Songs from The Capeman

The album is the music (duh!) from the musical The Capeman that Paul Simon wrote together with Derek Walcott - yes, that Derek Walcott. (Ok...it wasn't noded, he's the Nobel Prizes: Literature winner.) The musical is based on the true story that took place on the evening of August 29, 1959 in Hell's Kitchen New York when Salvador Agron, a 16 year old Puerto Rico immigrant kid, in killed two white teenagers. Salvador was a member of the gang The Vampires, and the attack was a gang releated revenge. The killed boys were not affiliated with any gang, so the killings received a lot of attention. Salvador, who was wearing a cape that night, became known as the Capeman and a massive manhunt lead to his and 6 fellow gang members arrest and murder charges. 

Salvador Agron pleaded guilty to the two murders, and shocked the public by his apparent cold-bloodedness. When asked by the police why he did it, he answered "Because I felt like it" and he also said that "I don't care if I burn. My mother could watch me." He was sentenced to death, but it was changed to a life-sentence later on.

Anyhow, the album. Paul Simon, who was of the same age as Salvador Agron, obviously followed this story when he was young. I haven't seen the musical myself, but the album is very nice and compelling. It's easy to follow the story and events through the songs. The music is latin inspired and light and easy, with a very recognizable Paul Simon touch to it. Simon does the most of the singing himself, but the musical singers Ruben Blades, Marc Anthony and Ednita Nazario also appear on the album.

The following songs are on the album:

1. Adios Hermanos
2. Born In Puerto Rico
3. Satin Summer Nights
4. Bernadette
5. The Vampires
6. Quality
7. Can I Forgive Him
8. Sunday Afternoon
9. Killer Wants To Go To College
10. Time Is An Ocean
11. Virgil
12. Killer Wants To Go To College II
13. Trailways Bus