even if you didn't know anything about the pan-African infleunces P. Simon was mining and the musicians he was employing at the time, there's something identifiably unique about that song within the pop landscape, and it's clearly in the arrangement/instrumentation realm rather than the 'songwriting' realm.

While the bass and the pennywhistle stand out, imho the ebullient horn section and rhythm guitar that really bring the song out of the novelty territory implied by the solos and the video and into the realm of hte truly unique.

*shrug*