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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsPaul Simon turns 80 next Wednesday (Oct. 13). What is your favorite Paul Simon song?
I won't give you choices. If you are answering, you are probably very familiar with his songs. What a variety! From those that are kind of a light chuckle to some very profound thoughts and most everything in between.
I think my favorite - at least for today - is "It was late in the evening."
Take it away >>>>>>
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,801 posts)Words and music are amazing
applegrove
(118,583 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)Obviously its greatness is mostly about the melody in the chorus which is as good as it comes, but the words aren't awful imho
KarenS
(4,071 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)Excellent choice
KarenS
(4,071 posts)vanlassie
(5,668 posts)I waiver.
ailsagirl
(22,893 posts)Last edited Thu Oct 7, 2021, 02:17 AM - Edit history (1)
He's, quite simply, brilliant.
Rollo
(2,559 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)He flubbed the lyrics on a song, and afterwards dismissed the other musicians to do his penance. He introduced the song as a fan favorite which he loathes, and I said to my wife, "It's gotta be 'Feelin' Groovy'!"
Sure enough . . .
Clash City Rocker
(3,396 posts)TomSlick
(11,096 posts)Beautiful song. I don't claim to really understand the lyrics but it's a beautiful song.
vanlassie
(5,668 posts)Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)That is NOT easy guitar work period, let alone to be able to sing it that well while playing it. You gotta have serious talent and skills.
vanlassie
(5,668 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)My go to song on July 4th
Clash City Rocker
(3,396 posts)It talked about flying, dying, the Statue of Liberty so prescient. And the rest of the lyrics captured exactly how America felt at the time.
hlthe2b
(102,192 posts)struggle4progress
(118,270 posts)Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)It's way up in my 'favorites', though I don't think necessarily 'artistically' it rates up with his best work. Same goes for Me & Julio, 50 Ways, Kodachrome, Mother and Child Reunion, to name a few.
And as long as we're on that tip, and cause nobody else has said it yet ...
ZZenith
(4,119 posts)But not really.
rurallib
(62,403 posts)moreso as I grow older.
alwaysinasnit
(5,063 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)" And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
and tenement halls"
wnylib
(21,417 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)LakeArenal
(28,810 posts)dweller
(23,621 posts)wnylib
(21,417 posts)Scrivener7
(50,934 posts)Kills me every time, to this day.
no_hypocrisy
(46,061 posts)Me too. Played it over and over during 9/11, always with tears down my cheeks
FalloutShelter
(11,844 posts)Botany
(70,483 posts)N/t
vanlassie
(5,668 posts)vanlassie
(5,668 posts)Glorfindel
(9,725 posts)lpbk2713
(42,751 posts)Don't get me started with earworms.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)iwillalwayswonderwhy
(2,601 posts)The lyrics! Pure poetry.
This is a fun live version:
redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)I love that song@
rurallib
(62,403 posts)redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)ThoughtCriminal
(14,047 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)There was some hubbub when he put the word "whores" in a song. Old people shook their fingers while we younguns sung along.
LeftInTX
(25,205 posts)TomSlick
(11,096 posts)The music is - of course - amazing. The philosophy / theology is what's great.
God makes his plan
The information's unavailable
To the mortal man
We work our jobs
Collect our pay
Believe we're gliding down the highway
When in fact we're slip slidin' away.
A clever bit of poetry to tell us we really aren't that clever.
IcyPeas
(21,856 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)"August, die she must
the Autumn winds blow chillin' cold"
Wow!
Fla Dem
(23,631 posts)They make me feel soooo old. Where did the years go.
ThoughtCriminal
(14,047 posts)Lesser-known verses from "The Boxer"
"Now the years are rolling by me
They are rocking evenly
And I am older than I once was
And younger than I'll be
But that's not unusual
No, it isn't strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are
More or less the same"
Duppers
(28,117 posts)I still have 3 vinyl albums of theirs; it's impossible to part with such great musical poetry.
Paul Simon Tells the Story of How He Wrote "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Duppers
(28,117 posts)electric_blue68
(14,850 posts)Because of when it came out, the partly reflective, almost melancholy yet beautiful music, and especially the plaintive singing and lyrics of the last verse, chorus -
is seared into my memory, and bound with how anguished, and searching many of us were after RFK's
assassination.
Graceland
A catchy melody. Lyrics that sort of roll off the tounge easily.
The metaphysical slant one could take on the lyrics:
"But I've reason to believe
We all will be received
In Graceland"
Boy In The Bubble
Such a musically suprising, snappy start to this song! I love how the ?tuba keeps bopping in. Often semi surreal, hallucinatory lyrics.
And especially the hopeful (although maybe they are meant sardonically)
"These are the days of miracles, and wonders,
So don't cry, baby, don't cry"
jcgoldie
(11,627 posts)Always picks me up when I hear it.
Mad_Dem_X
(9,553 posts)Because my late father loved the video, and every time I hear the song, it makes me think of him.
rurallib
(62,403 posts)One is the vid Simon does with Chevy Chase that is pretty humorous.
The other was a video of a live performance Simon did with the South African band. Not sure exactly where the video was recorded. For some reason I want to say Zimbabwe, although South Africa would make more sense.
This one included some great shots of the crowd dancing and the members of the band playing their pieces. One of my favorite videos ever.
Unfortunately that video is no longer available.
ProfessorGAC
(64,963 posts)Just something about that peppy tune that flips my whistle.
Of course, i liked a lot of his S&G stuff.
I'm actually working on my version of "I Am A Rock".
Doc_Technical
(3,522 posts)Paladin
(28,246 posts)wnylib
(21,417 posts)I love them all, but just for the fun of the lyrics, I have to mention Cecilia.
LeftInTX
(25,205 posts)rurallib
(62,403 posts)"they call me baby driver
And once I got a pair of wheels
I was on the road
What's my number?
I wonder how your engines feel
Scoot down the road
What's my number?
I wonder how your engines feel"