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."
Diamonds On The Soles Of Her
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(A-wa a-wa) si-bona kwenze ka kanjani
(A-wa a-wa) amanto mbazane ayeza
She's a rich girl
She don't try to hide it
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
He's a poor boy
Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose
Sing ta na na
Ta na na na
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
People say she's crazy
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Well that's one way to lose these
Walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She was physically forgotten
Then she slipped into my pocket
With my car keys
She said you've taken me for granted
Because I please you
Wearing these diamonds
And I could say ooh ooh ooh
As if everybody knows
What I'm talking about
As if everybody would know
Exactly what I was talking about
Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She makes the sign of a teaspoon
He makes the sign of a wave
The poor boy changes clothes
And puts on after-shave
To compensate for his ordinary shoes
And she said honey take me dancing
But they ended up by sleeping
In a doorway
By the bodegas and the lights on
Upper Broadway
Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes
And I could say ooh ooh ooh
As if everybody here would know
What I was talking about
I mean everybody here would know exactly
What I was talking about
Talking about diamonds
People say I'm crazy
I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes
Well that's one way to lose
These walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of our shoes
The song "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" by Paul Simon is a story of two individuals from vastly different backgrounds coming together. The first verse talks about a girl who comes from a wealthy background and wears diamonds on the soles of her shoes. The chorus (which is repeated several times throughout the song) emphasizes the diamonds on her shoes, which symbolize her wealth and status. In the second verse, Simon introduces the listener to a poor boy who has nothing to lose. The bridge highlights how others may think the girl is crazy for wearing diamonds on her shoes, but it’s her way of coping with life.
The final verse takes the story to a personal level. Simon sings about a girl who he physically forgot, which most likely refers to a time when he overlooked or underestimated her in some way. But she suddenly appeared back in his life, reminding him of her value and worth, and also her diamonds. They ended up in a doorway, perhaps as an escape from their individual lives, and they both wore their diamonds on their shoes. The song thus tells the tale of two individuals from vastly different worlds joined together by a mutual connection.
Line by Line Meaning
(A-wa) o kodwa you zo-nge li-sa namhlange
Despite what people may say or think, she stands tall with her wealth
(A-wa a-wa) si-bona kwenze ka kanjani
People are curious about how she obtained her wealth
(A-wa a-wa) amanto mbazane ayeza
She's a show-stopper, arriving with a lot of fanfare
She's a rich girl
The woman being referred to in the song is wealthy
She don't try to hide it
She does not make any effort to conceal her wealth
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She wears expensive diamond shoes
He's a poor boy
The second character being referred to in the song is poor
Empty as a pocket
He has no wealth or possessions
Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose
Since he owns nothing of value, he has no fear of losing anything
Sing ta na na
A musical phrase intended to convey a happy or rhythmic feeling
Ta na na na
A continuation of the musical phrase from the previous line
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Repetition of the chorus - emphasizing that the woman in the song is wealthy and flaunts it
People say she's crazy
Others think that the woman in the song is irrational
Well that's one way to lose these
The diamonds on her shoes are an adherence to the notion that money can't buy happiness, and can oftentimes be a burden
Walking blues
A sense of sadness or depression
She was physically forgotten
She was overlooked or ignored due to her forgotten social status
Then she slipped into my pocket
The artist gains possession of something valuable (her) in his pocket
With my car keys
The singer's possessions indicating his fortune
She said you've taken me for granted
A realization by the woman that the singer wasn't aware of her value
Because I please you
The woman worked hard to make the artist content, and in turn, was taken advantage of
And I could say ooh ooh ooh
An expression of surprise or understanding
As if everybody knows
The artist exclaims with a tone of certainty and conviction
What I'm talking about
The concept being discussed is so universally accepted that everyone should know about it
Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Revisiting the primary topic of the song - the woman's opulent footwear
She makes the sign of a teaspoon
A whimsical description of the woman's mannerisms
He makes the sign of a wave
A whimsical description of the man's mannerisms
The poor boy changes clothes
The man changes his appearance in an effort to appear more affluent
And puts on after-shave
The artist is attempting to present an image of affluence to the woman
To compensate for his ordinary shoes
The artist is attempting to be seen as wealthier than he truly is, as his shoes would be the tell-tale sign of poverty
And she said honey take me dancing
The woman requests that the singer take her to a social event
But they ended up by sleeping
The evening's plans did not go as expected- instead of dancing, they ended up sleeping
In a doorway
They slept outside, perhaps because of inebriation or inability to secure more comfortable lodging
By the bodegas and the lights on Upper Broadway
The location where they slept was near a crowded, lively area
Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes
A continuation of the theme that wealth does not equate to happiness or comfort
People say I'm crazy
The singer recognizes that his actions may be misinterpreted or criticized
I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes
The theme is revisited - opulence isn't the answer to all of life's problems
Well that's one way to lose
To lose a sense of oneself by adhering to a certain lifestyle
These walking blues
A sense of depression related to one's lot in life, even if it comes with monetary or material gain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon, Joseph Shabalala, Dp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leapoldstotch4987
This album was every car journey as a kid , thanks Dad
@karyng4448
Me too!! Except with mom :) perfect road trip album
@andrewnance2156
I hope there are thousands of us out there!
@backdoorsin000999
Haha true, I thought it were just me and my brothers on the long road!
@xaponetta
I second that 100%
@christineichoho4820
Oh yeah. No childhood roadtrip was complete without this.
@shauneses.377
I remember hearing Graceland at the age of 14. My mom would play that album all of the time. As a african american at that age I was so taken by his respectful incorporation of african tongues into his songs. My mom would play music by Ladysmith Black Mambazo so when I heard them on this album I developed such a profound respect for Paul Simon, as an Artist and his ability to tell a story within the song. I lost my MIND when I saw him in concert one summer in Columbia Maryland (can't remember the year). I play Paul Simon any time my soul needs to rest from aggravation, while painting, or just to be in a sublime mood. Thank you Mr. Simon.
@alvinwilliams8951
Mr. Simon's love of this music goes easy back. His mother and child reunion was the first (ska, i hope that's correct) early reggae hit in America.
@dumisaniphakathi7586
kwakuhle sisi omuhle
@roro6320
I went to see him in Columbia Maryland as well in 2018 or 2017 and it was life changing