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Read the original blog post1.15am
1 May 2010
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Ok I know that Paul might have written that song about the lady who wrote those etiquette books, I always find somehow related to Mrs. Robinson and the Graduate film with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.
What do you think? Am I reading too much into the song? 
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
2.29am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Have never seen the film so have no idea.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.02am
10 August 2011
Offline That’s a fun song to sing in the car – but I don’t think the lyrics relate to Amy Vanderbilt.
The Graduate‘s a classic and you gotta love the music, but …. where do you see the connection between “Mrs. Vanderbilt” and the movie?
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
9.09am
26 March 2012
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I suppose you could connect “Mrs Vandebilt ” and “Mrs Robinson” due to the title, and Paul was apparently influenced musically by Paul Simon to some degree- John once said that “Let it Be” was his attempt at “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” However I wouldn’t say there’s any real connection beyond that.
“Mrs Vandebilt ” to me has always had a very clear and specific lyrical meaning- namely about being a nomad, getting away from a catered middle-class life and just letting go of all your aspirations and material possessions to be free, maybe in the face of some sort of existential crisis (“what’s the use of anything?”). Probably the kind of thing Macca had in mind when he flew to Lagos. As for the line “leave me alone, Mrs Vandebilt , I’ve got plenty of time of my own,” I guess that’s Paul using the “Mrs Vandebilt ” etiquette image as a representation of the lifestyle he’s leaving behind. A lot of Wings songs are difficult to decipher lyrically but I’ve always found this one quite clear.
The following people thank Ben Ramon for this post:
vonbonteeSHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
7.21pm
1 December 2009
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Both “Mrs. Robinson” and “Mrs. Vandebilt” are titles that simply sing well, they have a nice natural rhythm, that’s what they have in common. Something that can be important to songwriters – for “Robinson”, Paul Simon wrote the lyric “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?” because he wanted the name of a baseball player, and DiMaggio’s name sang better than “Mickey Mantle”, who was Simon’s actual ball hero. Something that Simon had to explain to Mantle when he met him in real life years later!
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
7.46pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
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vonbontee said
Paul Simon wrote the lyric “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?” because he wanted the name of a baseball player, and DiMaggio’s name sang better than “Mickey Mantle
I’m glad he did not chose one of Dimaggio’s teammates. “Where have you gone Rugger Ardizoia?” doesn’t flow nearly as well. That’s a cool little fact you laid on us Von. I really enjoy your posts.
BOT: Other than the “Mrs.”, I don’t see any other similarities between the 2 songs.
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vonbonteeTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
4.48am
1 May 2010
Offline Maybe because of the “Leave me alone Mrs Vandebilt , I got plenty of time of my own”
I dunno, I always thought of Paul being seduced by an older woman and he’s saying no. 
Also, the lines of “What’s the use of worrying? What’s the use of everything?” I could imagine someone from the Graduate generation feeling himself not worried about his future, or feeling hopeless about it.
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
4.09pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline 
I can see that mith. Never thought of it that way before. I probably will now.
No matter what song I hear from any artist, I usually have some type of memory or story that it reminds me of. Now I have one for “Mrs. Vandebilt” – thanks!
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
9.42pm
1 May 2010
Offline You’re welcome! the thing is that I had just seen that movie when I got Band On The Run album.
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
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