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."
Something So Right
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the fever runs high
You've got the look of love light
In your eyes
And I was in crazy motion
'Til you calmed me down
It took a little time
But you calmed me down
[Chorus]
When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it
I'm the first to admit it
But the last one to know
When something goes right
Well it's likely to lose me
It's apt to confuse me
It's such an unusual sight
I can't get used to something so right
Something so right
They've got a wall in China
It's a thousand miles long
To keep out the foreigners
They made it strong
I've got a wall around me
You can't even see
It took a little time
To get to me
[Chorus]
Some people never say the words
I love you
It's not their style
To be so bold
Some people never say those words
I love you
But like a child they're longing
To be told
[Chorus]
Something So Right is a love song written by Paul Simon. The lyrics talk about finding love and how it brings peace in one's life. The first verse explains how the person feels better around their lover during times of high stress. The lover has a calming effect on them and brings them back to reality. The chorus explains how the person often fails to see when things are going right because they are so used to things going wrong in their past. The second verse compares the singer to China's Great Wall, saying they have a wall around them but the lover has been able to break it down over time. The final verse points out that some people struggle to communicate their love verbally, but deep down, they crave to hear it.
The song's message is about how love can heal and bring joy to someone's life. Paul Simon uses simple language to convey his message but adds depth through his metaphors such as the Great Wall of China and using imagery to describe love's calming effects. The chorus is the highlight of the song because it shows how the singer is grappling with the reality of something good happening to them, and how they struggle to accept it.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got the cool water
You have a calming influence on me when I'm feeling hot and bothered.
When the fever runs high
When I'm feeling feverish and out of control.
You've got the look of love light
You have a loving look in your eyes that helps to ease my worries.
In your eyes
I can see the love and understanding that you have for me.
And I was in crazy motion
I was acting impulsively and irrationally before you calmed me down.
'Til you calmed me down
You have the ability to calm me down and help me see things more clearly.
It took a little time
It took some time for me to come around to your way of thinking.
But you calmed me down
Thanks to your calming influence, I'm no longer acting impulsively.
When something goes wrong
I'm quick to admit my mistakes and shortcomings.
I'm the first to admit it
I don't shy away from admitting my mistakes or faults.
But the last one to know
Sometimes I'm not aware of what's happening around me, even when others are.
When something goes right
I have a tendency to be skeptical of good things because they don't happen often.
Well it's likely to lose me
Good things can be overwhelming and confusing for me because they're so rare.
It's apt to confuse me
I can feel disoriented and unsure when something good happens to me.
It's such an unusual sight
Good things happening to me is such a rare occurrence that it's almost unbelievable.
I can't get used to something so right
I struggle to accept and adjust to positive changes in my life because they're so uncommon for me.
They've got a wall in China
China has built a massive wall to keep out foreigners from entering the country.
It's a thousand miles long
The wall extends for over a thousand miles, making it a monumental feat of engineering.
To keep out the foreigners
The wall is meant to prevent outsiders from entering China and affecting its culture.
They made it strong
The wall was built to last and withstand any attempts to breach it.
I've got a wall around me
I have built up a wall of emotional defenses to protect myself from getting hurt.
You can't even see
My emotional defenses are so strong that they're not easy to penetrate or even detect.
It took a little time
It has taken time for you to earn my trust and break down my emotional walls.
To get to me
You have had to work hard to break down my emotional defenses and reach me.
Some people never say the words
Some people find it difficult to express their love and affection verbally.
I love you
The words 'I love you' are sometimes difficult for people to say, even if they feel it in their hearts.
It's not their style
Some people express their love and affection in non-verbal ways, such as through their actions.
To be so bold
Expressing one's love so openly and vulnerably can feel scary and uncomfortable.
But like a child they're longing
Even people who are hesitant to express their love still yearn to be expressed to them by someone else.
To be told
Everyone desires to be loved and to hear that love expressed to them by someone else.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheRealForrestGeorge
You've got the cool water
When the fever runs high
You've got the look of love light
In your eyes
And I was in crazy motion
'Til you calmed me down
It took a little time
But you calmed me down
When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it
I'm the first to admit it
But the last one to know
When something goes right
Well it's likely to lose me
It's apt to confuse me
It's such an unusual sight
I can't get used to something so right
Something so right
They've got a wall in China
It's a thousand miles long
To keep out the foreigners
They made it strong
I've got a wall around me
You can't even see
It took a little time
To get to me
When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it
I'm the first to admit it
But the last one to know
When something goes right
Well it's likely to lose me
It's apt to confuse me
It's such an unusual sight
I can't get used to something so right
Something so right
Some people never say the words
I love you
It's not their style
To be so bold
Some people never say those words
I love you
But like a child they're longing
To be told
When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it
I'm the first to admit it
But the last one to know
When something goes right
Well it's likely to lose me
It's apt to confuse me
It's such an unusual sight
I can't get used to something so right
Something so right
@Harmonical1
Why does nobody write songs as beautiful as this anymore? My favourite bit is actually the bridge - so beautiful!
@shaybenhaim667
Maybe it’s because not every generation can produce such a mega talent lyricist and melody creator
@alexandercourt4136
It truly was a second Renaissance.
@trishmoxon
I think PS is the best song writer of the second half of the 20th century.
@chrisdafur1
Of course people still do. I love Paul simon but there are plenty of beautiful songs being written every year
@KidCorporate
We no longer value beauty.
@seanie002
One of Paul’s very best compositions, and that is really saying something (so right)
@tashiwallace5338
Bach;
Haupt Voll Blut Und Wunden?
@amymalina5073
Boy, do I ever agree. I think this is one of my very favorite songs of his, and one of my favorite songs ever.
@user-ti8zs5oy4t
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