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."
Duncan
Paul Simon Lyrics
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They've been going at it all night long
Well, I'm tryin' to get some sleep
But these motel walls are cheap
Lincoln Duncan is my name
And here's my song, here's my song
My father was a fisherman
And I was born in the boredom and the chowder
So when I reached my prime
I left my home in the Maritimes
Headed down the turnpike for New England, sweet New England
Holes in my confidence
Holes in the knees of my jeans
I was left without a penny in my pocket
Ooh-oowee, I was about as destituted as a kid could be
And I wished I wore a ring so I could hock it
I'd like to hock it
A young girl in a parkin' lot
Was preaching to a crowd
Singing sacred songs and reading from the Bible
Well, I told her I was lost
And she told all about the Pentecost
And I seen that girl as the road to my survival
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
Just later on the very same night
When I crept to her tent with a flashlight
And my long years of innocence ended
Well, she took me to the woods
Sayin' "Here comes something, and it feels so good!"
And just like a dog I was befriended, I was befriended
Oh, oh, what a night
Oh, what a garden of delight
Even now that sweet memory lingers
I was playing my guitar
Lyin' underneath the stars
Just thankin' the Lord
For my fingers
For my fingers
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
The song "Duncan" by Paul Simon tells the story of a man named Lincoln Duncan who is trying to sleep in a cheap motel room while a couple in the next room is "going at it all night long." Duncan is a Canadian who came to New England to start a new life, leaving behind his hometown in the Maritimes. He comes from a family of fishermen, and he was born and raised there. He is a man with holes in his confidence, and his jeans and he is broke, wishing he had something to pawn so he could get some money.
One day, he meets a young girl in a parking lot who is preaching to a crowd, singing sacred songs and reading from the Bible. He tells her he is lost, and she tells him all about the Pentecost. He sees her as the road to his survival. Later that same night, he creeps up to her tent and loses his virginity. He is grateful for the experience and is lying in the garden playing the guitar, thanking God for his fingers.
The song is a reflection of a man's journey to find himself and the different experiences he has along the way. It paints a picture of a young man leaving behind what he knew to start anew, finding his way through religious experiences and falling in love in a garden of delight.
Line by Line Meaning
Couple in the next room bound to win a prize
The singer is in a motel and hears a couple having sex in the next room, and he comments on how they seem to be very into it.
They've been going at it all night long
The couple has been having sex for a long time and the singer is having trouble sleeping because of the noise.
Well, I'm tryin' to get some sleep
But these motel walls are cheap
The singer can't sleep because of the noise but the cheap walls of the motel make it worse.
Lincoln Duncan is my name
And here's my song, here's my song
The artist introduces himself as Lincoln Duncan and says he has a song to share.
My father was a fisherman
My mama was a fisherman's friend
And I was born in the boredom and the chowder
So when I reached my prime
I left my home in the Maritimes
Headed down the turnpike for New England, sweet New England
The artist comes from a family of fishermen and was born into a life of boredom and routine. When he grew older, he decided to leave his hometown in search of something more fulfilling and ended up in New England.
Holes in my confidence
Holes in the knees of my jeans
I was left without a penny in my pocket
Ooh-oowee, I was about as destituted as a kid could be
And I wished I wore a ring so I could hock it
I'd like to hock it
The singer is struggling financially and emotionally, and wishes he had something valuable to sell for money.
A young girl in a parkin' lot
Was preaching to a crowd
Singing sacred songs and reading from the Bible
Well, I told her I was lost
And she told all about the Pentecost
And I seen that girl as the road to my survival
The singer meets a girl preaching in a parking lot and tells her that he is lost. She shares information about the Pentecost and he sees her as a way to find direction in his life.
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
The artist repeats that he knows something, although it is not clear what.
Just later on the very same night
When I crept to her tent with a flashlight
And my long years of innocence ended
Well, she took me to the woods
Sayin' "Here comes something, and it feels so good!"
And just like a dog I was befriended, I was befriended
Later that same night, the artist goes to find the girl in her tent with a flashlight and they have sex for the first time. He remembers the experience as a positive one where he felt welcomed and accepted.
Oh, oh, what a night
Oh, what a garden of delight
Even now that sweet memory lingers
I was playing my guitar
Lyin' underneath the stars
Just thankin' the Lord
For my fingers
For my fingers
The artist reminisces about the night he lost his virginity and describes it as a wonderful experience. He was also playing his guitar and grateful for the gift of music.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind