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."
Nobody
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who feels my flesh when I am gone
Who was a witness to the dream
Who kissed my eyes and saw the scream
Lying there
Nobody
Who is my reason to begin
Who took my two hands and made them four
Who is my heart, who is my door
Nobody
Nobody but you, girl
Nobody but you
Nobody in this whole wide world
Nobody
Who makes the bed that can't be made
Who is my mirror, who is my blade
When I am rising like a flood
Who feels the pounding in my blood
Oh, nobody
Nobody but you
Nobody but you, girl
Nobody in this whole wide world
Nobody, girl
Oh, oh, nobody
Oh, no-no-no, nobody but you, yeah
Nobody but you
Nobody in this whole wide world
Nobody, nobody
The song "Nobody" by Paul Simon reflects on the idea of loneliness and the search for someone to share one's life with. The first two stanzas of the song focus on the feeling of isolation that comes with having nobody to turn to, nobody to share one's secrets with, and nobody who knows us inside out. The repetition of the word "nobody" emphasizes the emptiness that comes with not having a significant other, and the questions posed in the lyrics suggest a craving for intimacy and human connection.
The third stanza of the song shifts the focus to the search for a partner. The imagery of plowing the earth and breaking the skin suggests the physical and emotional labor needed to find someone to love. The mention of hands becoming four implies the idea of finding a soulmate who completes us, who makes us whole.
The chorus of the song is simple yet powerful: the repetition of "nobody but you, girl" reinforces the idea that the singer has finally found his other half, the person who fills the void and makes life worth living.
Overall, Paul Simon's "Nobody" is a poignant reflection on the human need for connection and the joy that comes with finding a partner who truly understands us.
Line by Line Meaning
Who knows my secret broken bone
Who truly understands my deepest pain and struggles, even those that are hidden and not seen by others.
Who feels my flesh when I am gone
Who is able to empathize with me and understand how I feel, even when I'm not physically present.
Who was a witness to the dream
Who was there to see and support my aspirations, my dreams, my hopes for the future.
Who kissed my eyes and saw the scream
Who was there to comfort me and see the pain I was experiencing, even when I couldn't express it in words.
Lying there
In that moment of vulnerability and need.
Who is my reason to begin
Who motivates and inspires me to take on new challenges and strive for greater achievements.
Who plows the earth, who breaks the skin
Who is willing to put in the hard work, effort, and sacrifice necessary to accomplish great things.
Who took my two hands and made them four
Who has been there to support and guide me, enabling me to accomplish more than I previously thought possible.
Who is my heart, who is my door
Who is the most important person in my life, the one who provides me with love, safety, and security.
Nobody but you, girl
Only one person in the world can do all of these things for me, and that's you, my significant other.
Nobody in this whole wide world
There's no one else who can compare to you when it comes to being my confidant, supporter, and motivator.
Who makes the bed that can't be made
Who takes on impossible challenges and somehow manages to succeed where others have failed.
Who is my mirror, who is my blade
Who helps me to see myself clearly, and who sometimes challenges me with the truth, even if it's painful.
When I am rising like a flood
When I am full of energy and enthusiasm, rushing headlong towards my goals.
Who feels the pounding in my blood
Who understands my passion and drive, and is there to support me and cheer me on.
Oh, nobody
Again, there is only one person who fits all of these descriptions.
Nobody but you
You're the only one who can truly do all of these things for me.
Nobody but you, girl
And you happen to be female, of course.
Oh, no-no-no, nobody but you, yeah
Just in case there was any doubt before, let me be perfectly clear: you are my everything.
Nobody in this whole wide world
No one else even comes close to being everything to me that you are.
Nobody, nobody
It bears repeating: no one else can do what you do for me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind