Paul Simons Solo work goes far beyond the songs that can be heard in Classic rock radio. Since The Paul Simon Songbook Coming on the shelves in England 60 years ago, he published solo albums.
10. “Hearts and Bones”
Paul Simon originally plotted, his album published in 1983 “Hearts and Bones” to publish as a reunification project with Art Garfunkel. However, when his marriage to Carrie Fisher broke up, his new songs became so personal that he could not imagine singing them with someone else.
Gar radio is still angry about it today. But when you hear the title track for the first time, it becomes clear that Simon made the right decision. The “one and a half Jews” who take the trip to Mexico are clearly Simon and Fisher, and when he sings: “Why can’t you love me as I am?”, You can hear the agony in your voice.
(Remote remark: This year Fisher also wore the famous metal bikini in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi knights.)
“Hearts and Bones” was not published as a single single. But in 1986 the B-side of “Graceland”. The song was not played live when it was new. But since 2011 it has been an integral part of Simon’s concert repertoire.
9. “Father and Daughter “
Paul Simon wrote “Father and Daughter” for the children’s film The Wild Thornberrys Movie from 2002 and was even nominated for an Oscar, although he ultimately lost to Eminem’s “loose yourself”. But it was a very moving song. Four years later when he was with Brian Eno for his LP Surprise Together, he added “Father and Daughter” at the very end. The LP was mixed. In 2013 Simon said the Rolling Stonethat he did not like the process of creation.
“I didn’t like the way this album was created”, he said. ‘I went to the studio with a drummer. Then I thought guitar lines. And flew to England to Brian [Eno] to show. He made his thing and I flew back. I was only with a sound engineer and found this experience very lonely. I felt so cut off. “
8. “The Late Great Johnny Ace “
Paul Simon really got the brutal murder of John Lennon in 1980. And let him think of all the big rock icons that died young. To the R&B icon of the 1950s, Johnny Ace, who was said to have a life in a game of Russian roulette.
The song is reminiscent of Simon’s early days in London before Simon and Garfunkel got out. He made it debut at the concert in Central Park in 1981, although it was only two years later Hearts and bones was published. He brought it back on his tour in 2000 on the occasion of Lennon’s 20th day of death. But it hasn’t touched it since then.
7. “American Tune”
America was really on the ground when Paul Simon began in 1973, songs for There goes goes rhymin ‘Simon to write. The Vietnam War came to an end. But the nation was struck while Watergate quickly developed into a major constitutional crisis. Simon let his grief flow into the texts of “American Tune”. He referred to everything from Mayflower to the “Statue of Liberty that sets sail”.
It is a beautiful song that is up to 35th place Billboard Hot 100 managed. Which means that you could easily argue that it is not a deep cut. But it is not very often played on the radio. And was not in the hit collections Negotiations and love songs or Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar, contain. So we will count it. However, it was a very tight decision.
6. “Obvious Child”
You can’t blame Paul Simon that he took over four years to a successor for Graceland to publish. How could he have surpassed such a brave and innovative album? He could simply have repeated the recipe for success. But instead he decided on Rhythm of the Saints to experiment with Latin American sounds.
It starts with “The Obvious Child”. A percussion -heavy song that was recorded with the drum collective Grupo Cultural Olodum. It was one of the highlights of his Concerts in the park from 1991, although the single is not over 92 of the Billboard Hot 100 managed. In 2014 she received a second life when she was in the Jenny slate film Obvious Child played a prominent role.
5. “Peace Like a River”
Paul Simon’s self -titled LP from 1972 was not his solo debut there The Paul Simon Songbook Published in Europe in 1965. But it was his first work since Simon and Garfunkel was separated and therefore attracted a lot of attention. Many wondered whether he would be able to generate magic alone. But songs like “Me And Julio Down by the Schoolyard”, “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Duncan” quickly proved that all doubts were wrong.
“Peace Like a River” hides between these classics. A gentle song that could probably have been a hit if he had come out as a single. He only played it live in 2011 when he played him on 63 shows.
“I don’t listen to my old albums often. But I listened to this again after I heard that some of these songs, such as” Peace like a river “, were covered by indie bands”, Said Simon in 2013. “And I thought: ‘God, that’s a good record.'”
4. “The Cool, Cool River “
The Rhythm of the Saints may not have caused as much sensation as Graceland. But it is still an astonishing collection of songs that only seems to improve when hearing repeatedly. One of the outstanding titles is “The Cool, Cool River”, which reflects the possibilities of the human mind and how often man remains behind his potential.
“And I believe in the future,” says Simon. ‘We won’t suffer anymore. Maybe not in my life. But in yours, I’m sure. ‘ It was one of the few non-hits he played on his tour with Bob Dylan in the summer of 1999. And he brought him back in 2008 and 2009.
3. “Rene and Georgette Magritte with their Dog after the war”
The German photographer Lothar Wolleh took two famous photos of the Dadaist René Magritte and his wife George. “René and Georgette Magritte with their Dog During the War” and “René and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog”.
For his LP published in 1983 Hearts and bones Paul Simon paid tribute to these works. It is a sweet review of a long-past period in which pop acts of the 1950s like the Moonglows, the Orioles and the Five Satins are mentioned. Simon has no longer played the song since his summer tour in 1984.
2. “Something so right”
This song from 1973 by There goes goes rhymin ‘Simon Was never a single. But Paul must have realized that he was something special. Because he made him the B-side of “Take Me To Mardi Gras” and four years later to the B side of “Slip Slidin ‘Away”.
The song is a confession of Simon’s inability to recognize when a relationship is going well. “They got a wall in China,” he sings. “It’s a Thousand Miles Long. To Keep Out the Foreigners. They Made It Strong. And I got a wall around me. That you can’t even see. It took a little time. To get next to me.”
1. “Duncan “
Similar to “The Boxer”, Paul Simon’s song “Duncan” from 1972 is about a poor child who tries to find its way in a scary new world. Lincoln Duncan is the son of a fisherman who travels to New England, meets a woman who sermon in the crowd, loses his virginity in a tent and then plays on his guitar under the starry sky.
There is no real end. Although it seems that Duncan has a kind of revelation after the successful seduction. It was the third single from the album by Paul Simon and reached in the Billboard Hot 100 not more than 52. But today it is widely seen as a masterpiece of simple songwriting.