Paul from Queens – Part 3

Paul Simon is the little man from Queens who gave us so many great songs- “The Sound of Silence”, “Mrs. Robinson”, “America”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”, “Mother and Child Reunion”- and people expect the poor guy to just keep churning out hit after timeless, universal hit until he drops dead. There was a time when Simon could oblige but that time has passed and even if he wanted to I doubt Simon could muster up the old magic (with or without Artie).

Not that today’s songwriters are better than Paul Simon- they are not. But just as today’s songwriters can’t hold a candle to Simon’s musical and poetic brilliance, I’m sure people of the Second World War generation said the same thing about Simon: “He’s good, but he’s no Frank Sinatra.” And so it goes.

At a time when it looked like he might be finished as a ‘70s singer-songwriter giant, Paul Simon got lucky with Graceland and since then has kept putting out albums (though none have been very memorable). Relationship songs gave way to mid-life crisis songs and now there are songs about old age and death. Simon recently released a collection of re-recordings of some his lesser-known songs- a couple of which actually sound great- and while he has retired from touring it seems like the artist will keep exploring rhythms, wandering through his interior walls, and making music right up until the end.

Perhaps what the artists in my Peace Corps Bulgaria musical trilogy- U2, Sting, and Paul Simon- have in common is that they make it look so easy. Their music crosses generations and cultures and brings people together- much like the Beatles- but they seem to be the last in a long line of artists who tried to keep the spirit of the Fab Four going but are now just too old and tired to carry the weight. So who’s going to step up and carry the torch? Here are some more of my favorite Paul Simon songs. Enjoy!

01. Paul Simon – “Wristband” (2016)
02. Paul Simon – “Mother and Child Reunion” (1972)
03. Paul Simon feat. Good Rockin’ Dopsie and the Twisters– “That Was Your Mother” (1986)
04. Paul Simon feat. the Dixie Hummingbirds – “Loves Me Like a Rock” (1973)
05. Paul Simon – “Outrageous” (2006)
06. Paul Simon – “Still Crazy After All These Years” (1975)
07. Paul Simon – “Peace Like a River” (1972)
08. Paul Simon – “The Obvious Child” (1990)
09. Paul Simon – “Something So Right” (1973)
10. Paul Simon – “Trailways Bus” (1997)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify... 

... or check out the playlist on YouTube

(To open music in separate window, click title bar at top of video box)

Recommended Links:

Muppet Songs: Paul Simon – Long Long Day

Paul Simon – “The Obvious Child”

Paul Simon and George Harrison – “Homeward Bound (Live)”

Sesame Street: Paul Simon Sings Me & Julio