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."
Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past the shadows dark and deep
My mind dances and leaps in confusion.
I don't know what is real,
I can't touch what I feel
And I hide behind the shield of my illusion.
So I'll continue to continue to pretend
My life will never end,
The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.
So I'll continue to continue to pretend
My life will never end,
And Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall.
It's no matter if you're born
To play the King or pawn
For the line is thinly drawn 'tween joy and sorrow,
So my fantasy
Becomes reality,
And I must be what I must be and face tomorrow.
So I'll continue to continue to pretend
My life will never end,
And Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
The opening lines of Paul Simon's song Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall seem to depict a state of confusion and uncertainty. The singer suggests that his mind is in a state of flux, where it is difficult to distinguish what is real from what is imagined, and the only way to cope is to hide behind a shield of illusion. The repetition of the line "My life will never end" suggests a fear of mortality, and the need to maintain a facade of control over one's life in the face of inevitable change and uncertainty. The imagery of flowers never bending with the rainfall, which is repeated throughout the song, suggest a kind of defiance in the face of adversity, a refusal to give in to the pressures of life's many challenges.
As the song progresses, the singer continues to reflect on the thiness of the line between joy and sorrow, suggesting that it does not matter whether one is born into a position of power or not, as everyone inevitably faces the same struggles and challenges in life. The repetition of the line "So I'll continue to continue to pretend" suggests a kind of resignation, a sense that it is necessary to maintain the illusion of control and stability in a chaotic and uncertain world. Ultimately, the song seems to offer a message of hope in the face of adversity, reminding listeners that even in the most challenging of circumstances, it is possible to find strength and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the corridors of sleep
Amidst a state of slumber and rest, my thoughts unconsciously roam
Past the shadows dark and deep
Beyond the gates of my subconscious lies a darker, unknown realm
My mind dances and leaps in confusion
My thoughts are scattered and unorganized, causing me to feel lost
I don't know what is real,
I am uncertain what is true or not
I can't touch what I feel
My emotions are intangible and difficult to grasp
And I hide behind the shield of my illusion
I use delusions to protect myself from the harshness of reality
So I'll continue to continue to pretend
I will persist in maintaining a facade
My life will never end,
I believe I will remain alive forever
And Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall.
Despite the hardships of life, beauty and hopefulness never fade
The mirror on my wall
The reflective surface before me
Casts an image dark and small
Displays a distorted, negative reflection
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection
Doubts arise if what is being shown is truly a reflection of myself
I am blinded by the light
The presence of truth is overwhelming, causing confusion
Of God and truth and right
The higher powers that govern the universe
And I wander in the night without direction.
Without guidance, I wander aimlessly in the darkness
It's no matter if you're born
One's status at birth holds no significance
To play the King or pawn
Whether you are in a position of power or not
For the line is thinly drawn 'tween joy and sorrow,
The line between happiness and sadness is fragile
So my fantasy
My idealized vision of what my life should be
Becomes reality,
Transitioning to become my actual life
And I must be what I must be and face tomorrow.
I must accept myself as I am, and confront the next day
So I'll continue to continue to pretend
I will persist in self-deception
My life will never end,
I believe I will live eternally
And Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall.
Despite adversity, hope and beauty persist
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind