Samuel’s Musicians Of The Week: Simon and Garfunkel
April 17th, 2011 at 06:07pm
Our old pals Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel (now, why can I remember Paul’s first name right now?..I usually can never remember it) are up for the Musicians Of The Week award again. This time around, the feature song is Bleecker Street.
Fog’s rollin’ in off the East River bank
Like a shroud it covers Bleecker Street
Fills the alleys where men sleep
Hides the shepherd from the sheepVoices leaking from a sad cafe
Smiling faces try to understand
I saw a shadow touch a shadow’s hand
On Bleecker StreetA poet reads his crooked rhyme
Holy, holy is his sacrament
Thirty dollars pays your rent
On Bleecker StreetHeard a church bell softly chime
In a melody sustainin’
It’s a long road to Caanan
On Bleecker Street
(harmonic vocal interlude)
Bleecker Street
Samuel
Entry Filed under: The Sunday Share
6 Comments
1. davky | April 18th, 2011 at 2:30 am
Wednesday Morning 3AM is one of the quintessential folk albums. It features several covers along with some original tracks penned by Simon.
Simon is a musical and lyrical genius and this particular album gives a bit of a tidy snapshot of where the folk music style came from (Go Tell it on the Mountain/You Can Tell the World), how it was developing (Dylan’s Times they Are A-Changing) and where Simon’s style was headed (the original accoustic Sound of Silence)
While I think Bleecker Street is an odd choice to pick from the album, I love to watch how one particular line has been changed, recycled and refined over the years.
For example, in Bleecker Street (1964) we have:
‘A poet reads his crooked rhyme’
In ‘Dangling Conversation’ (1966)
‘Like a poem poorly written // we are verses out of rhythm // couplets out of rhyme…’
In ‘Kathy’s Song’ (1966)
‘Writing songs I can’t believe // with words that tear and strain to rhyme’
There is also a similar line in 2011’s So Beautiful or So What; but the album is so brand spanking new that I haven’t memorised it yet!
Paul Simon is da bomb!
2. Samuel | April 18th, 2011 at 2:52 am
You’re very right that Bleecker Street is on add choice. I chose it mainly because I like the overall sound of it, and also because I think it’s one of many songs which doesn’t get enough recognition.
I’m glad that it sparked such a passionate response from you Davky, and a very interesting observation about the evolution of lyrics. I hadn’t noticed that evolution until you pointed it out. Thanks for that.
3. padders | April 18th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Nice choice Samuel, and I hope you like mine, too 🙂 Good to find another S & G fan, although I have always appreciated Simon’s solo efforts. Paul Simon is the songwriting equivalent of John Donne: frustratingly obscure at first, but mind-blowing once the fog lifts!
4. Samuel | April 19th, 2011 at 6:11 am
I like the pick over on your site as well Padders. Very nice indeed.
5. davky | April 19th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Something that I find particularly pleasing….
All three of us can share our ‘love’ of the great Paul Simon (& Artie), despite him being quite clearly of a different political persuasion to us.
6. Samuel | April 21st, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Indeed Davky. It would be a real shame if we could not enjoy music by musicians of different political persuasions, as it wouldn’t leave us with much music to enjoy.