Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. One of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century, Simon's career has spanned six decades. Born in New Jersey, Simon grew up in the borough of Queens in New York City and developed an interest in rock music in his teens.

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."

Make a Wish
Paul Simon Lyrics

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Du du du du li du
Wake up
Du du du du li du
Wake up
Du du du du li du li du li du
Hey you, wake up

The other night when i was sleeping

I awoke and i thought i saw a ghost (du du du du li du li du li du)
But it was just an oriental genie
Leaning on my bed post

Make a wish, make a wish said the genie
Make a wish, make a wish and if you do
I'm a smash, I'm a wow, I'm a wizard
I can make any wish come true
I rubbed my eyes and told that genie
Life is gloomy but you can make it shine
There's a girl that i adore her name is Lulu
Won't you please make Lulu mine
He bounced a golden ball
He waved a silver cloak
He yelled alaka zam and the floor began to smoke
Red smoke, yellow smoke, green smoke, blue
He did all the things a genie should do
He pointed his wand to a wall of flames
He howled for Lulu but she never came

Make a wish, make a wish said the genie
The wish that you made just isn't right
I'm a smash, I'm a wow, I'm a wizard
But you're the tenth guy that made that wish tonight

You may wonder why I'm not down hearted
Why I'm here with a smile upon my face
Well it seems that my oriental genie
Went over to Lulu's place

Make a wish said the genie to Lulu
Make a wish, make a wish and you'll--
I'm a smash, I'm a wow, I'm a wizard
So Lulu made a wish
Lulu made a wish
Lulu made a wish for me

Now when Lulu is in my arms
She looks into my eyes
I press her lips to mine
And the smoke begins to rise

Red smoke, yellow smoke, green smoke, blue smoke, purple smoke, pink smoke, white smoke

Wow...

Overall Meaning

The song "Make a Wish" by Paul Simon tells a story about an encounter with a genie who grants wishes. The song starts with the singer waking up to the sight of the genie who promises to grant him any wish he wants. The singer asks for the genie to make a girl named Lulu his, a request that the genie does his best to fulfill. The genie performs magical acts, but Lulu never appears, and the genie tells him that his wish wasn't right, as he was the tenth person to make the same request. The story ends on a happy note, as the genie later visits Lulu and grants her wish, making her fall in love with the singer.

The song's lyrics tell a whimsical story, but they also convey a deeper message about the nature of wishes. The singer believes that the genie can make him happy by granting his wish, but the genie warns him that happiness cannot come from an external source. He tells him that the wish he made isn't right, suggesting that happiness lies within oneself, and cannot be found through material possessions or relationships. The singer ultimately finds happiness through a genuine connection with Lulu, not through the genie's magic powers.

Make a WishPaul Simon Lyrics

Make a Wish
Paul Simon Lyrics