PAUL SIMON POLL RESULTS THREAD AND DISCUSSION

regarding questions upthread, i voted for "something so right" and "papa hobo" and of course "take me to the mardi gras." i don't think any of them are going to make the top ten, but good vibes to the other folks who voted for them.

I was thinking a little more about the awesomeness of "50 Ways" this morning and how darkly hilarious it is -- by far his funniest song for me. Narrator is a pulling a total dick move, cheating on his girlfriend and dithering over whether to break up with her or not, but not really whether but how. In order not to have to think about what a creep he's being to her, he and the girl he's cheating with are laying it out so genteel-ly -- "it grieves me so to see you in such pain" instead of "christ, this bitch is total dead weight, dump her already". But the mask of delicate rhymes and instrumentation slips during the chorus and we see that this is just a cheating schmuck and the next-girlfriend figuring out how to dump the last-girlfriend.

Also, if Simon had never written it, it surely would have shown up on ILX by now: "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover: A List Thread"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n23tR4F3J6M

Top 10 on the ramp, Lamp!

have you ever experienced a period of grace
when your brain just takes a seat behind your face

I like the subtitles on this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5--Sje98jI

I was thinking a little more about the awesomeness of "50 Ways" this morning and how darkly hilarious it is -- by far his funniest song for me. Narrator is a pulling a total dick move, cheating on his girlfriend and dithering over whether to break up with her or not, but not really whether but how. In order not to have to think about what a creep he's being to her, he and the girl he's cheating with are laying it out so genteel-ly -- "it grieves me so to see you in such pain" instead of "christ, this bitch is total dead weight, dump her already". But the mask of delicate rhymes and instrumentation slips during the chorus and we see that this is just a cheating schmuck and the next-girlfriend figuring out how to dump the last-girlfriend.

Also, if Simon had never written it, it surely would have shown up on ILX by now: "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover: A List Thread"

― any major prude will tell you (WmC), Thursday, March 22, 2012 10:08 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

excellent post, it's a really funny song!

Hey thanks to this thread I just bought the five albums Bookends through Still Crazy. Thanks, thread.

Get in the que, 'shoe

queue

Greg, do those come with the extra tracks still?

Looks like the versions I bought have about 2-4 bonus tracks on them, mostly demo versions of tracks on the album.

It sounds like the same editions as on spotify. Those demos are some of my favourite versions.

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

yeah, ridiculously moving lines. they definitely sneak up on you.

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/10TheBOxer.jpg
#10 THE BOXER
1969
389 points/17 votes/0 #1 votes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKjEHfHINQ

HI LAMP!

yeah, knew that would make it! how could it not? lie la lie.

I love wondering how those kinds of choruses come about, like if they just had it as a placeholder til they got some words to fit it and decided that it sounded really good that way

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/09TheBoy.jpg
#09 THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE
1986
430 points/17 votes/1 #1 vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ki3AbK8tM

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 2:09 PM (22 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah i love this one. feels like it wouldn't be out of place on still crazy or something. voted for it, probably too low.

also love the whole vietnam-vet-working-at-the-carwash premise

Slow down! (I thought Bubble'd be higher)

this poll is staccato signals of constant information

probably not a loose affiliation of millionaires and billionares, though

meh, bubble

>:[

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/08Diamonds.jpg
#08 DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES
1986
446 points/22 votes/1 #1 vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf4YyXVoWeA

so i vowed to cut all graceland tracks from my ballot so it wasn't 75 songs long but when i tried to cut "diamonds on the soles of her shoes" i heard a high-pitched yelp of protest, which was me. i could say ooo-oooo-oooo and everybody here would know just what i was talking about.

also love that image for it, Lamp!

I placed Diamonds pretty high, it's a great song.

it is the beautifulest

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.

"diamonds on the soles of her shoes" otoh, is one of the greatest songs simon (or whoever) ever wrote, so fuck yes.

Simon has some of the best imagery in his songwriting, fuckin love this guy for real

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.

yeah i'd see no shame in placing boy in the bubble and graceland 1/2 tbh.

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee366/lamp11/07Cecelia.jpg
#07 CECILIA
1970
453 points/18 votes/1 #1 vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5_QV97eYqM

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

aw it is an impossible poll, max!

I didn't think cecilia would place. Lovely pop song, but it's got to be more than that to be classic Paullie

people looooooove cecilia, though. it does sound pretty amazing. i didn't vote for it.

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

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

My perception may be coloured by first knowing it through Suggs' version.

yeah the beginning of "diamonds" i will never get sick of

xp

also the second verse

by the bodegas and the lights on upper broadway

Cecilia!!!! Lamp that pic is perfection

I love everything about this song, AND IT HAS HANDCLAPS.

jubilaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaation