Lyrics 1964-2008
One of his albums’ titles calls him rhymin’ Simon, and by God, it’s true. He rhymes more truly and more naturally than the vast preponderance of his peers. He never truncates a line because he has found a rhyme or runs on in hopes of finding one. And when he doesn’t end-rhyme or truly rhyme much or at all, his lyrics scan so regularly that their rhythms as a song ensure easy, musical reading. Song after song tells a story directly, economically, and so carefully that much of the emotional tenor of a piece rings out, even if one doesn’t know the tune for it. Consequently, this presentation of all Simon’s songs in chronology (fortunately including all the numbers from Simon’s musical The Capeman, on which he collaborated with Nobel laureate Derek Walcott) is a pleasure to read straight through, like a novel or a biography, although it isn’t autobiographical, for quite often the singer of a song isn’t Paul Simon. Perhaps it’s you, so sing along if it fits. --Ray Olson