Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. One of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century, Simon's career has spanned six decades. Born in New Jersey, Simon grew up in the borough of Queens in New York City and developed an interest in rock music in his teens.

He began performing with his schoolfriend Art Garfunkel in 1956; together the two came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. The duo's blend of folk and rock music in hits like "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", and "The Boxer" served as a soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their career together peaked with their last album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), at one point the best-selling album of all time. Throughout his subsequent solo career, Simon has continued to explore an eclectic mixture of genres, including gospel, reggae, soul, and more. His celebrated 1970s output—comprising Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)—kept him in the public spotlight and saw critical and commercial acclaim, spawning the hits "Mother and Child Reunion", "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover".

Across his life, Simon has intermittently reunited with Garfunkel for several tours, including the famed Concert in Central Park. The widely lauded Graceland (1986) became Simon's biggest album of his career, melding his rock sound with worldbeat flavors; its single "You Can Call Me Al" became one of Simon's top hits. A sequel of sorts, The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), preceded his own successful Concert in the Park, attended by a half-million fans. That decade, Simon focused his energies on a Broadway musical The Capeman (1997), which was poorly received. In the first quarter of the next century, Simon continued to record and tour; his later albums, such as You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011), and Stranger to Stranger (2016), have introduced him to new generations. He retired from touring in 2018. His most recent work, Seven Psalms, will see release in May 2023.

Simon is among the most acclaimed musicians and songwriters in popular music, and one of the world's best-selling music artists, both for his solo work and with Garfunkel. He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has been the recipient of sixteen Grammy Awards, including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence and Graceland, have seen induction into National Recording Registry for their cultural significance, and in 2007, the Library of Congress crowned him the inaugural winner of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He is a co-founder of the Children's Health Fund, a nonprofit that provides medical care to children.

In an in-depth interview reprinted in American Songwriter, Simon discusses the craft of songwriting with music journalist Tom Moon. In the interview, Simon explains the basic themes in his songwriting: love, family and social commentary (as well as the overarching messages of religion, spirituality and God in his lyrics). Simon explains the process of how he goes about writing songs in the interview: "The music always precedes the words. The words often come from the sound of the music and eventually evolve into coherent thoughts. Or incoherent thoughts. Rhythm plays a crucial part in the lyric-making as well. It's like a puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is saying."

A Good Foundation for Love
Paul Simon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A boy like me
A girl like you
Two hearts that beat
Forever true
That's a good foundation for love

I trust in you
You trust in me

We get along
So perfectly
That's a good foundation for love

Hand in hand
Heart to heart
Nothing can go wrong
Day by day
Kiss by kiss
We'll build a love so strong

You marry me
And when you do
We'll have two kids
Who look like you
That's a good foundation
The very best foundation for love

Hand in hand
Heart to heart
Nothing can go wrong
Day by day
Kiss by kiss
We'll build a love so strong

You marry me
And when you do
We'll have two kids
Who look like you

That's a good foundation
The very best foundation for love

Overall Meaning

The song "A Good Foundation for Love" by Paul Simon is a sweet and simple love song that talks about the importance of trust and building a strong foundation for a happy relationship. The song is sung from the perspective of someone whose heart is involved in a romantic relationship with someone else. The lyrics speak of the boy's trust in the girl and the girl's trust in him. The two of them get along perfectly, and this is what makes their love a good foundation. The song expresses that when two people rely on each other to build trust and love, they are building a foundation that will last forever.

The song speaks about the importance of never taking each other for granted and working together to create a love that can withstand anything that comes their way. It talks about how each day they will build their love by kissing each other, hand in hand and heart to heart. The song's lyrics also include a reference to having children, indicating that they intend to build a life together, and they want that life to reflect the love that they share.

Overall, Paul Simon's "A Good Foundation for Love" is a true testament to the power of relationships built on trust, respect, and love. When two people truly understand and appreciate each other's strengths and weaknesses, they create a foundation that is solid enough to withstand any obstacles that come their way.

A Good Foundation for LovePaul Simon Lyrics

A Good Foundation for Love
Paul Simon Lyrics