What is your favorite Simon solo and/or Garfunkel solo album?
Mr Robin L Russell & Ms Laurie M Campbell
Just thought I'd try to start a thread on a newsgroup that seems to be
terribly short on threads and long on asinine SPAMs. What is your
favorite Paul Simon solo album and/or your favorite Art Garfunkel solo
album? Sorry those of you who don't like Garfunkel, but there are no
alt.music.art-garfunkel or alt.music.simon-and-garfunkel groups. I'm a
bigger fan of Art's solo work than Paul's, but I loved Graceland. In
fact, I would say my favorite solo work by Paul Simon is the Zimbabwe
Graceland concert which in only available on video. I think many of the
live vocals in that concert are better than the ones on the album,
especially "Graceland," and "Under African Skies," which sounds much more
authentic as a duet with Miriam Makeba than with Linda Ronstadt (nothing
against Linda, I just like the Makeba version better). It also has the
great cover of "Whispering Bells," which never sounded better.
As for my favorite Garfunkel album, I'll have to say his latest, "Up Til
Now," though his best was probably "Watermark," which was his Jimmy Webb
album. However, Art can cover the oldies better than almost anyone and I
just love his "All in the Game" on "Up Til Now." It is also the only
(legal) way to get a copy of "The Breakup," which is a rare sound clip of
Paul and Art having fun in the sound studio while pretending to deliver a
somber reflection on their breakup, it is a rare look at Art's humorous
side. He also covers himself in some simpler recordings of "All My Love's
Laughter" and "All I Know" without the lush orchestrations and the soaring
vocals of the originals. So, I would have to say, up 'til now, "Up 'Til
Now" is my favorite Garfunkel solo album. How about you?
Laurie
Jessica Bahlman
Hi! I got a perfectly legal copy of the Breakup when I bought Paul's
boxed set. ( Well actually what I got was Thelma the Breakup and a live
Version of Still Crazy for $40.00, since I had all the other songs
already, but the book that came along WAS great) I really don't know
ANYTHING about Art's solo career. Fill me in. What albums does he have
that are post S&G? I think it's OK to post here since Paul and Art will
probably go hand in hand (It's next to impossible for me to tell someone
I LOVE Paul Simon without saying he was half of S&G) forever. As for my
favorite Paul solo album.. depending on the day it would be Rhythm of the
Saints (I fell it's his most beautiful album lyrically) There Goes Rhymin
Simon (I LOVE every song except St/ Judy's Comet , which is just OK) and
Paul Simon (I love it's stark quality ie. Everything Put Together Falls
Apart)
Jess
I know I cheated
I DO have a clear cut fav S&G album though, BOOKENDS.
Andrew Gladwin
Jessica Bahlman wrote:
>
> Hi! I got a perfectly legal copy of the Breakup when I bought Paul's
> boxed set. ( Well actually what I got was Thelma the Breakup and a live
> Version of Still Crazy for $40.00, since I had all the other songs
> already, but the book that came along WAS great) I really don't know
> ANYTHING about Art's solo career. Fill me in. What albums does he have
> that are post S&G?
According to my book of goodies, Art has the following solo albums since the breakup. Angel Clare, Breakaway,
Watermark, Fate for Breakfast, Scissors Cut, The Art Garfunkel Album, The Animal Christmas (!?), Lefty and
there must also be the new one Laurie mentioned, Up Til Now. All I've got is The Art Garfunkel Album, which I
mostly got because it had "Bright Eyes" on (I'm a sucker for anything to do with Watership Down). It's
actually a pretty good album, great for late evening introspection. I believe a lot of his stuff was written
by Jimmy Wbb, who's a pretty highly-rated songwriter, frustratingly my CD dosn't have songwriter credits,
although it has lyrics. There's a version of Sam Cooke's (What A) Wonderful World on this CD featuring Paul
Simon and James Taylor and lots of other great tracks.
My guess is Art was more poular as a solo artist in the UK than in the USA; he had two #1 hits there (Bright
Eyes and I Only Have Eyes For You -maybe he should stick to songs about eyes :-) )
I think it's OK to post here since Paul and Art will
> probably go hand in hand (It's next to impossible for me to tell someone
> I LOVE Paul Simon without saying he was half of S&G) forever. As for my
> favorite Paul solo album.. depending on the day it would be Rhythm of the
> Saints (I fell it's his most beautiful album lyrically) There Goes Rhymin
> Simon (I LOVE every song except St/ Judy's Comet , which is just OK) and
> Paul Simon (I love it's stark quality ie. Everything Put Together Falls
> Apart)
Well, this is my first post to this group and I haven't answered the question in the subject line. So I better
do something about Paul Simon. I agree, his solo work is very consistent, it's hard to choose. As a South
African, my heart is with Graceland, but objectively, I would opt with "Still Crazy After All These Years"
at this point-opinion liable to change.
BTW, I think "One Trick Pony" and "Heart and Bones" are very underrated -what does the rest of this group
think of these albums
> Jess
> I know I cheated
> I DO have a clear cut fav S&G album though, BOOKENDS.
Agreed!
***************************************************************************
*Andrew Gladwin- agla...@solo.pipex.co.za- Cape Town, South Africa *
*(someone who went to the last concert of the Born At The Right Time tour)*
***************************************************************************
Dawn Sebock
IUp TIL NOW is definitely my fave Art solo record. I love SKYWRITER....I
think his solo stuff really needs to be recognized more. I am happy to
have had the opportunity to have seen him twice in concert last year.
Even though my sis and I may be the only under 20-year olds who listen to
him, I really think his stuff would be popular if more people knew he was
still around
LOTZA LOVE
DAWN
Mr Robin L Russell & Ms Laurie M Campbell
Well, Andrew beat me to the list of Art's solo work, "Garfunkel," the
cassette does have writer credits, unfortunately I have misplaced the box.
It is true that Art does a lot of Jimmy Webb music, it seems he does well
when sticking with the music of one composer he really likes. this is the
best album to get an overview of what he has been doing since S & G, and I
bought it because I wanted to hear him sing "When a Man Loves a Woman." I
thought he would do it full-throated, ala Bridge Over Troubled Water, but
he does it real muted. It has its moments but I like him to sing full
throated and he doesn't do it enough for my taste.
"Angel Clare" was his first album and showed that Art Garfunkel,
unfettered from S & G, was going to be an unabashed romantic. That has
been his main way of "expressing my soul," as he says on "The Breakup" (I
didn't know it was available on the Paul Simon boxed set, which I have
only gazed at longingly and sighed at, too rich for my blood), Paul wrote
"My Little Town" because he wanted Art to stretch and the bitter, harder
rock style that S & G shows in that tune, IMO, shows that there could have
been more to them than what they did in the 60s if they had stuck
together. It wouldn't even have to be necessarily that they would have
been a group, but maybe, like Genesis, they could come together
occasionally and do something. There was a whole sound that was
unexplored in their work, and "My Little Town" shows some of what might
have been, as does Art's work on some of Paul's more upbeat songs in
"Concert in Central Park,", like Me and Julio. Art's harmony on that can
be characterized as almost a "wail", a sound he NEVER makes on his own.
Still, I think Paul and Art's personal problems have deprived us of some
wonderful music.
By the way, "Breakaway," Art's album which contains "My Little Town," is
quite inferior to "Still Crazy . . . ", which is Paul's, so if you're
going for that tune, get "Still Crazy." The best cuts on "Breakaway"are
also on "Garfunkel {The Art Garfunkel Album of Andrew's post}," and the
rest of it, as far as I'm concerned, is just not worth it.
Laurie
Andrew Gladwin
Ms Laurie M Campbell wrote:
>
> Well, Andrew beat me to the list of Art's solo work, "Garfunkel," the
> cassette does have writer credits, unfortunately I have misplaced the box.
> It is true that Art does a lot of Jimmy Webb music, it seems he does well
> when sticking with the music of one composer he really likes. this is the
> best album to get an overview of what he has been doing since S & G, and I
> bought it because I wanted to hear him sing "When a Man Loves a Woman." I
> thought he would do it full-throated, ala Bridge Over Troubled Water, but
> he does it real muted. It has its moments but I like him to sing full
> throated and he doesn't do it enough for my taste.
(snipped a paragraph here)
> Laurie
Your Garfunkel tape must have a different line-up to my Art Garfunkel Album CD; my CD doesn't have "When a
Man Loves a Woman" (is that on any other album?)
My CD track line up goes
Bright Eyes
Break Away
A Heart in New York
I Shall Sing
99 Miles From LA
All I Know (probably my favorite....)
(What A) Wonderful World
I Only Have Eyes For You
Watermark
I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
Scissors Cut
Sometimes When I'm Dreaming
Travellin' Boy
The Same Old Tears On A New Background
Any info on composer credits, especially which are Jimmy Webb songs will be welcome....
***********************************************************************
*Andrew Gladwin- agla...@solo.pipex.co.za- Cape Town, South Africa *
*Smile- it may never happen *
***********************************************************************
Squi3
Andrew, you say that "One Trick Pony" and "Hearts and Bones" are
underrated. That's possible, but my impression is that--at least within
this newsgroup's orbit--
"Hearts and Bones" is very much loved. "One Trick Pony," I think, is sort
of yoked at the neck to the film, but others may disagree.
Jess, you say that "St. Judy's Comet" is just OK, and I'm inclined to
agree with you that it is less perfect than some of Simon's songs seem to
be. But I used it for months as part of a lullaby tape for my infant son,
and I'm incurably happy with "St. Judy's Comet" as a representative of
that time. Another Simon song I used was "American Tune," which no child,
and most adults, can't be said to fully understand. But I also found good
lullabies from Tom Waits ("Midnight Lullaby"), Greg Brown ("Down at the
Sea Hotel" and "You Might as Well Go to Sleep") and several covers of old
folk blues by Chris Smither (another great guitarist/singer/songwriter who
should be known to more Americans than he is). Now that I think it over a
little more, most of these other tunes are better, as songs, than "St.
Judy's Comet," but Simon buries some little instrumental hooks in that
song which make it hard to forget.
Jessica Bahlman
Hi! Wow, now it looks like I have to buy some Art solo stuff now, just to
see what it's like! I do think that Hearts and Bones is a bit underrated
(it doesn't have ALL great songs but it does have at least half that I
consider to be spectacular --Late Great Johnny Ace--Hearts and Bones--
and Rene and Georgette Magritte... to name my 3 favs!) I really LOVE One-
Trick pony even though it is about Jonah, not Paul. I suppose you could
say that Jonah is part of Paul and then see the link (especially in Oh,
Marion) though my favorite on OTP is Nobody. I also think the MOVIE was
underrated. I knoe it was weird but so what, I liked it (am I guilty of
being subjective rather than objective here?) I seems to me that it
wasn't even given a chance. It was realeased for a VERY short time in a
VERY limited amount of theaters.
Jess
"The boy's got a voice but his voice is his natural disguise, the boy's
got a voice but his words don't connect to his eyes. He says Oh but when
I sing I can hear the truth auditioning..."
Roger
I'm glad to see that others recognize the brilliance of "Hearts and Bones"
(H&B) and "One Trick Pony"(OTP). I don't think that OTP is necessarily
linked to the movie. I Ioved the album before I saw the movie, and I
think, if anything, it's really more of a showcase of Steve Gadd and
Richard Tee's work than anything else.
Roger
--
----------
Check out my Unofficial Paul Simon Web Site:
http://www.best.com/~rlai/Paul-Simon.html
LKW1973
Hi!
Boy, that really is an unfair question! :) Of course, I like all of my
P.S./ S & G albums for different reasons, but I guess if I had to narrow
it down....
I would have to say that my favorite S & G album is a dead tie between
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Sound Of Silence."
My favorite P.S. solo album is "Hearts And Bones," followed closely by
"...Rhymin' Simon." Of course, "Graceland" goes without saying. I don't
know about anyone else, but who else here just *has to* dance around the
living room when "You Can Call Me Al" comes on? And I have to control my
urge to dance in the street to "Late In The Evening...."
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
:) Laura
_/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/`
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
_/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/` _/`
~~ R.E.M. KITH OICM3H ~~
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Hospitals are unbelievable. When I was dying, I had to write my name on a
check." --Andy Warhol
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AMFawcett
Favourite Paul Simon Solo Album : Hearts and Bones
Favourite Art Solo Album : Fate for Breakfast
Favoutite S&G Album : Central Park
Favourite Paul Solo Song : Duncan
Favourite Art Solo Song : Breakaway
Favourite S&G Song (tough one this) : Homeward Bound, by a whisker
"Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry"
Mr Robin L Russell & Ms Laurie M Campbell
found out that your album "The Art Garfunkel Album" was a UK release. In
the U.S., we got "Garfunkel: The Best of Art Garfunkel from 1973-1988",
here's the lineup, with composer's names in ().
When a Man Loves a Woman (C. Lewis, A. Wright)
Break Away (B. Gallagher, Graham Lyle)
Bright Eyes (Mike Batt)
(What a) Wonderful World (Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, L. Adler)
All I Know (Jimmy Webb)
Scissors Cut (Jimmy Webb)
I Only Have Eyes for You (A. Dubin, H. Warren)
So Much in Love (W. jackson, R. Straigis, G. Williams)
99 Miles from L.A. (Hal David, Albert Hammond)
Second Avenue (Tim Moore)
A Heart in New York (B. Gallagher, G. Lyle)
I Have a Love (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim)
On your album, I know "Watermark" was a Jimmy Webb song as well. The
album of the same name has 9 Jimmy Webb songs, and Art also didi Webb's
cantata, "The Animals Christmas," with Amy Grant.
Hope this helps.
Laurie
Mr Robin L Russell & Ms Laurie M Campbell
I once did research into "Hearts and Bones" and read many reviews of it.
The database I used was "Infotrac" which gives letter-grades to sum up the
content of the reviews. Most of the reviewers gave it an "A" or "B".
Nothing lower than a "C", and that was a very rare grade. I think it
among the *public* that "Hearts and Bones" was most underrated. That, I
think, is because people were expecting a Simon and Garfunkel album and
were disappointed that it was a solo instead. A lot of the songs on
"Hearts and Bones" had that quiet introspective side that was more
characteristic of S & G than of Simon alone. I also enjoyed the album,
which I checked out from the library while I still had a record player.
"Think Too Much" was a particular favorite because I think it applies to
me. I love Simon's explanation of the two versions on the record, that he
thought about the first Think Too Much and thought maybe it should have
been done another way and so recorded another "Think Too Much." A classic
explanation, even though the songs may not be particularly memorable
otherwise.
The best line in "Hearts and Bones" was the line borrowed for Simon's
greatest hits album: "Negotiations and love songs are often mistaken for
one and the same."
Laurie
Squi3
Hello, Roger:
If you were responding to my own ruminations on "One Trick Pony" (I'm no
expert on this) being linked to the movie, you're probably right. As to
providing a showcase for Richard Tee and Steve Gadd, I just can't find
much value in that. While they are incredible session musicians, they are
not artists of the creative level of Paul Simon. (Admittedly, I did post
the quote, stolen from a competent jazz/fusion drummer I got to know many
years ago: "Gadd is God.") But I'm afraid this would be like making Steely
Dan albums, which are poignantly original, into celebrations of the
various session giants whom Becker and Fagin hired for those jobs.
My underlying point is that I believe "pop" music can be just as much a
writer's music as classical or jazz. No Beethoven recording should be
thought of as a showcase for Alfred Brendel, or whomever, apart from how
well Beethoven's music is realized. Duke Ellington's showcasing of such
musicians as bassist Jimmy Blanton or saxophonist Ben Webster in various
classic tunes, demonstrates Duke's greatness by way of fitting talent to a
musical utterance. And Blanton and Webster, for example, have their own
places in jazz history.
I could be wrong, of course, but I don't expect Gadd, Tee, and Eric Gale
or whoever else it was, will occupy comparable positions as a result of
working for Paul Simon. In theory, he could have done it with others, I
would like to think.
Sorry if statement comes off too harsh. Late at night.
--Mark
Squi3
"Hearts and Bones," I guess, was Simon's attempt to survive the double
losses of the Carrie Fisher breakup and the commercial failure of "One
Trick Pony." Has anyone heard about Simon's psychotherapy sessions in
which he reported to the therapist that he was writing again after a long,
painful dry spell? I am told that the therapist asked to hear what was
coming out of the writing process, but Simon was working so slowly that
all he had was a few rhythm patterns, melodic fragments, musical ideas
(for example, "Song About the Moon" based on an old Sam Cooke line), and
lyrical bits and pieces. When an artist can be happy about such piecemeal
recovery, he's really depressed. But, as Sondheim wrote so perfectly in
"Sunday in the Park With George," great art of a certain type is a matter
of putting it together, bit by bit.
--Mark
M. Shock
I feel obligated to answer despite the fact that I know very little Paul
solo (not yet, at least). I am, however, a huge S&G fan, and my favorite
album is Bookends--a wonderful album, I believe, though I could do without
"Save the Life of My Child" (and I really DON'T mind "Voices of Old
People"). In my experience, I find that most people either prefer
"Bookends", "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme" or "Bridge Over Troubled
Water". My favorite song is "America" with "Overs" and "Leaves That Are
Green" (box set version) as close seconds.
I unfortunately am just beginning to explore solo Paul, but I have "Paul
Simon" and I love it. My favorites are "Run That Body Down", "Peace Like
a River", and "Duncan" (oh, what a garden of delight...). I
wonder....what should be my next purchase?
Misty Shock.
"I'm a 'Citizens For Boysenberry Jam' fan" --S&G
AntiSerum
Hello! I am a big fan of solo Art as well, and some of my favorite songs
of his
are "Bright Eyes" and "Heart in New York".....My favorite album is
Watermark as well. I went to an Art concert in Cleveland last year and it
was great. I really am a
huge fan. Also, I am only 18, and I am curious whether there are any
other young
S&G fans out there? (I was the youngest one at the concert by about 20
years!!)
Craig Rader (AntiSerum)
AntiSerum
My top five favorites are:
1. Bright Eyes
2. A Heart in New York
3. I Shall Sing...(this song really makes you wanna get up and dance!!)
4. 99 Miles From L.A.
5. Do Spacemen Pass Dead Souls On Their Way To The Moon?
Craig Rader (AntiSerum)....18/M/Akron, OH
Jessica Bahlman
Hi! Well I'm ALSO 18 and I happen to be a S&G fan (since I was 15).
Though I have to admit now that I like Paul's solo work more than the S&G
stuff (with a few individual exceptions ie America, the Boxer. . .) I
guess I t seems like some of his early stuff (I Am a Rock <though I still
love it> Patterns, Dangling Conversation) seems a bit corny next to
Graceland and Further to Fly... Not that I don't like it, I do I guess I
just like the more mature stuff better now. Any thoughts on that??
Jess
Roger
In article <4oetu4$8...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, anti...@aol.com
(AntiSerum) wrote:
>huge fan. Also, I am only 18, and I am curious whether there are any
>other young
>S&G fans out there? (I was the youngest one at the concert by about 20
>years!!)
Craig--
I'm 25, and I've been a Paul Simon fan since about your age. Your mistake
was going to an ART GARFUNKEL concert. Every Paul Simon concert I've been
to (well, okay, both of them) have had a decent showing of
under-15-year-olds. One of the most striking things about my first Paul
Simon concert was a family, with 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds, sitting
right in front of us. At the second concert, for which tickets were $300
(it was a S&G benefit), the thing that stands out is a pair of young
teenage Paul fans decked out in jeans, home-made Paul Simon T-shirts, blue
blazers, Ju-ju dolls, and red caps.
Basically, I think it's because Paul has always wanted to be a rock star,
and Art has always wanted to be a crooner.
M. Shock
On 28 May 1996, AntiSerum wrote:
> Hello! I am a big fan of solo Art as well, and some of my favorite songs
> of his
> are "Bright Eyes" and "Heart in New York".....My favorite album is
> Watermark as well. I went to an Art concert in Cleveland last year and it
> was great. I really am a
> huge fan. Also, I am only 18, and I am curious whether there are any
> other young
> S&G fans out there? (I was the youngest one at the concert by about 20
> years!!)
>
> Craig Rader (AntiSerum)
Hullo Craig/AntiSerum!
In response to your question I am a 19 year old sophomore at the
University of Washington, and I absolutely love S&G! I became interested
in S&G when a neighbor would always play their "Greatest Hits" record. I
have one friend who is a huge S&G fan too, and he prompted me to buy
"Collected Works". I love S&G, and I have only recently begun to listen
to solo Paul. Looks like I'll have to pick up a Best Of Art CD one of
these days too!
Misty Shock.
"I never knew that a day like today lay before us..."
--The Beatles, The Honeymoon Song
Jessica Bahlman
Hi! Well, you have actually picked my FAVORITE S&G Album. I love the
whole think except for voices of olf People ! I really LOVE Overs and
America! On Paul Simon I love Everything Put Together... (did you notice
him scratching his face near the "nothin' to it" part??) I think the
best thing to do, if you aren't in a place where you could easily pick up
a PS CD off the shelf (I had to special order almost ALL of my PS solo
stuff!!) I would probably get There Goes Rhymin' Simon, next. It's the
chronological next album he did and it is great and goes well with Paul
Simon. He's got alot of harmonizing with himself (Anyone ever find it
hard to sing Kodachrome without the tape for this reason??) and lots of
background singers but the songs are just GREAT!
Jess
Andrew Gladwin
It's actually hard for me to choose between the solo stuff and the S&G material. I agree that the solo stuff
has more musical and lyrical depth, but the S&G material had the harmonies of Art and the Paul's ability
to write a brilliant, instantaneously memorable tune each time. The songs you listed (I Am The Rock, Patterns,
Dangling Conversation) do have what I would describe as a "high school" approach, very directly expressed
feelings, not a lot of subtlety, but they do also make the songs very "instant" in that people can listen to
them and say "that's me, I can relate to that." (a bit of a tangent here, what about "Bleecker Street" from
Wednesday Morning, you could write a long essay on the meaning in that song!).
I guess my point is that great folk/pop/rock music isn't always about poetic lyrics but about the emotional
impact the words and music have on a person. In that respect, S&G's music works for me throughout the five
albums in a very direct way, with a high point on Bookends. The solo stuff also works for me, but in a much
more subtle way; the tunes tend to draw you in rather than hit you and the lyrics are also require more
thought; they often relate to more complex feelings and conflicting emotions than the simple joy of Feelin'
Groovy or despair of I Am A Rock.
At this stage, if I had to choose one album of songs written by Paul Simon, I would probably still take
Bookends. But I'm very thankful that I don't have to choose one album and that I can enjoy all of the works of
a very talented man.
Jonathan Gapen
In article <4oaklj$l...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> lkw...@aol.com (LKW1973) writes:
>
> My favorite P.S. solo album is "Hearts And Bones," followed closely by
> "...Rhymin' Simon." Of course, "Graceland" goes without saying. I don't
> know about anyone else, but who else here just *has to* dance around the
> living room when "You Can Call Me Al" comes on? And I have to control my
> urge to dance in the street to "Late In The Evening...."
Well, I can control the urge to get up and dance to "Late In the Evening,"
but not so with "Me and Julio." It kind of makes for an awkward situation
when it comes on while I'm driving, but...
--
Jonathan Gapen (innu...@execpc.com)
Bread in, toast out. How does it DO that?
TRUROATI
I must say that I totally disagree with the people saying Simon's solo
stuff is more mature than the S&G stuff. I think all of thier stuff (of
course 99.8% was written by Paul) is great. For instance The Dangling
Coversation is actaully a very funny song (especially if you know someone
like they're describing...) it does kind of smack you in the face with the
themes and meanings though. I didn't like Pauls album Graceland
much...IMHO none of the songs have enough meaning or application. Another
reason I like S&G's earlier albums is that each and every song procects a
certain image in your mind....for example cloudy is basically a little
kids song...until you actually listen, not just hear it. Recently I
learned Scarborough fair is a protest song....but you REALLY have to
listen to understand it...Of course the greatest thing about S&G is that
they have exceptional harmony without sacrificing lyrics...on the other
hand Bob Dylan has great lyrics....but my 72 year old deaf aunt can sing
better.....
Mr Robin L Russell & Ms Laurie M Campbell
Andrew Gladwin <agla...@solo.pipex.co.za> wrote:
>Jessica Bahlman wrote:
>>
>> Hi! Well I'm ALSO 18 and I happen to be a S&G fan (since I was 15).
>> Though I have to admit now that I like Paul's solo work more than the S&G
>> stuff (with a few individual exceptions ie America, the Boxer. . .) I
>> guess I t seems like some of his early stuff (I Am a Rock <though I still
>> love it> Patterns, Dangling Conversation) seems a bit corny next to
>> Graceland and Further to Fly... Not that I don't like it, I do I guess I
>> just like the more mature stuff better now. Any thoughts on that??
>> Jess
>
>It's actually hard for me to choose between the solo stuff and the S&G material. I agree that the solo stuff
>has more musical and lyrical depth, but the S&G material had the harmonies of Art and the Paul's ability
>to write a brilliant, instantaneously memorable tune each time. The songs you listed (I Am The Rock, Patterns,
>Dangling Conversation) do have what I would describe as a "high school" approach, very directly expressed
>feelings, not a lot of subtlety, but they do also make the songs very "instant" in that people can listen to
>them and say "that's me, I can relate to that." (a bit of a tangent here, what about "Bleecker Street" from
>Wednesday Morning, you could write a long essay on the meaning in that song!).
>
>I guess my point is that great folk/pop/rock music isn't always about poetic lyrics but about the emotional
>impact the words and music have on a person. In that respect, S&G's music works for me throughout the five
>albums in a very direct way, with a high point on Bookends. The solo stuff also works for me, but in a much
>more subtle way; the tunes tend to draw you in rather than hit you and the lyrics are also require more
>thought; they often relate to more complex feelings and conflicting emotions than the simple joy of Feelin'
>Groovy or despair of I Am A Rock.
>
I have met several people who use "I Am a Rock" to describe the way they
felt at a certain time in their lives. Let's face it. When people are
writhing in the depths of love phobia and depression, they tend to be much
more catastrophic in their thinking than subtle. It may be that Paul's
music has matured, but his old stuff is still relevant for people who are
going through those emotions, even if Paul himself isn't. That's why he
is often embarassed by the same songs other people love. He has passed
that stage, but they are still in them. I find "I Am A Rock" compelling
and dead on in its depiction of a seriously depressed dude. ;)
Laurie