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."
Hurricane Eye
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About how it used to be
Make it up and write it down
Just like history
About Goldilocks and the three bears
Nature in the cross hairs
And how we all ascended
From the deep green sea
Not too cold
Not too meek
Not too bold
Where it's just right and you have sunlight
Then we're home,
Finally home
Home in the land of the homeless
Finally home
Oh what are we going to do
I never did a thing to you
Time peaceful as a hurricane eye
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
A history of whispers
A shadow of a horse
Faces painted black in sorrow and remorse
White cloud, black crow
Crucifix and arrow
The oldest silence speaks the loudest
Under the deep green sea
When speech becomes a crime
Silence leads the spirit
Over the bridge of time
Over the bridge of time
I'm walking with my family
And the road begins to climb
And it's oh Lord how we going to pray
With crazy angel voices
All night
Until it's a new day
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
You want to be leader?
You want to change the game?
Turn your back on money
Walk away from fame
You want to be a missionary?
Got that missionary zeal?
Let a stranger change your life
How does it make you feel?
You want to be a writer
But you don't know how or when
Find a quiet place
Use a humble pen
You want to talk talk talk about it
All night squawk about
The ocean and the atmosphere
Well I've been away for a long time
And it looks like a mess around here
I'll be away for a long time
So here's how the story goes
There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe
She was baking a cinnamon pie
She fell asleep in a washing machine
Woke up in a hurricane eye
The song Hurricane Eye by Paul Simon is a commentary on the current social environment and the state of the world. The opening lines ' Tell us all a story, About how it used to be, Make it up and write it down, Just like history', make a reference to the present tendency to look back on history and create fictional narratives that are presented as reality. The mention of Goldilocks and the three bears is a metaphor for nature being caught in the crosshairs of human activities. The notion that we ascended from the deep green sea highlights our connection to the natural environment - a connection that we have lost in contemporary society. The repetition of 'Finally home' hints at the yearning for a sense of belonging and identity, even in a culture that creates a paradox of homelessness.
The second verse speaks about the suppression of the marginalized by an oppressive system - a history of whispers, a shadow of a horse, faces painted black in sorrow and remorse. The mention of the oldest silence speaking the loudest, under the deep green sea, speaks about the power of silence and resilience, which lives on for generations despite attempts to suppress it. The final verse is an exhortation for individuals to take responsibility for their actions and make a difference in the world, rather than simply talking about creating change. The chorus refers to the 'Peaceful as a hurricane eye', which is paradoxical, but is perhaps a commentary on how our world needs to change drastically in order to create peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell us all a story
Share with us a tale
About how it used to be
About the past, its happenings and its beauty
Make it up and write it down
Invent something new and record it
Just like history
Similar to how the past is recorded
About Goldilocks and the three bears
A story concerning a childhood memory
Nature in the cross hairs
How nature is threatened to be damaged
And how we all ascended
How humanity evolved
From the deep green sea
From where life started
When it's not too hot
When it's not too high in temperature
Not too cold
When it's not too low in temperature
Not too meek
Not too shy or weak
Not too bold
Not too risky or daring
Where it's just right and you have sunlight
When it's the perfect climate and enough light is present
Then we're home,
Then, we feel like we are where we belong
Finally home
Finally in a place that feels like home
Home in the land of the homeless
Feeling a sense of belonging even in unlikely places
Oh what are we going to do
Wondering about the future and the plans for it
I never did a thing to you
I never wronged you in any way
Time peaceful as a hurricane eye
When everything is still and calm around you
A history of whispers
Unrecorded, quiet past voices
A shadow of a horse
A faint, barely visible image of a horse
Faces painted black in sorrow and remorse
Completely saddened and regretful expressions
White cloud, black crow
A white colored cloud and a black crow
Crucifix and arrow
A cross and a sharp pointy object
The oldest silence speaks the loudest
The most profound meaning is often quiet and subtle
Under the deep green sea
Below the sea's surface
When speech becomes a crime
When expressing oneself is deemed unlawful
Silence leads the spirit
Being quiet can have a positive impact
Over the bridge of time
Passing time has brought us here
I'm walking with my family
Strolling along with loved ones
And the road begins to climb
The path is becoming steep
And it's oh Lord how we going to pray
Inquiring about praying when times get tough
With crazy angel voices
With bizarre sounds that we associate with heavenly beings
All night
Throughout the long, dark hours of the night
Until it's a new day
Until the dawn of a new day
Peaceful as a hurricane
Quiet like a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
Calm as the vortex of a hurricane
You want to be leader?
Are you interested in leading?
You want to change the game?
Are you interested in altering the situation?
Turn your back on money
Ignore monetary gain
Walk away from fame
Abandon the idea of fame and its effects
You want to be a missionary?
Are you interested in being a messenger?
Got that missionary zeal?
Do you have the passion and motivation to be a messenger?
Let a stranger change your life
Be open to the influence of unfamiliar people
How does it make you feel?
How is your mental and emotional state when this occurs?
You want to be a writer
Are you interested in writing?
But you don't know how or when
Without any knowledge of the correct way to write or the ideal timing to begin writing
Find a quiet place
Look for a peaceful spot
Use a humble pen
Put things down on paper modestly
You want to talk talk talk about it
Do you want to talk about it incessantly?
All night squawk about
Talking loudly throughout the night
The ocean and the atmosphere
The aspects associated with sea and sky
Well I've been away for a long time
I've been absent for a long duration.
And it looks like a mess around here
Upon returning, it appears that everything is in disarray.
I'll be away for a long time
I shall be gone for an extended period.
So here's how the story goes
So, this is how my tale begins.
There was an old woman
Start of a story about a female protagonist
Who lived in a shoe
She is known to have resided in a shoe.
She was baking a cinnamon pie
While in the process of baking a baked product that has cinnamon in it.
She fell asleep in a washing machine
She dozed off while inside a machine used for cleaning clothes.
Woke up in a hurricane eye
She regained consciousness while in the center of a tropical storm.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind