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."
Paranoia Blues
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They'll smile right to my face
But, when my back is turned
They'd like to stick to me
Yes, they would
Oh no, no, oh no no
There's only one thing I need to know
I fly into JFK
My heart goes boom boom boom
I know that customs man
He's going to take me
To that little room
Oh no, no, oh no, no
There's only one thing I need to know
Whose side are you on?
Whose side are you on?
I got the paranoia blues
From knockin' around in New York City
Where they'll roll you for a nickel
And they'll stick you for the extra dime
Anyway you choose
You're bound to lose in New York City
Oh, I just got out in the nick of time
Well, I just got out in the nick of time
Once I was down in Chinatown
I was eating some Lin's Chow Fon
I happened to turn around
And when I looked I see
My Chow Fon's gone
Oh no, no, oh no, no
There's only one thing I need to know
Whose side are you on, whose side are you on?
Well, there's only one thing I need to know
Whose side, whose side, whose side?
Paranoia Blues, a song by Paul Simon, talks about the feelings of mistrust and suspicion that are common in a big city such as New York. Through the lyrics, Simon describes his experiences of feeling betrayed by people who were supposedly his friends, and the fear of being caught by the authorities for some unknown reason. Simon's paranoia is shown in the line "I got the paranoia blues from knocking around in New York City" which portrays the fact that the city is the source of his anxiety.
The song's chorus "Whose side are you on?" signifies Simon's fear of being caught in some sort of conspiracy or facing some kind of betrayals. The line is repeated multiple times to emphasize his mistrust and paranoia. The lyrics of the song are also full of experiences that are specific to New York City, such as the mention of JFK airport and Chinatown. Simon's experiences in these places further add to the authenticity of the song and the emotions he conveys.
Line by Line Meaning
I got some so-called friends
I have friends who pretend to be good friends with me.
They'll smile right to my face
They are acting kind and polite to me when I am with them.
But, when my back is turned
But when I am not looking or not with them,
They'd like to stick to me
They would like to harm me or cause trouble for me.
Yes, they would
They are capable of doing that.
Oh no, no, oh no no
It is causing anxiety or fear in me.
There's only one thing I need to know
All I want to know is
Whose side are you on?
Are you supportive of me or not?
I fly into JFK
I arrive at JFK airport.
My heart goes boom boom boom
I feel my heart beating fast.
I know that customs man
I recognize the customs officer.
He's going to take me
He is going to search me or ask me questions.
To that little room
To the interrogation room.
I got the paranoia blues
I am feeling paranoid and anxious.
From knockin' around in New York City
Because of my experiences living and traveling in New York City.
Where they'll roll you for a nickel
Where people can cheat or steal from you for a small amount of money.
And they'll stick you for the extra dime
And they will overcharge you or scam you for more money.
Anyway you choose
No matter what decisions or actions you take,
You're bound to lose in New York City
There is a high chance of a negative outcome in New York City.
Oh, I just got out in the nick of time
I was lucky to get out of there before something bad happened.
Once I was down in Chinatown
Once, when I was in Chinatown.
I was eating some Lin's Chow Fon
I was eating a dish called Lin's Chow Fon.
I happened to turn around
I suddenly looked behind me.
And when I looked I see
And I realized
My Chow Fon's gone
My food is missing.
Well, there's only one thing I need to know
I am only concerned about one thing
Whose side, whose side, whose side?
Are you with me or against me?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind