The Jean’s Blog: Paul from Queens

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Paul from Queens – Part 1

Another cassette tape I purchased while serving in Peace Corps Bulgaria was Paul Simon’s Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar (available only as an import in the U.S.) and it quickly became my favorite compilation album- even more than U2 or Sting. By the spring of 2000 things were looking up for me as I had moved from my creepy apartment into a more centrally located flat that was closer to the beach and the sea garden. I was now regularly hosting and entertaining other Peace Corps Volunteers and after days at the beach on the Black Sea we spent evenings in my apartment playing Scrabble, taking about life, and listening to Shining Like a National Guitar (other times it was just my girlfriend and me and my French bulldog, Maurice).

Shining Like a National Guitar has all Paul Simon’s post-Simon & Garfunkel hits up to the ‘90s as well as songs I’d never heard before. After the Peace Corps I began exploring other Paul Simon albums but for me none of them ever topped Shining Like a National Guitar. Then- about five years ago- I discovered Paul Simon was still putting out albums of all new material. Always the musical adventurer, Simon in his old age seems to have come to terms with hip-hop, 9/11, and the Internet and many of his newer songs sound like an artist who is bewildered but still trying to connect with listeners who now have shorter attention spans and may find songs like “Slip Slidin’ Away” or “The Sound of Silence” too difficult.

But some things never change. While the new sounds may frustrate fans of his 20th century music, when it comes to great lyrics Paul Simon can still deliver the goods and the kid from Queens continues to reveal his affinity for God, doo-wop, and New York City- but especially God. Perhaps that’s why after the September 11 attacks Simon became New York’s unofficial minstrel of healing and compassion since we were entering a new, scary time and Simon seemed like the guy to lead us, comfort us, and make sense of it all. Perhaps that is asking a bit too much of the artist so we’ll forgive Simon if sometimes the best he can give us is “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which is always good for healing a multitude of hurts- even without Artie. Here are some of my favorite Paul Simon songs. Enjoy!