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."
Everything About It Is a Love Song
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took a walk along the riverbank of my imagination
Golden clouds were shuffling the sunshine
But if I ever get back to the twentieth century
Guess I'll have to pay off some debts
Open the book of my vanishing memory
With its catalogue of regrets
And those I didn't do
Sit down, shut up, think about God
And wait for the hour of my rescue
We don't mean to mess things up
But mess them up we do
And then it's "Oh, I'm sorry"
Here's a smiling photograph of love it was new
At a birthday party
Make a wish and close your eyes: surprise, surprise, surprise.
Early December, and brown as a sparrow
Frost creeping over the pond
I shoot a thought into the future
And it flies like an arrow
Through my lifetime, and beyond
If I ever come back as a tree, or a crow
Or even the wind-blown dust
Find me on the ancient road in the song when the wires are hushed
Hurry on and remember me, as I'll remember you
Far above the golden clouds, the darkness vibrates
The earth is blue
And everything about it is a love song
Everything about it
Everything about it is a love song
Everything about it
Everything about it is a love song
In "Everything About It Is a Love Song," Paul Simon writes about the power of music and imagination to express the deepest feelings of the human heart. The opening lines depict the struggle to find the right words and melody to capture the essence of love in a song. The lyricist compares his search for inspiration to taking a walk along the riverbank of his imagination. The golden clouds and shuffling sunshine symbolize the beauty and variability of human emotions.
As the song progresses, Simon reflects on the inevitability of regret and the need to acknowledge one's mistakes, incomplete deeds, and debt. He contemplates the meaning of life, the role of God, and the hope of redemption. The chorus repeats the assertion that "everything about it is a love song," suggesting that even in the midst of struggle, confusion, or darkness, love is the ultimate source of hope, meaning, and inspiration.
One of the most striking lines in the song is "If I ever come back as a tree, or a crow/Or even the wind-blown dust/Find me on the ancient road in the song when the wires are hushed." This image suggests a longing for immortality and a desire to be remembered and connected to the timeless power of music.
Overall, "Everything About It Is a Love Song" is a deep meditation on the human condition, the search for meaning, and the transformative power of art. It speaks to the universal themes of love, regret, hope, and mortality, and reminds us that every moment of life can be infused with the beauty and power of a love song.
Line by Line Meaning
Locked in a struggle for the right combination of words in a melody line
I am trying to find the perfect combination of words and melody for my song, but it is challenging.
I took a walk along the riverbank of my imagination
I am letting my imagination run wild and free as I search for inspiration for my song.
Golden clouds were shuffling the sunshine
The clouds were moving across the sky, changing the direction and strength of the sunlight.
But if I ever get back to the twentieth century
If I ever have the chance to go back in time to the twentieth century...
Guess I'll have to pay off some debts
...I will have to make up for past mistakes and wrongdoings.
Open the book of my vanishing memory
I will need to look back on my memories of the past before they are completely forgotten.
With its catalogue of regrets
These memories are filled with regrets and things I wish I had done differently.
Stand up for the deeds I did
I will need to take responsibility for my actions and stand up for my decisions.
And those I didn't do
I will also need to acknowledge the things that I should have done, but didn't.
Sit down, shut up, think about God
I should take time to reflect on my life and consider the role of a higher power.
And wait for the hour of my rescue
I will wait for a moment of salvation or redemption from my past mistakes.
We don't mean to mess things up
We never intend to cause damage, mistakes or problems.
But mess them up we do
Despite our good intentions, we often make mistakes and cause problems anyway.
And then it's "Oh, I'm sorry"
We apologize for the mistakes we have made.
Here's a smiling photograph of love it was new
We try to hold onto the memories of love at its freshest and most beautiful moments through photographs.
At a birthday party
The photograph was taken at a birthday celebration.
Make a wish and close your eyes: surprise, surprise, surprise.
Close your eyes and make a special birthday wish, and you might be surprised by what happens.
Early December, and brown as a sparrow
It is early December, and everything looks drab and plain.
Frost creeping over the pond
The cool weather is causing frost to form on the surface of the pond.
I shoot a thought into the future
I let my thoughts ponder what the future may hold.
And it flies like an arrow
These thoughts are swift, quick and unyielding like an arrow.
Through my lifetime, and beyond
My thoughts encompass not only my lifetime, but also the future.
If I ever come back as a tree, or a crow
If I am ever reincarnated as an object or animal...
Or even the wind-blown dust
...or something as small and insignificant as dust blowing with the wind...
Find me on the ancient road in the song when the wires are hushed
...I hope to be found along the path of an old song, where the instruments are not needed to create beauty and find myself at peace.
Hurry on and remember me, as I'll remember you
I ask you to hurry your pace in your journey to remember me, as I want to remember you.
Far above the golden clouds, the darkness vibrates
Above the bright clouds that shimmer with gold, lies the unknown that sends feelers into our light.
The earth is blue
From the grand perspective of space, the thing that stands out is how blue the earth is.
And everything about it is a love song
Despite all of its flaws and imperfections, everything about the world is beautiful and worthy of being sung a love song.
Everything about it
All of the world and its contents are deserving of love and admiration.
Everything about it is a love song
Let us all recognize and sing the world's praises through a love song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind