it is the beautifulest
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:39 (twelve years ago) link
Kicking myself for not making "Diamonds" #1 - it's just too perfect and hits all the key Simon notes - gentle observation, well-chosen details, little scenes of life where really big important things seem to be at stake, great melody, wistful overtone, humor, and memorable turns of phrase where I'm not entirely sure what it means but I know what it means. Beautiful song.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:39 (twelve years ago) link
"diamonds on the soles of her shoes" otoh, is one of the greatest songs simon (or whoever) ever wrote, so fuck yes.
― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:40 (twelve years ago) link
Simon has some of the best imagery in his songwriting, fuckin love this guy for real
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:41 (twelve years ago) link
Love 'Boy in the Bubble', it's such a strange sounding record, the way it lumbers into life and then becomes a slinky, sinuous beast never fails to thrill.
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
yeah i'd see no shame in placing boy in the bubble and graceland 1/2 tbh.
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/07Cecelia.jpg#07 CECILIA1970453 points/18 votes/1 #1 votehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5_QV97eYqM
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
i dropped diamonds from my ballot b/c it is so good and i used to be so obsessed w/ it and it was like, i cant, i dont want to even think about it, anyway i hate my ballot, what a stupid ballot
― max, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:48 (twelve years ago) link
aw it is an impossible poll, max!
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:48 (twelve years ago) link
I didn't think cecilia would place. Lovely pop song, but it's got to be more than that to be classic Paullie
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:49 (twelve years ago) link
people looooooove cecilia, though. it does sound pretty amazing. i didn't vote for it.
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:50 (twelve years ago) link
can't believe i have to go to work in the middle of the top ten, such an indignity
i will say this for cecilia: it doesn't sound like a museum
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
i was the first place vote for 'diamonds' and 'cecilia' was, coincidentally, my 20th place vote. 'diamonds' was the first paul simon song i really loved its soft and sad and perfect the way the first minute or so wistfully lays out the premise, the ta-na-nas coming out almost resigned, and then the terrific insight of 'you're taking me for granted because i please you' and then the song starts to expand and brighten but stays a little forlorn 'putting on aftershave' the fantastic horns and the ooh-oohs its just such a perfect song
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
My perception may be coloured by first knowing it through Suggs' version.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
yeah the beginning of "diamonds" i will never get sick of
xp
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
also the second verse
by the bodegas and the lights on upper broadway
― tylerw, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:57 (twelve years ago) link
Cecilia!!!! Lamp that pic is perfection
I love everything about this song, AND IT HAS HANDCLAPS.
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:57 (twelve years ago) link
jubilaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaation
surprised by "cecilia" tbh -- just always sounded throwaway to me. not, like, casually-tossed-off greatness but actual throwaway.
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:58 (twelve years ago) link
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/06TheObvious.jpg#06 THE OBVIOUS CHILD1990459 points/19 votes/2 #1 voteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HKNAhAxMAk&ob=av2e
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 18:58 (twelve years ago) link
xpost whut
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:58 (twelve years ago) link
man these results are really interesting.
Love Obvious Child, love love love love
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 18:59 (twelve years ago) link
xpost (damn lamp u move fast) whereas at times "american tune," "america," "the boxer" and "graceland" have actually saved my life
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:00 (twelve years ago) link
i really should have got it together to vote in this one huh?
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:01 (twelve years ago) link
Obvious Child was my number 1
― kornrulez6969, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
'the obvious child' is another one of those paul simon songs that - over and above what a total fucking jam it is - just seems to capture the sort of generous humanist spirit that simon at his best. like theres a quality of clear-eyed empathy in both songs that allow them to be both sorta joyous and melancholy and gently self-mocking thats really appealing to me and also seems to genuinely express how id like to see the world, hopefully but resigned to setbacks. idk the way he elongates 'died' in 'obvious child' just fucking slays me
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
My top 3 were Cecilia, Diamonds, and Al - so I'm pretty satisfied with this poll so far!
"Cecilia" is just ridiculously joyous (despite the heartbreak theme) - JUBILAAAAAAAAAATION! This is incredibly fun to sing in huge groups, for a while here it was an end-of-the-night karaoke standard, whoever was still at the bar at 2:20 or whatever piling on stage and feeling the love etc.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
"The Boy In The Bubble" was my #1. Had known it before, but rediscovered it a few years ago over the speakers at used book store. I was in the early stages of a still-happening life change, and man-oh-man that chorus says it all.
― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:03 (twelve years ago) link
Obvious Child was my #2 - it just kept rising and rising, and might've been #1 had I not had a euphoric reaction to something else first.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:03 (twelve years ago) link
I listened to "Obvious Child" several times thanks to Alfred's urging, but it still hasn't grabbed me.
― any major prude will tell you (WmC), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
I didn't vote for Diamonds, there are other songs on Graceland that I like more - didn't know it was so highly regarded tbh
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
That percussion, WmC - keep listening!
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:05 (twelve years ago) link
at the end of this poll I hope there's an explanation of all Lamp's pic choices cuz a bunch are going right over my head
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:06 (twelve years ago) link
That squawking according (I'm guessing it's an accordion) is such a perfect way to open Graceland.
― "Flashy...hip" (Eazy), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
uh accordion I should only type at home on a typewriter
I thought "Cecilia" would be what u folx dismiss as a novelty song
― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:13 (twelve years ago) link
lol, "u folx"
Morbs, you are an ilxor, you are ONE OF US. Embrace it or throw yourself off a bridge as you see fit. (I'd prefer the former.)
― any major prude will tell you (WmC), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:15 (twelve years ago) link
Embrace us as we fall into thr troubled water.
― "Flashy...hip" (Eazy), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:16 (twelve years ago) link
that's mighty kind of you
― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:16 (twelve years ago) link
We will all fall into Graceland...
― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:18 (twelve years ago) link
'Cecilia' is probably a novelty song, but it's joyful, funny and crackles with life. Which most novelty songs aren't.
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:18 (twelve years ago) link
lol, i TOLD yuz "cecilia" was top 10
it's not just some tossed-off pop tune, either, it's 2:55 of compressed human joy, delivered straight
― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:24 (twelve years ago) link
it is "people who seem to have figured out how to live" in musical form
― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:26 (twelve years ago) link
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/05America.png#05 AMERICA1968 (album)/1971 (promo b-side)/1972 (single)459 points/21 votes/2 #1 voteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W773ZPJhcVw
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:26 (twelve years ago) link
so Only Living Boy is gonna be number 1 then
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:28 (twelve years ago) link
I have no idea why I left "America" off my ballot. Helluva tune.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:28 (twelve years ago) link
sounds like a museum iirc
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:29 (twelve years ago) link
That was it!
Actually, I bumped it off so I could vote for childhood favorite "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine"
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 23 March 2012 19:30 (twelve years ago) link