' favorite songs on the album makes me even more likely to listen to it on repeat. You know, for that moment in the not-so-distant future where we meet at a party and I make fascinating, intelligent conversation and he falls madly in love. Sigh. Here's the video of Styles discussing the meaning behind "Walking In The Wind". I'll just be sitting here in the corner exploring my rich fantasy life. (Not a euphemism, get your mind out of the gutter.)
