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."
Kodachrome*
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of education
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
My sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Leave your boy so far from home
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
In the first verse of Paul Simon's "Kodachrome," he reflects on his high school education and how little it has actually helped him in his life. Despite this, he can "read the writing on the wall" which suggests he has gained important life experience from his own observations outside of traditional education. He then transitions into the chorus where he sings about the beauty of Kodachrome film and the colors it captures. Simon uses the colors as a metaphor for the positivity in life, making everything seem like a "sunny day." He also introduces his affection for photography which adds to the overall theme of capturing beauty in everyday life.
In the second verse, Simon imagines the prospect of having all the girls he knew when he was single together in one room. Despite the combined beauty of all these women, he concludes that his own "sweet imagination" will always be superior, highlighting the importance of individual perception and creativity. The chorus repeats again with the same emphasis on the beauty and positivity captured in Kodachrome film. The repetition of the phrase “Mama don't take my Kodachrome away" in the last four lines implies a nostalgic sentimentality towards a simpler time, where Kodachrome was still in use and life was less complicated.
Line by Line Meaning
When I think back
Reflecting on my past experiences
On all the crap I learned in high school
On all the useless things I was taught in school
It's a wonder
It's amazing
I can think at all
That I can even process thoughts
And though my lack of education
Despite my lack of formal education
Hasn't hurt me none
It has not had any negative effect on me
I can read the writing on the wall
I can understand the obvious signs of a situation
Kodachrome
Referring to color photographs produced by a certain type of film
They give us those nice bright colors
The photographs produced are bright and vivid
They give us the greens of summers
The film can capture shades of green especially in summer
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
Gives an optimistic and nostalgic view of the world
I got a Nikon camera
Referring to owning a particular brand of camera
I love to take a photograph
A hobby of taking pictures brings joy
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Requesting to keep the film type available for use
If you took all the girls I knew
If you consider every girl I have ever met
When I was single
When I was unmarried and looking for love
And brought them all together for one night
If you brought them all into one room for an evening
I know they'd never match
No person could ever match
My sweet imagination
The idealized version that lives in my fantasy
Everything looks worse in black and white
Life is less beautiful without vivid colors
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Repeating the request to keep the film available for use
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Repeated to emphasize importance
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
A final plea to the request to keep the film available
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
A shortened, repeated plea
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
Same as previous
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Last time to emphasize importance
Mama don't take my Kodachrome
One final shortened plea
Leave your boy so far from home
To take away the film would feel like leaving home behind
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Final plea to keep the film available
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaberosier9853
When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder I can think at all
And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
Give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
And brought 'em all together for one night
I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black and white
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome
Leave your boy so far from home
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome, mm
Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Okay
@topnotch99
First memory of this song: Summer 1972 or 1973. It’s on the AM radio. I am 12 and in the backseat of my mom’s 1965 Pontiac Safari station wagon. It’s hot. It’s summer. No a/c so the windows are all down. We are crossing the Savannah River into Georgia and downtown Savannah. I can still smell the paper mills and swampy acrid smell. We are on a long drive back to Miami. No interstates. This song blew me away. I can still smell that paper mill and see that bridge in my mind when I hear this song. Everything’s going to be ok.
@willard2729
Well said...I have a picture in my mind and I've never been there.
@christophers.o622
Mark Martin that song was in the summer of 1973 during the time I used to love summer, and now I hate summer where I live at in Arizona. Iended up there because of the Clinton military base closures in California, Colorado,Florida.
@toddroberson1663
Very vivid memories of this song for me so well. 11 years old first noticing girls at Westwood Swim Club in Indianapolis. A girl named Lisa and i went out in the woods by the club singing this song and made out by a stream called Eagle Creek. We could hear the chorus floating out from the club loudspeaker into the woods. She let me touch her boob. In fact, I think she put my hand on her boob.
Thanks Paul!
@19boulder11
I live in Savannah right now listening to this as I smoke a cigar on my balcony.
@ricarleite
THAT'S a great memory. My memory of this song sucks. It reminds me of the Coneheads movie.
@vivievei6298
I’m a black 27 year old from the hood of Detroit😭😭😂😂🤣🗣. And i fucking love this song. I guess because i loved watching coneheads and this song always had me dancing. Makes me feel euphoric!
@arthurmorgan7642
You see, that's what I mean. It doesn't matter where what when and how your raised, you can still have a different opinion then the majority of the people in that neighborhood listening to rap. Most stereotypes aren't true you know (I'm as white as white can physically be btw)
@kenperk9854
Roger Hawkins of the legendary Swampers didn't play the drums on this song. He played a cracker box! Talk about musical geniuses, the Swampers were! They didn't make a movie Called Muscle Shoals for nothing. Watch it and learn more about music history than you thought possible.
@michaelderoche5661
It don't matter if you are a sister roll with it!! That's what it's about!