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."
Obvious Child
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I don't expect to sleep through the night
Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie
But I say, "why
Why deny the obvious child?
Why deny the obvious child?"
And in remembering a road sign
I'm remembering a girl when I was young
And we said, "these songs are true
These days are ours
These tears are free"
And hey
The cross is in the ballpark
The cross is in the ballpark
We had a lot of fun
Had a lot of money
We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny
Sonny gets married and moves away
Sonny has a baby and bills to pay
Sonny gets sunnier
Day by day by day by day
Well, I've been waking up at sunrise
I've been following the light across my room
I watch the night receive the room of my day
Some people say the sky is just the sky
But I say
"Why deny the obvious child?
Why deny the obvious child?"
Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself
How it's strange that some rooms are like cages
Sonny's yearbook from high school
Is down on the shelf
And he idly thumbs through the pages
Some have died
Some have fled from themselves
Or struggled from here to get there
Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls
Runs his hands through his thinning brown hair
Well, I'm accustomed to a smoother ride
Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I don't expect to sleep the night
Some people say a lie is just a lie
But I say
"The cross is in the ballpark
Why deny the obvious child?"
Paul Simon's song The Obvious Child is a reflective piece, with themes of adulthood and change. The first verse refers to Simon feeling like he's lost his bite, being accustomed to a smoother ride, but now no longer wanting to be treated like a fool. He's coming to terms with the fact that he can't just sleep through the night and ignore the realities of his life. The chorus, "Why deny the obvious child?," speaks to the idea that sometimes we know something to be true, but we try to deny it or make excuses for it.
The second verse continues in this reflective vein, with Simon remembering a girl from his past and how they used to feel like these days were theirs and they had free tears. The line "the cross is in the ballpark" is a callback to a previous song of Simon's called "The Boxer," and it refers to the idea of facing challenges head-on. He then describes his own experiences of having fun, making money, and starting a family, but then watching his son grow up, get married, and start his own life. The song ends with Simon returning to the chorus, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the obvious truths in life.
Overall, The Obvious Child is a song about growing older and realizing that life comes with its ups and downs. Simon is coming to terms with the fact that he can't just ignore the difficulties in life, and that sometimes the obvious truths are the ones we need to confront.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm accustomed to the smooth ride
I am used to things going easily for me
Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite
Perhaps I have lost my energy or ability to succeed
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I will not allow others to take advantage of me
I don't expect to sleep through the night
I cannot rest comfortably with things left unresolved
Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie
There is no justification for lying
But I say, "why
I believe that lying can be acceptable in certain circumstances
Why deny the obvious child?
Why ignore the truth that is plainly evident?
And in remembering a road sign
Reflecting on a sign from the past
I'm remembering a girl when I was young
Recalling a former love interest
And we said, "these songs are true
We believed in the honesty of these songs
These days are ours
The present belongs to us
These tears are free"
We are emotionally free and unencumbered
The cross is in the ballpark
The challenge is present and apparent
The cross is in the ballpark
The challenge is present and apparent
We had a lot of fun
We enjoyed many experiences
Had a lot of money
We were financially well off
We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny
We were excited for the arrival of our newborn child
Sonny gets married and moves away
Our child has grown up and started a new life away from us
Sonny has a baby and bills to pay
Our child has new responsibilities and financial obligations
Sonny gets sunnier
Our child becomes happier and more optimistic
Day by day by day by day
Gradual improvement is happening every day
Well, I've been waking up at sunrise
I have been rising early each day
I've been following the light across my room
I am tracking the movement of light throughout the day
I watch the night receive the room of my day
I observe the transition from day to night
Some people say the sky is just the sky
The sky is a commonplace phenomenon
But I say
I believe that the sky holds significance
Why deny the obvious child?
Why ignore the truth that is plainly evident?
Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself
Our child is contemplating his own experiences
How it's strange that some rooms are like cages
It is interesting how certain spaces can feel constricting
Sonny's yearbook from high school
Our child's high school memories
Is down on the shelf
The yearbook is easily accessible
And he idly thumbs through the pages
Our child flips through the yearbook without much thought
Some have died
Some of our child's former classmates are no longer with us
Some have fled from themselves
Some have tried to escape their own identity
Or struggled from here to get there
Some have faced obstacles in seeking their goals
Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls
Our child is beginning to explore beyond their personal boundaries
Runs his hands through his thinning brown hair
Our child is aging and experiencing physical changes
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I will not allow others to take advantage of me
I don't expect to sleep the night
I cannot rest comfortably with things left unresolved
Some people say a lie is just a lie
There is no justification for lying
But I say
I believe that lying can be acceptable in certain circumstances
The cross is in the ballpark
The challenge is present and apparent
Why deny the obvious child?
Why ignore the truth that is plainly evident?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevinlkeough278
"The Obvious Child"
I'm accustomed to a smooth ride
Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I don't expect to sleep through the night
Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie
But I say why
Why deny the obvious child?
Why deny the obvious child?
And in remembering a road sign
I am remembering a girl when I was young
And we said These songs are true
These days are ours
These tears are free
And hey
The cross is in the ballpark
The cross is in the ballpark
We had a lot of fun
We had a lot of money
We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny
Sonny gets married and moves away
Sonny has a baby and bills to pay
Sonny gets sunnier
Day by day by day by day
I've been waking up at sunrise
I've been following the light across my room
I watch the night receive the room of my day
Some people say the sky is just the sky
But I say
Why deny the obvious child?
Why deny the obvious child?
Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself
How it's strange that some rooms are like cages
Sonny's yearbook from high school
Is down from the shelf
And he idly thumbs through the pages
Some have died
Some have fled from themselves
Or struggled from here to get there
Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls
Runs his hand through his thinning brown hair
Well I'm accustomed to a smoother ride
Maybe I'm a dog that's lost his bite
I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more
I don't expect to sleep the night
Some people say a lie is just a lie
But I say the cross is in the ballpark
Why deny the obvious child?
@cjjersey2455
Paul Simon has always been one of my favorites.
Interesting that the first Simon and Garfunkel album I ever bought, I purchased when I lived in Brazil in the late 1960s. The title in Portuguese was "Os Grandes Sucessos de (The Great Hits of) SImon & Garfunkel" and I still have it. I think in the U.S. the album was called "Bookends" and features a black and white photo of the duo, both wearing black turtlenecks
Some info about the location:
The church at the top of the steps looks very white in this video, but when I took photos there in August 2011, the building was covered in mold and trees were growing from the steeples. A friend who lives in Salvador (Bahia, Brazil) told me there are funds to restore many of the old churches in the city, but sadly it disappears into politicians' pockets. This video was posted in June 2011, but the song appeared on his 1991 album "The Rhythm of the Saints" so I am guessing the video was made around the same time. Therefore the church had another 20 years to deteriorate before I took photos in 2011.
On the Michael Jackson video of "They Don't Care About Us" (Brazil Version), at 3:42-3:55 you can catch a glimpse of the same church's steeples in the upper right. Some of Jackson's video was filmed in the same Pelourinho section of Salvador and some in the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro.
Note that at the beginning and end of SImon's Video, two men are performing capoeira, which used to be a a form of fighting developed by slaves, but has evolved into a dance-like performance sport in which blows never land. Usually a Brazilian instrument called the birambau is used during the performance.
I served in the Peace Corps in Brazil (1967-69) and grew to love the country, the culture and and especially the warm, welcoming Brazilians. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about my life there.
@ryanthompson1244
Paul Simon spend two and a half weeks in Johannesburg, South Africa writing music for "Graceland." For those sessions, Simon paid the musicians $196.41 an hour, triple scale wages by American pay rates. And to those musicians who provided key instrumental licks and melodic fragments that were later incorporated into tunes, he also offered writers' royalties. What an awesome human being. He obviously respected the musicians he worked with.
@c-dublife
To bad he was ridiculed and harrassed by the black community when he returned to the states. They believed he stole this sound from the African people and took advantage of them. When truly it was the complete opposite.
@mcfcguvnors
But what an album that was worth every cent
@killiansmith2783
Beautiful individual he is❤
@mcburnski
@@c-dublife to be fair, it's absolutely nothing to do with the American Black community.
@averyellis
There was a boycott on SA because of apartheid. Simon respond to the boycott by saying “it’s not the musicians fault” and despite criticism, went there and listened to them and gave them gigs.
@guiruffini
I was there, in August of 1991 with 7 years old. I played this music with my friends for the next months. I moved from Salvador to Porto Alegre in 1992 and I never returned. I forgot this music since them. Now I just listened, and its in my soul. Gave me a lot of hidden memories. Thank you
@CarlosSouza-mj2nr
Simon and Olodum, from Bahia, BRAZIL. 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
@oliveiraangela6579
E lindooo❤🇧🇷
@daisybispo7813
showww de bola