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."
Have A Good Time
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hung one more year on the line
I should be depressed
My life's a mess
But I'm having a good time
I've been loving and loving
And loving
I should go to bed
But a voice in my head
Says â??Ah, What the hellâ??
Have a good time
Paranoia strikes deep in the heartland
But I think it's all overdone
Exaggerating this exaggerating that
They don't have no fun
I don't believe what I read in the papers
They're just out to capture my dime
I ain't worrying
And I ain't scurrying
I'm having a good time
Have a good time
Maybe I'm laughing my way to disaster
Maybe my race has been run
Maybe I'm blind
To the fate of mankind
But what can be done?
So God bless the goods we was given
And God bless the U. S. of A.
And God bless the standard of livin'
Let's keep it that way
And we'll all have a good time
Have a good time
In the song "Have A Good Time," Paul Simon reflects on his birthday celebration, acknowledging the fact that he's getting older but also that he's not as down as he thought he would be. He admits that his life is a mess, but he chooses to focus on the happiness and satisfaction he's experienced through love. Simon's chorus creates a call-to-action, encouraging listeners to have a good time regardless of their situations, suggesting that the world is too challenging to focus on negativity.
In the second verse, Simon dimly observes the paranoia that's present in society. He suggests that people exaggerate everything, fixating on negative events and ignoring the fun life has to offer. He also disagrees with what he reads in the papers, believing that they are aimed at extorting money from people. In his view, life is too short to spend time worrying about things that are beyond our control or to be fearful of the world around us. The song ends with a blessing for America, urging people to cherish what they have and celebrate life by having a good time.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday it was my birthday
I am one year older, and this is the beginning of another year for me.
I hung one more year on the line
I'm aging, but I'm not deterred by that fact.
I should be depressed
Normally, people would think that, after a certain age, you should be depressed.
My life's a mess
Things are falling apart for me, but I'm not letting it ruin things for me.
But I'm having a good time
I am enjoying my time and I don't want this feeling to stop.
I've been loving and loving And loving
I have been fascinated with taking part in love, as it has become the mainstay of my life.
I'm exhausted from loving so well
I have been passing that love around, and it has exhausted me.
I should go to bed But a voice in my head Says ‘Ah, What the hell’
Even if I should go to bed, I have this voice telling me to keep going.
Have a good time
Engage in social activities that help create a suitable atmosphere where everyone will be happy.
Paranoia strikes deep in the heartland
Insecurity and fear has taken hold of those living in rural areas.
But I think it’s all overdone
I don't think those fears are genuine.
Exaggerating this exaggerating that
The media has made rumors and exaggerated many claims.
They don’t have no fun
People are so caught up in their paranoia that they have forgotten to have fun.
I don’t believe what I read in the papers
I do not trust the media outlets, as they create and spread false news.
They’re just out to capture my dime
They have erroneous intentions and are only looking to trap me.
I ain’t worrying And I ain’t scurrying
I am not worried about anything, and I am not going to run from life's challenges.
I’m having a good time
I'm enjoying my life regardless of others' negativity.
Maybe I’m laughing my way to disaster
It could be that I'm too happy, and my optimistic outlook will lead to trouble in the future.
Maybe my race has been run
It could be that I have done all I could do and am now done with the race.
Maybe I’m blind To the fate of mankind
I don't pay attention to the current state of the world's affairs and do not know what the future holds.
But what can be done?
I don't know how to fix it on my own.
So God bless the goods we was given
I am thankful for all that I have achieved or been given in my life.
And God bless the U.S. of A.
I am grateful for my country, America.
And God bless the standard of livin’
I am thankful for the way of life I have attained.
Let’s keep it that way And we’ll all have a good time
If we appreciate our way of living and work at keeping it the way it is, we will all continue to enjoy ourselves.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind