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With a canon that has embraced reggae, R&B, gospel, and zydeco, Paul Simon has proven to be one of our most cosmopolitan songwriters. Rhino has re-mastered the singer's solo catalog, and from his self-titled 1972 gem to 2000's You're The One, his wit and wisdom has never sounded better. Here's a sampling of what lies between Simon's bookends.
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Click song title to listen to a clip. Click artist name for bio, news, CDs, and more. |
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Mother and Child Reunion |
Paul Simon
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| Continuing the multicultural explorations he began with S&G's "El Condor Pasa," Simon kicks off his solo career in Kingston, Jamaica. His exuberant debut, inspired by a dish he had at Chinatown's 456 restaurant, rocked steadily into the U.S. Top 5. |
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Everything Put Together Falls Apart |
Paul Simon
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| Flaunting one of pop's most imaginative melodic sensibilities, Simon writes a theme that constantly zigzags, yet is consistently catchy. Whether a reflection on the demise of his duo, or a goodbye to the hippie dream of social unity, it's a jewel. |
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Loves Me Like a Rock |
Paul Simon
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| The singer went South for his second disc, working with Aretha Franklin's band and enlisting the Dixie Hummingbirds gospel group. It may be a steam-cleaned version of the Amen Corner, but it's charisma is boundless. He is a hit-maker, after all. |
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Something So Right |
Paul Simon
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| Romance is in the singer's bones, and this feather-soft valentine is both cozy and confessional. Comparing himself to the Great Wall of China, he sits and wonders how his new honey's love cracked his tough façade. |
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Still Crazy After All These Years |
Paul Simon
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| The title track from his third album reflects its jazzy ambience and the fallout of Simon's divorce. If the Fender Rhodes and David Sanborn's sax seem a little too slick, this is still a heartfelt tribute to lovers who should've known better. |
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Graceland |
Paul Simon
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| Simon turns his discovery of township jive into quadruple platinum, and "world music" is born. Here is its groove-centered national anthem. African guitars and U.S. landmarks engage in cultural exchange as the singer mulls over his midlife crisis. |
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The Boy in the Bubble |
Paul Simon
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| Cajun accordions collide with North African drums and a bass that skips like a Humvee over a minefield. "These are the days of miracle and wonder," he sings, nailing the mood as terrorism, famine and uncertainty accompany our march towards globalization. |
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Born at the Right Time |
Paul Simon
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| Moving on to Brazil with African musicians in tow, this deceptive beauty rides on a seductive guitar line and background sighs. But the singer is at his most curmudgeonly, grumbling that "the planet groans every time it registers another birth." |
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Pigs, Sheep and Wolves |
Paul Simon
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| It's revealing when a staunch structuralist avoids his typical moves. Putting a modern spin on Orwell's Animal Farm - look out for legal injections, media cameras, and candlelight vigils - he uses syncopation and whimsy to mask his clichés. |
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