Kodachrome (song)

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Kodachrome is a 1973 song by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the lead single from his album There Goes Rhymin' Simon, released by Columbia Records. The title refers to Kodak’s Kodachrome film. The single’s B-side was “Tenderness,” and it came out on May 19, 1973.

Billboard praised the song for its cheerful, sharp lyrics, and it debuted at No. 82 on the Hot 100 for the week ending May 19, 1973. Record World called it “another Simon masterpiece” and suggested it could become a big hit from the album.

The studio version and live versions have different lyrics. The original line is “everything looks worse in black and white,” while live performances use “everything looks better in black and white.” Simon has said he initially thought of calling the song “Going Home,” but chose Kodachrome because of its sound and potential. The opening line is considered one of the most interesting: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school / It’s a wonder I can think at all.”

Kodachrome rose quickly on the charts: it reached No. 9 after four weeks, then peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In the United Kingdom, the song was released as the B-side to “Take Me to the Mardi Gras.” It was banned by the BBC and by Australia’s Federation of Australian Radio Broadcasters because of its trademarked title.

The track features the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and was produced by Paul Simon and Phil Ramone.