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 Am A Rock
Paul Simon Lyrics
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In a deep and dark
December
I am alone
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
I am a rock
I am an island
I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
I am a rock
I am an island
Don't talk of love
But I've heard the words before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried
I am a rock
I am an island
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb
I touch no one and no one touches me
I am a rock
I am an island
And a rock feels no pain
And an island never cries
The lyrics of the song "I am a Rock" by Paul Simon, portray a person who has become so disillusioned with the world and the pain it can cause, that they have chosen to isolate themselves completely from the rest of society. The song depicts the singer who is alone in the winter of December, looking out their window, and feeling detached from everyone else. This is symbolized by the deep snow on the streets which forms a barrier between the singer and the rest of the world, highlighting their feeling of isolation. The chorus line reinforces this feeling, as the singer describes themselves as a rock and an island, essentially indicating that they have built up walls and defences to cut themselves off emotionally from others. The verse "Don't talk of love, but I have heard the words before, it's sleeping in my memory", shows that they have experienced love before, but due to the pain it caused them, they have decided to shun it completely, believing that avoiding love will prevent them from experiencing the pain associated with it again.
In many ways, the song can be seen as a poignant commentary on the way that some people choose to deal with emotional pain. By completely cutting themselves off from the world, isolation becomes a form of self-preservation. It is also a call for empathy and compassion towards people who experience difficulties in life, the ones who find it hard to cope with loss or rejection. The chorus of the song, "And a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries" is a poignant reminder that the walls we put up do not protect us from the pain of life. The line is somewhat paradoxical, as it suggests both a sense of strength and vulnerability at the same time. The song highlights the difference between the desire for solitude and the need for connection and how cutting oneself off from the world is not a real answer to the challenges of life.
Line by Line Meaning
A winter's day
The scene is set with the gloomy mood of winter
In a deep and dark
The deep and dark tone of winter contrasts with the stark loneliness of the singer
December
The cold month of December only serves to worsen the isolation and despair of the singer
I am alone
The artist is in a state of isolation and loneliness
Gazing from my window to the streets below
The artist is looking out the window, perhaps longing for connection or simply observing the world outside
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
The snow is a symbol for the purity and stillness of the world outside, which the singer admires from a distance
I am a rock
The singer has constructed a wall around themselves, a defense mechanism against vulnerability and emotional pain
I am an island
The artist feels completely cut off from the rest of the world, and prefers it that way
I've built walls
The artist has taken measures to avoid getting hurt, creating a metaphorical fortress around themselves
A fortress deep and mighty
The walls are strong and impenetrable, to protect against any emotional threats
That none may penetrate
The singer is actively pushing people away and preventing them from getting too close
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
The artist believes that relationships inevitably lead to pain and suffering, and so avoids them altogether
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
The singer actively rejects any source of joy or happiness, finding it irrelevant or even distasteful
Don't talk of love
The singer doesn't want to hear anything about love or emotional intimacy
But I've heard the words before
Despite their outwardly tough exterior, the singer has some experience with love and has been hurt in the past
It's sleeping in my memory
The memories of past pain and hurt still linger, even if the artist is trying to repress them
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
The artist is not interested in revisiting the past or exploring their emotions - they would rather keep the pain buried
If I never loved I never would have cried
The singer acknowledges that love is not without its painful aspects, and that avoiding it also means avoiding some of the negative emotions that come with it
I have my books
The singer finds solace in literature and other forms of escapism
And my poetry to protect me
Poetry serves as a sort of emotional armor for the artist, a way to process feelings without having to confront them directly
I am shielded in my armor
The artist's various defenses - books, poetry, isolation - serve as a protective layer against emotional pain
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb
The artist is seeking refuge in their own private space, which they have turned into a cocoon-like sanctuary
I touch no one and no one touches me
The singer has completely cut themselves off from any physical or emotional contact with others
And a rock feels no pain
The artist has convinced themselves that avoiding emotions altogether is the best way to avoid pain
And an island never cries
The singer believes that their isolation is impenetrable and will never allow them to feel any sort of emotional pain or vulnerability
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind