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."
Mrs. Robinson
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
It's a little secret, just the Robinsons' affair
Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids
Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mrs Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo)
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
The song "Mrs. Robinson" by Paul Simon was written for the 1967 film "The Graduate" and has since become one of Simon's most popular songs. The song features verses that are directed to an older woman named Mrs. Robinson, who is addressed with respect and admiration. The chorus is a declaration of Jesus' love and a prayer for her to be blessed by God. The lyrics suggest that Mrs. Robinson is a complex and intriguing character, with a secret that must be hidden from the children.
The first verse of the song is a religious message to Mrs. Robinson, saying that Jesus loves her even more than she can imagine. The second verse is an invitation to get to know her better, to help her learn how to help herself, and to feel at home. The third verse describes a secret that must be hidden from the kids, and the chorus repeats the same religious message from the first verse. The final verse mentions Joe DiMaggio, a baseball player who was a hero to many Americans at the time, and asks where he has gone, as if to suggest that people are searching for heroes to look up to.
Line by Line Meaning
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Cheers to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
You are loved deeply and incomprehensibly by Jesus
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
May God bless you, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Those who pray get a place in heaven
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
Repetitive, catchy sound to emphasize the previous line
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We want to create a file on you, so please tell us a bit about yourself
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
We want to teach you to be self-sufficient
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Everyone around you understands and empathizes with you
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
Take a walk and get comfortable with the environment
Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes
Conceal it in a place that is never accessed
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
Store it in your pantry with your cupcakes
It's a little secret, just the Robinsons' affair
It's a secret between just the Robinsons
Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids
Above all, keep it from the children
Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mrs Robinson
Nonsensical sound to draw attention to Mrs. Robinson
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Relaxing on the couch on a lazy day
Going to the candidates debate
Attending a political debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
Have a good time, be loud about it
When you've got to choose, Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose
When you have a difficult decision to make, any option will have negative consequences
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
Where are you now, Joe DiMaggio
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo)
The nation misses and desires Joe DiMaggio to return
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
What are you saying, Mrs. Robinson?
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
Joe DiMaggio has left and is no longer with us
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
Repetitive, catchy sound to emphasize the previous line
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vincenzol.2813
Lyrics: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
It's a little secret, just the Robinson's affair
Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids
Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at this, you lose
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Woo, woo, woo
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson?
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
@MondeSerenaWilliams
LYRICS
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hide it in the hiding place where no one ever goes
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
It's a little secret just the Robinson's affair
Most of all you've got to hide it from the kids
Koo-koo-ka-choo, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Whoa, whoa, whoa
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates' debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at this you lose
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Woo, woo, woo
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson?
Jolting Joe has left and gone away
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
@evvelzaman_icinde
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know, wo wo wo
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray, hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know, wo wo wo
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray, hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
It's a little secret, just the Robinsons' affair
Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids
Coo coo ca-choo, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know, wo wo wo
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray, hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates' debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at it you lose
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you, wo wo wo
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
'Joltin Joe' has left and gone away, hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
@bigboredthing
Had a teacher in primary school called Mrs Robinson. The whole school (only about 100 kids) got together and sung this to her on her 50th birthday. I'll never forget that day.
@MichaelJ44
Unless you get diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
@themoreyouknowfools4974
That is amazing. Sounds like something that would happen in a tv show
@Raccoon469
I want to say r/thathappened but I feel like this REALLY happened
@MASTEROFEVIL
200th like
@SStupendous
@@MichaelJ44 It's YOU!
@ClassicFolkSongs1539
When this song was at its height, my sister was 19 years old, dying from cancer. I was 17, and left school to spend a dreary winter with her in a Chicago hospital where they were doing experimental chemo. Late night, we'd order a pizza to be delivered to the ER in the basement, because nobody was allowed on the 8th floor cancer ward that late. We'd ride the elevator down and back, harmonizing this song together. She died too soon after that. I'm in my 70s now, but when I hear this song, I'm 17, in an elevator with great acoustics, holding a pizza, and singing my heart out with my best friend.
@afgtp0906
thats was beatifully written. Thanks for sharing that.
@angru5oklok
So sorry for your loss!
@alissfrancisDC
😢