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."
Cecília
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
Come on home
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia
Up in my bedroom (making love)
I got up to wash my face
When I come back to bed someone's taken my place
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
The opening lines of Paul Simon's Cecilia lament the effects of the titular character's behavior on the singer's emotional wellbeing. He feels heartbroken and his confidence is being rattled, as Cecilia's actions are causing him to feel uncertain and insecure about himself. He begs her to come back home to him, using repetition to emphasize the urgency and intensity of his plea. The song shifts as the singer reminisces about making love with Cecilia in his bedroom one afternoon, only to discover upon returning from washing his face that someone has taken his place. The line "making love in the afternoon with Cecilia" suggests a sense of indulgence and spontaneity in their relationship. However, it is unclear whether Cecilia cheated on the singer or simply left for another reason, leaving him feeling betrayed and confused.
The tone of the song changes in the final few lines, with the use of the word "jubilation" indicating that Cecilia has returned and loves the singer again. The repetition of the phrase "she loves me again" suggests a sense of relief on the singer's part, and the line "I fall on the floor and I'm laughing" hints at a sense of togetherness and happiness between Cecilia and the singer. The use of the word "jubilation" in the last stanza also reveals the song to be about celebration, as well as the ups and downs of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
The singer is addressing someone named Cecilia, who is causing him emotional pain.
You're shaking my confidence daily
Cecilia's actions are causing the singer to doubt himself and his abilities.
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
The singer is expressing his desperation and vulnerability in the face of Cecilia's actions.
I'm begging you please to come home
The artist is pleading with Cecilia to return to him.
Come on home
The artist reiterates his desire for Cecilia to come back to him.
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia
The singer reminisces about a time when he had a physical relationship with Cecilia.
Up in my bedroom (making love)
The singer provides further detail about where and how he and Cecilia were intimate.
I got up to wash my face
The artist took a brief break from the sexual encounter to freshen up.
When I come back to bed someone's taken my place
When the artist returned to bed, he found that Cecilia had been replaced by someone else.
Jubilation
The artist experiences intense joy and happiness.
She loves me again
The singer is overjoyed that Cecilia has returned her affections to him.
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
The artist's happiness is so overwhelming that he becomes physically affected by it.
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
This chorus is a repeating pattern of sounds without any specific meaning.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PER ANDERS BOQUIST, PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Top10Archive
LYRICS:
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia
Up in my bedroom (making love)
I got up to wash my face
When I come back to bed someone's taken my place
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
@Top10Archive
LYRICS:
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia
Up in my bedroom (making love)
I got up to wash my face
When I come back to bed someone's taken my place
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Jubilation
She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoah-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
@DirtyGeorge
Why you here
@greggalindo2373
@Stonecold Parkin mind your own business
@jinnahkhan1149
Minitman csillo stark .☢️⚗️👋.treaty
@ceciliabustamante5402
Fun fact: people usually sing this to me when I tell them my name. Once, at work, I had a patient sing me the entire song, complete with hand drumming and beat boxing. I had no choice but to start dancing when he got to the second verse
@ceciliaxx5429
@Cecilia Bustamante haha that’s hilarious :p
People love singing this song to me when I tell them my name as well and I never know how to react lol
@cecilia7656
This is where all the cecilias hold meetings welcome sisters
@kendraanspaugh8783
It's my confirmation name! :D
@ceciliastumpf
Ahh yes, the Cecilia Squad
@drewdavey1515
You’re breakin my heart...