PAUL SIMON POLL RESULTS THREAD AND DISCUSSION

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

he doesn't claim to be happy about this

xp

its true that we have learned abt museums in this thread

"america" seems like a pretty good song, huh? is there a simon solo version lol but i'm serious though.

ha

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 - 40
The Only Living Boy in New York - 36
Slip Slidin' Away - 33
The Obvious Child - 30
St Judy's Comet - 28
Bridge Over Troubled Water - 26
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - 25
Graceland - 24
Duncan - 23
Homeward Bound - 22
Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard - 21
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes - 20
America - 19
Cecilia - 18
The Boxer - 17
I Am A Rock - 16
Kodachrome - 15
Sounds of Silence - 14
Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War - 13
Hazy Shade of Winter - 12

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.

i like your ballot, VG! sad i couldn't vote "st. judy's comet"

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!

Alfred, you voted for "That was your mother," too! come sit by me!!

I just opened a pretty good pinot too!

Here's my ballot.

1. The Obvious Child
The Boy in the Bubble
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Graceland
Mrs. Robinson
Mother and Child Reunion
America
I Am A Rock
Sounds of Silence
Slip Slidin’ Away
The Boxer
American Tune
Homeward Bound
Cecilia
Duncan
Love Is Eternal Sacred Light
You Can Call Me Al
The Only Living Boy in New York
Armistice Day
Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes

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.

No 'The Coast', no way.

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

i like that there is a song abt allergies, the world needs more songs abt this topic

my heart is allergic to the women i love and it's changing the shape of my face

does he do one abt lactose intolerance?

1. The Boy In The Bubble
2. Duncan
3. Cecilia
4. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
5. Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard
6. At The Zoo
7. Late In The Evening
8. The Boxer
9. America
10. Hearts And Bones
11. The 59th Street Bridge Song
12. I Know What I Know
13. Slip Slidin' Away
14. Keep The Customer Satisfied
15. Armistice Day
16. The Afterlife
17. That Was Your Mother
18. The Late, Great Johnny Ace
19. Getting Ready For Christmas Day
20. Paranoia Blues

thank you lamp you are my favourite here is my ballot

hearts and bones
the only living boy in new york - Simon & Garfunkel
born at the right time
peace like a river
gumboots
mother and child reunion
late in the evening
the obvious child
cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel
think too much a
diamonds on the soles of her shoes
run that body down
the boxer - Simon & Garfunkel
spirit voices
st judy's comet
america - Simon & Garfunkel
just a boy - Jerry Landis
me and julio down by the schoolyard
papa hobo
the cool, cool river

just heard "rewrite" on the radio of all places. you could say he's just reworking "slip slidin'" but damn these lines kill me.

I’ll eliminate the pages
Where the father has a breakdown
And he has to leave the family
But he really meant no harm
Gonna substitute a car chase
And a race across the rooftops
When the father saves the children
And he holds them in his arms

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, March 23, 2012 6:09 PM (Yesterday)

just this so much. i only heard rewrite after i submitted my ballot but damn. my housemate pointed these particular lines out to me. they kill its true. so overstuffed with longing. so saturated with regret. so filled with ways that everything could have been so much better.

srsly tho thanks for all the memories. thank god s&g didn't win this. crisis averted though i did vote only living boy #2 and didn't vote for graceland. gumboots is a much better song though really. like honestly.

hmmm based on the rest of yr ballot i would take you for a think too much (a) voter

― lag∞n, Friday, March 23, 2012 10:55 PM (Yesterday)

i really enjoy that i can read this and be totally on the same page.

Think too much is a jam

its hard for me to imagine picking the version without nile rogers ahead of the one with. like morally.

They're pretty much completely different songs though. I love em both, Nile Rodgers one definitely has more surprises and twists musically (I love the stuttering bass under "I had a childhood that was mercifully brief... (doong-WHAM!) I grew up in a state of disbelief..."), and it's lots of fun, great double-tracked Simon vocals on the chorus... but those openings lines of the understated xylophoney one just hit so much harder, if I had to put the two side by side and rank them. Also the "and in the night my father came to me" part, wow. I mean, it's all bound up in some kind of weird Christian overlay imagery but it's also a really compellingly real moment about this guy exhausted by this dragging divorce, and thank god his dad is around to talk to about it. I dig it.

btw, if anyone cares, my ballot, with non-placing songs bolded:

1: You Can Call Me Al
2: Cecilia
3: Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes
4: The Only Living Boy in New York
5: The Coast
6: The Obvious Child
7: Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard
8: Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War
9: Still Crazy After All These Years
10: Late In The Evening
11: Slip Slidin' Away
12: The Boy In The Bubble
13: The Boxer
14: Think Too Much (b)
15: Bridge Over Troubled Water
16: Oh Marion
17: Was a Sunny Day
18: Papa Hobo
19: Graceland
20: America

I can but wonder what might have been with a 25-item ballot. This poll really makes you realize HOW many consensus classics this guy has that you have to struggle and strain to find room for a few offbeat oddities. I never really thought "Papa Hobo" or "Oh Marion" had a chance, but I am kinda surprised "The Coast" didn't place. Ahhh well.

I think my favorite surprise on this was how high "Rene & Georgette" placed. You know, I forgot to tell this story, but the other night I was at this weekly karaoke thing where it's just a dude with his keyboard, and a drum kit that the bar's regulars hop on to play on a volunteer basis, and he has a list of songs and a binder of lyrics. And I go pretty often so we're all just kinda kicking around songs to do or whatever and I, thinking of this thread, was like, "You know any Paul Simon?" And he starts playing "You Can Call Me Al," so I hop up to the mic and just start going, dude on drums locked into a really killer groove and we just did the song, no lyrics printed, piano guy was there for backing vocals on all the key lines ("bonedigger," etc) and the outro. And we get done and I'm like, man, if you know any more Paul Simon I will just do that, all the time. And he plunks his hands on the keys and goes "Reneeeee and Georgette Magritte..." and I just got ridiculously happy.

Unfortunately (sorry, this is a long and anticlimactic story), he said he didn't really know the rest of R&GM. But there's something really great in the idea that that would be someone's second Paul Simon song they had up their sleeve, just in case of another real fan besides them showing up at the bar.

Basically, the point is, Paul Simon songs = shared musical togetherness and good times.

I have no memory of "Duncan." And after one listen I can't figure why it placed that high.

So nice having you along. Do you have any favorites out of the songs that placed? What was/would have been your #1 (did you vote? i can't remember)

duncan is a song that took me about a year of loving that album to bother really listening to at all. a song that opens very slowly. so wonderful of you to offer us your opinion of it after one listen though. its good to have the full range of understanding and familiarity on this thread. have you any films you haven't seen you wish to comment on?

eh, there are plenty of songs i'm comfortable saying i dislike after just one listen. but morbs is still being a dork.

i mean i've formulated about as much opinions as i want to about the human centipede for example but the reason duncan placed high is precisely because people heard it a few times and got hooked on the flute part or the fingers line and understood that the whole thing converges on the filthiest pun. its a song that tickles you after its crept up on you just right.

the other night I was at this weekly karaoke thing where it's just a dude with his keyboard, and a drum kit that the bar's regulars hop on to play on a volunteer basis, and he has a list of songs and a binder of lyrics. And I go pretty often so we're all just kinda kicking around songs to do or whatever and I, thinking of this thread, was like, "You know any Paul Simon?" And he starts playing "You Can Call Me Al," so I hop up to the mic and just start going, dude on drums locked into a really killer groove and we just did the song, no lyrics printed, piano guy was there for backing vocals on all the key lines ("bonedigger," etc) and the outro. And we get done and I'm like, man, if you know any more Paul Simon I will just do that, all the time. And he plunks his hands on the keys and goes "Reneeeee and Georgette Magritte..." and I just got ridiculously happy

This is so great, I'd love to have a place like that. I used to get my ilm kicks from discussing the music itself, but I've been here long enough now to realise that these little portraits are the real gold.

i mean i've formulated about as much opinions as i want to about the human centipede for example but the reason duncan placed high is precisely because people heard it a few times and got hooked on the flute part or the fingers line and understood that the whole thing converges on the filthiest pun. its a song that tickles you after its crept up on you just right.

maybe, but to my mind the song, like most songs, lives or dies by its music, its "feel" and the more obvious aspects of its lyrics: the sorts of things that can be generally grasped on casual acquaintance. which isn't to say that it might not grow on one, that the patient don't reap richer rewards, but i'd never deny anyone their taste - or distaste...

could the winner in any other artist poll be a track made 30 years into their career?

Are there any other artists who'd get votes all across their 50+ year career?

My opinion on "Duncan" wasn't met as anything but a provisional view based on one listen. I'm just somewhat amazed that a fairly obscure track by an "old" I grew up with is so beloved by Millennials.

I think my fave Simon song is "Boy in the Bubble" or "American Tune."

met = meant

good songwriting knows no decade, imo

Enjoyed this, thanks.

1. “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)” (40)
2. “Mrs. Robinson” (36)
3. “At the Zoo” (33)
4. “April Come She Will” (30)
5. “Mother and Child Reunion” (28)
6. “The Only Living Boy in New York” (26)
7. “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” (25)
8. “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” (24)
9. “Cecilia” (23)
10. “America” (22)
11. “Blues Run the Game” (21)
12. “Fakin’ It” (20)

My "Blues Run the Game" vote was for the song more than the version--so good that it's able to withstand a real mismatch.

From jaymc's private-room karaoke outing:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/543724_10150598764961222_502961221_9497716_2972910_n.jpg

Haha awesome

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/528526_10150598892951222_502961221_9498278_750281925_n.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuOt03id6jM

So can we explain all the photos now?

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_40Fakin.jpg
#40 - FAKIN' IT

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_39TheLate.jpg
#39 - THE LATE GREAT JOHNNY ACE

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_3859th.jpg
#38 - THE 59th STREET BRIDGE SONG (FEELIN' GROOVY)

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_37AttheZoo.jpg
#37 - AT THE ZOO

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_36Keep.jpg
#36 - KEEP THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_35MyLittleTown.jpg
#35 - MY LITTLE TOWN

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_34Train2.jpg
#34 - TRAIN IN THE DISTANCE

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_33StillCrazy.jpg
#33 - STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_32SoLong.gif
#32 - SO LONG, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/th_31Gumboots.jpg
#31 - GUMBOOTS

#30 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR/CANTICLE

#29 - HOMEWARD BOUND

#28 - BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME

#27 - AMERICAN TUNE

#26 - A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER

#25 - THE COOL, COOL RIVER

#24 - PEACE LIKE A RIVER

#23 - I KNOW WHAT I KNOW

#22 - SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY

#21 - RENE & GEORGETTE MAGRITTE WITH THEIR DOG AFTER THE WAR

#20 - THE SOUND OF SILENCE

#19 - I AM A ROCK

#18 - YOU CAN CALL ME AL

#17 - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

#16 - MRS. ROBINSON

#15 - LATE IN THE EVENING

#14 - HEARTS AND BONES

#13 - KODACHROME

#12 - 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER

#11 - MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION

#10 - THE BOXER

#09 - THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE

#08 - DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES

#07 - CECILIA

#06 - THE OBVIOUS CHILD

#05 - AMERICA

#04 - DUNCAN

#03 - ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD

#02 - THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK

#01 - GRACELAND

I'll start:

#40 - FAKIN' IT -

#39 - THE LATE GREAT JOHNNY ACE -

#38 - THE 59th STREET BRIDGE SONG (FEELIN' GROOVY) - Officially known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, f.k.a. the Queensboro Bridge, f.k.a. the 59th St. Bridge, currently not called the Ed Koch Bridge by anyone except Ed Koch.

#37 - AT THE ZOO -

#36 - KEEP THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED -

#35 - MY LITTLE TOWN -

#34 - TRAIN IN THE DISTANCE -

#33 - STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS -

#32 - SO LONG, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT - The Heller House

#31 - GUMBOOTS -

#30 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR/CANTICLE -

#29 - HOMEWARD BOUND -

#28 - BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME -

#27 - AMERICAN TUNE -

#26 - A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER -

#25 - THE COOL, COOL RIVER -

#24 - PEACE LIKE A RIVER -

#23 - I KNOW WHAT I KNOW -

#22 - SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY -

#21 - RENE & GEORGETTE MAGRITTE WITH THEIR DOG AFTER THE WAR -

#20 - THE SOUND OF SILENCE -

#19 - I AM A ROCK -

#18 - YOU CAN CALL ME AL -

#17 - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER -

#16 - MRS. ROBINSON -

#15 - LATE IN THE EVENING -

#14 - HEARTS AND BONES -

#13 - KODACHROME -

#12 - 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER -

#11 - MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION -

#10 - THE BOXER -

#09 - THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE -

#08 - DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES -

#07 - CECILIA -

#06 - THE OBVIOUS CHILD -

#05 - AMERICA -

#04 - DUNCAN -

#03 - ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD -

#02 - THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK -

#01 - GRACELAND -

Oh, not allowed to post more than 10 photos at a time, eh? Hold on a minute...

p sure theyre all just gis results

Search terms: "museum" "wizard" "short" "drug lord"

i don't think you need to do this, the pictures aren't hard to find