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."
I'd Do It for Your Love
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sky was yellow and the grass was gray
We signed the papers and we drove away
I do it for your love
The rooms were musty and the pipes were old
All that winter we shared a cold
Drank all the orange juice that we could hold
I do it for your love
And I brought it home to you
Along the way the colors ran
The orange bled the blue
Found a rug in an old junk shop
I brought it home to you
Along the way the colors ran
The orange bled the blue
The sting of reason, the splash of tears
The northern and the southern hemisphere
Love emerges and it disappears
I do it for your love, I do it for your love
The lyrics to Paul Simon's song "I'd Do It for Your Love" paint a picture of a relationship filled with both mundane and profound moments, capturing the essence of love and commitment. The song begins with the singer describing their wedding day, a rainy day where the sky is yellow and the grass is gray. Despite the unconventional setting, they proceed to sign the papers and drive away, emphasizing their dedication and willingness to do anything for their partner's love.
The second verse describes the couple's living conditions, where the rooms are musty and the pipes are old. The harsh winter leaves them sharing a cold, yet they find solace in each other's company. They drink all the orange juice they can hold, symbolizing their ability to find joy in the simplest of things because of their love for one another.
The third verse introduces the metaphor of a rug found in an old junk shop that the singer brings home to their partner. As they bring the rug home, the colors begin to bleed, the orange bleeding into the blue. This symbolizes the blending and merging of their individual lives, where their separate identities start to intertwine. It represents the beautiful messiness that comes with sharing a life together.
The final verse delves into the complexities of love. The "sting of reason" refers to the sometimes painful logic and understanding that accompanies love. The "splash of tears" suggests that emotions can be unpredictable and overwhelming. The mention of the northern and southern hemisphere highlights the vastness and encompassing nature of love, transcending geographical boundaries. The verse concludes by reiterating the singer's willingness to do anything for their partner's love, emphasizing the depth of their commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
We were married on a rainy day
Our marriage began with a sense of gloom and uncertainty
The sky was yellow and the grass was gray
The world seemed distorted and drained of vitality
We signed the papers and we drove away
We officially committed to this union and embarked on our journey together
I do it for your love
All my actions and sacrifices are driven by my love for you
The rooms were musty and the pipes were old
Our living space was damp and filled with outdated infrastructure
All that winter we shared a cold
Throughout the cold season, we endured physical discomfort together
Drank all the orange juice that we could hold
We consumed every drop of joy and vitality we could find
Found a rug in an old junk shop
We discovered a neglected item in a rundown store
And I brought it home to you
I wanted to bring something special to enhance our shared space
Along the way the colors ran
Over time, the vibrant hues of the rug started to fade and blend together
The orange bled the blue
The dominance of one aspect caused the diminishing of another
The sting of reason, the splash of tears
We experienced the painful impact of logical decisions and emotional outpourings
The northern and the southern hemisphere
Both the positive and negative aspects of our relationship coexist
Love emerges and it disappears
The feeling of love can surface and dissipate intermittently
I do it for your love, I do it for your love
I am dedicated to taking actions solely for the sake of your love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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