the los lobos song ('myth of fingerprints') is really fantastic but idk the whole story seems p w/e. i mean thanks to all the wiki research i did for this poll i know simon has been getting into songwriting accreditation fights with people since his early 60s pop days but i guess i dont really care
also @Euler it wouldve been #30 knocking 'fakin' it' off
― Lamp, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:03 (twelve years ago) link
I'm sorry but Paul Simon is so overrated <<lobos discusion
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:05 (twelve years ago) link
Alfred, wasn't it you on the voting thread who kept reminding us to check out "Obvious Child"? And it wound up missing your ballot! Maybe I'm misremembering who kept mentioning it.
― any major prude will tell you (WmC), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:06 (twelve years ago) link
El Condor Pasa is Simon singing over a pre-existing track. Mother and Child Reunion was done with Jimmy Cliff's backing band (including Cissy Houston). Simon's been doing this kind of thing his whole career. Probably as soon as he realized how much of an improvement the Tom Wilson's studio version of Sound of Silence was/how much $$$ was in it
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:06 (twelve years ago) link
i voted for the myth of fingerprints, dig the examination of conspiracy theory culture
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:06 (twelve years ago) link
I remember my mom asking what that song was about when I was like 14 and me having to explain it to her lol
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:07 (twelve years ago) link
the "myth" being that all fingerprints are different etc
ive seen them all and maaaaan
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:08 (twelve years ago) link
He paid out without question over El Condor Pasa once it was pointed out it wasn't a trad arr job
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:08 (twelve years ago) link
I'm not knocking this approach at all fwiw
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:11 (twelve years ago) link
thanks Lamp! a victory of sorts
― Euler, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:11 (twelve years ago) link
thanks for the backstory guys. Interesting!
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
at least in the case of "parsely, sage, rosemary and thyme" the main credit goes to "traditional". and he didn't fight the claims that daniel robles wrote "el condor pasa".
xp
― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
could the winner in any other artist poll be a track made 30 years into their career?
This wasn't rhetorical btw, I've been thinking hard and genuinely can't think of one. Okay Tom & Jerry is a slightly artificial extension, but even so who comes close? Possibly Madonna, but that seems a fluke compared to what Simon was putting out in that era.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:16 (twelve years ago) link
Tom Waits?
― any major prude will tell you (WmC), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:18 (twelve years ago) link
George Clinton
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:20 (twelve years ago) link
Even guys who went on forever like James Brown ran out of gas before they reached the equivalent era.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:23 (twelve years ago) link
important worst song from the paul simon poll results
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:23 (twelve years ago) link
Which is a comment on the richness of this guy's catalog.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:29 (twelve years ago) link
nice save
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:31 (twelve years ago) link
I missed that 41-60 when it went up - I'm surprised The Coast isn't on there. Not that I'm a fan particularly, but I thought everyone else was.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:36 (twelve years ago) link
#56 - BLEEKER STREET#45 - EL CONDOR PASA (IF I COULD)
vindication!
― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Friday, 23 March 2012 21:46 (twelve years ago) link
41-60 is my favorite part of the results on this one! These are all faves (votes in bold):
#58 - STRANDED IN A LIMOUSINE #57 - ALL AROUND THE WORLD (THE MYTH OF FINGERPRINTS)#56 - BLEEKER STREET#55 - PAPA HOBO#54 - PARANOIA BLUES#53 - FATHER AND DAUGHTER#52 - ST. JUDY'S COMET#50 - ARMISTICE DAY#49 - THINK TOO MUCH (B)#46 - THINK TOO MUCH (A)#43 - RUN THAT BODY DOWN
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 23 March 2012 21:54 (twelve years ago) link
my ballot:
1) Peace Like a River2) The Cool, Cool River3) Duncan4) Hearts and Bones5) The Obvious Child6) Think Too Much (b)7) Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes8) The Only Living Boy in New York-S&G9) Born at the Right Time10) Papa Hobo11) Take Me to the Mardi Gras12) My Little Town13) That was your Mother14) Train in the Distance15) I am a Rock (solo version, if it matters)16) Stranded in a Limousine17) Something So Right18) The Afterlife19) Rewrite20) Have a Good Time
thank u, Lamp!!!
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:41 (twelve years ago) link
Alfred, you voted for "That was your mother," too! come sit by me!!
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:50 (twelve years ago) link
hmmm based on the rest of yr ballot i would take you for a think too much (a) voter
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:55 (twelve years ago) link
also i quoted it a lot itt! it was excruciating to cut it but i don't know, somehow "the smartest people in the world have gathered in los angeles to analyze our love affair and finally unscramble us" kills me.
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:56 (twelve years ago) link
also my ballot is a bunch of nonsense, particularly the ranking which was almost arbitrary; i just knew i didn't have to vote for some songs. i think i might have cut out "only living boy" out of spite if i had known about the s&g avalanche because i am petty.
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:58 (twelve years ago) link
sad i couldn't vote for "crazy love vol. whatever" and "tenderness" off of rhymin' simon and and and
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:59 (twelve years ago) link
this poll if nothing else has revealed 'different ways of thinking abt paul simons career'
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 22:59 (twelve years ago) link
50 ways to think abt paul simons career
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:00 (twelve years ago) link
<3 fat charlie the archangel
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:00 (twelve years ago) link
or at least like 3
yeah it hurt me to leave fat charlie out, hes been through so much already
also it has taught us a lot about museums
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:01 (twelve years ago) link
he doesn't claim to be happy about this
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:01 (twelve years ago) link
its true that we have learned abt museums in this thread
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:02 (twelve years ago) link
"america" seems like a pretty good song, huh? is there a simon solo version lol but i'm serious though.
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:02 (twelve years ago) link
ha
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:03 (twelve years ago) link
My poll. Kinda wish I hadn't voted for Hazy Shade of Winter in retrospect. I listened to it again after I voted for it and I felt like it wasn't so great, Bangles totally do a better job with that rhythym section than those two hippies
Late in the Evening - 40The Only Living Boy in New York - 36Slip Slidin' Away - 33The Obvious Child - 30St Judy's Comet - 28Bridge Over Troubled Water - 2650 Ways To Leave Your Lover - 25Graceland - 24Duncan - 23Homeward Bound - 22Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard - 21Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes - 20America - 19Cecilia - 18The Boxer - 17I Am A Rock - 16Kodachrome - 15Sounds of Silence - 14Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War - 13Hazy Shade of Winter - 12
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:04 (twelve years ago) link
poll? My ballot.
i also like that weird song "night game" on still crazy that's like 2 minutes long where the pitcher dies and simon basically whispers the whole thing but i thought it might be trolly to vote for it.
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:04 (twelve years ago) link
i like your ballot, VG! sad i couldn't vote "st. judy's comet"
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:05 (twelve years ago) link
I hadn't heard it before the nomination thread, and listened to it 10 times in one day...couldn't get it out of my head. Felt very much like the Paul Simon I was already in love with.
Duncan too!
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:06 (twelve years ago) link
I just opened a pretty good pinot too!
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:06 (twelve years ago) link
Here's my ballot.
1. The Obvious ChildThe Boy in the BubbleBridge Over Troubled WaterGracelandMrs. RobinsonMother and Child ReunionAmericaI Am A RockSounds of SilenceSlip Slidin’ AwayThe BoxerAmerican TuneHomeward BoundCeciliaDuncanLove Is Eternal Sacred LightYou Can Call Me AlThe Only Living Boy in New YorkArmistice DayDiamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes
― kornrulez6969, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:26 (twelve years ago) link
I'm really disapointed "Red Rubber Ball" didn't place. Otherwise, most of my faves are here, though in a vastly different order than I'd have put them. Impressed that "Duncan" was in the top 5.
― everything else is secondary (Lee626), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:27 (twelve years ago) link
No 'The Coast', no way.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 23 March 2012 23:31 (twelve years ago) link
omg jho u voted for "allergies"
"proof" is a good one...kind of a slow burner for me. def could have voted for all of rhythm, paul simon
― horseshoe, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:31 (twelve years ago) link
i like that there is a song abt allergies, the world needs more songs abt this topic
― lag∞n, Friday, 23 March 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link