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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
(2,790 posts)Words and music are amazing
applegrove
(118,008 posts)rurallib
(62,342 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
(4,024 posts)rurallib
(62,342 posts)Excellent choice
KarenS
(4,024 posts)vanlassie
(5,637 posts)I waiver.
ailsagirl
(22,837 posts)Last edited Thu Oct 7, 2021, 02:17 AM - Edit history (1)
He's, quite simply, brilliant.
Rollo
(2,559 posts)rurallib
(62,342 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
(3,377 posts)TomSlick
(11,032 posts)Beautiful song. I don't claim to really understand the lyrics but it's a beautiful song.
vanlassie
(5,637 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
(5,637 posts)rurallib
(62,342 posts)My go to song on July 4th
Clash City Rocker
(3,377 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
(101,705 posts)struggle4progress
(118,032 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
(4,109 posts)But not really.
rurallib
(62,342 posts)moreso as I grow older.
alwaysinasnit
(5,037 posts)rurallib
(62,342 posts)" And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
and tenement halls"
wnylib
(21,146 posts)rurallib
(62,342 posts)LakeArenal
(28,713 posts)dweller
(23,558 posts)wnylib
(21,146 posts)Scrivener7
(50,773 posts)Kills me every time, to this day.
no_hypocrisy
(45,771 posts)Me too. Played it over and over during 9/11, always with tears down my cheeks
FalloutShelter
(11,747 posts)Botany
(70,282 posts)N/t
vanlassie
(5,637 posts)vanlassie
(5,637 posts)Glorfindel
(9,706 posts)lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)Don't get me started with earworms.
pnwest
(3,265 posts)iwillalwayswonderwhy
(2,598 posts)The lyrics! Pure poetry.
This is a fun live version:
redstatebluegirl
(12,264 posts)I love that song@
rurallib
(62,342 posts)redstatebluegirl
(12,264 posts)ThoughtCriminal
(14,009 posts)rurallib
(62,342 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
(24,541 posts)TomSlick
(11,032 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
(21,737 posts)rurallib
(62,342 posts)"August, die she must
the Autumn winds blow chillin' cold"
Wow!
Fla Dem
(23,343 posts)They make me feel soooo old. Where did the years go.
ThoughtCriminal
(14,009 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
(28,094 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
(28,094 posts)electric_blue68
(14,598 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
(11,582 posts)Always picks me up when I hear it.
Mad_Dem_X
(9,522 posts)Because my late father loved the video, and every time I hear the song, it makes me think of him.
rurallib
(62,342 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
(64,413 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
(3,502 posts)Paladin
(28,202 posts)wnylib
(21,146 posts)I love them all, but just for the fun of the lyrics, I have to mention Cecilia.
LeftInTX
(24,541 posts)rurallib
(62,342 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"