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."
Beautiful
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He had a little bit too much fun
Now his head's erased
Back in the house, family of three
Two doin' the laundry and one in the nursery
We brought a brand new baby back from Bangladesh
Thought we'd name her Emily
Yes, sir, head's erased, brain's a bowl of jelly
Hasn't hurt his sense of taste
Judging from his belly
But back in the house, family of four now
Two doin' the laundry and two on he kitchen floor
We brought a brand new baby back from mainland China
Sailed across the China Sea
She's beautiful. Beautiful
Go-kart sittin' in the shade
You don't need a ticket to ride
It's summertime, summertime
Slip down a water slide
Little kid dancin' in the grass
Legs like rubber band
It's summertime, summertime
There's a line at the candy stand
Keep an eye on them children
Eye on them children in the pool
You better keep an eye on them children
Eye on them children in the pool
We brought a brand new baby back from Kosovo
That was nearly seven years ago
He cried all night, could not sleep
His eyes were bright, dark and deep
The lyrics of Paul Simon's song "Beautiful" vividly describe the pleasures and challenges of family life. In the first verse, the songwriter depicts a snowman that has overstayed its welcome in the sun and lost its head. This image serves as a metaphor for the inevitable misfortunes and troubles that can affect a family's life. Meanwhile, inside the house, Simon portrays the daily routine of a family of three, with two members doing laundry and one tending to a baby in the nursery. This portrayal reveals the challenges and joys of parenthood, with the parents tirelessly taking care of their child while trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their daily lives.
In the second verse, Simon continues to describe family life, but this time, his focus shifts to the pleasures of having children. He speaks of a family of four, with two children now joining the mix. Simon uses a humorous phrase, "brain's a bowl of jelly," to describe the aftermath of a snowman's sun exposure, which, in this context, symbolizes the goofy and carefree nature of childhood. Simon also depicts a summertime scene of children enjoying rides at an amusement park, swimming in a pool, and dancing in the grass. The lyrics suggest that despite the chaos and noise, the beauty of family life lies in its ability to create lasting memories and provide a sense of unconditional love.
Line by Line Meaning
Snowman sittin' in the sun doesn't have time to waste
The snowman in the sun is melting and doesn't have long to live.
He had a little bit too much fun
The snowman was created for enjoyment but it was too much.
Now his head's erased
The snowman's head has melted in the sun.
Back in the house, family of three
In the house there are three people who are not aware of the outside world/issues.
Two doin' the laundry and one in the nursery
Two are busy doing laundry and one is taking care of the baby.
We brought a brand new baby back from Bangladesh
The singer brought a baby from Bangladesh.
Thought we'd name her Emily
The singer wanted to name the baby Emily.
She's beautiful. Beautiful
The baby they brought back is very beautiful.
Yes, sir, head's erased, brain's a bowl of jelly
The snowman has melted and is now just a watery mess.
Hasn't hurt his sense of taste
Even though the snowman has melted, he still has his sense of taste.
Judging from his belly
Although the snowman has no head, he has a big belly from enjoying life too much.
But back in the house, family of four now
With the new baby, there are now four people in the house.
Two doin' the laundry and two on he kitchen floor
Two people are still doing the laundry but now there are two more in the kitchen.
We brought a brand new baby back from mainland China
A baby was brought back from mainland China.
Sailed across the China Sea
The singer sailed across the China Sea to get to mainland China.
She's beautiful. Beautiful
This baby is also very beautiful.
Go-kart sittin' in the shade
A go-kart is sitting in the shade, waiting to be used.
You don't need a ticket to ride
You don't need a ticket to ride the go-kart.
It's summertime, summertime
It's summer and there are many fun activities to do.
Slip down a water slide
You can slip down a water slide.
Little kid dancin' in the grass
A little kid is dancing in the grass.
Legs like rubber band
The kid's legs are flexible like a rubber band.
It's summertime, summertime
It's still summer and there are fun things to do.
There's a line at the candy stand
There's a line at the candy stand.
Keep an eye on them children
Be sure to watch the children carefully.
Eye on them children in the pool
When children are in the pool, they need to be watched even more carefully.
You better keep an eye on them children
It's very important to make sure children are safe.
We brought a brand new baby back from Kosovo
Another baby was brought back from Kosovo.
That was nearly seven years ago
It's been nearly seven years since the baby from Kosovo was brought back.
He cried all night, could not sleep
The baby had trouble sleeping and cried all night.
His eyes were bright, dark and deep
The baby had bright, dark, and deep eyes.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind