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 outputācomprising Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)ākept 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."
Street Angel
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Working their way back home
My heart goes out to the street angels
I save my change for a street angel
Working his way back home
I'd this exchange with the street angel
Nobody talks to me much
Nobody
So he says,
I make my verse for the universe
I write my rhymes for the universities
And I give it away for the hoot of it
I tell my tale for the toot of it
I wear my suit for the suit of it
The tree is bare, but the root of it
Goes deeper than logical reasoning
It's god goes fishing
And we are the fishes
He baits his lines
With prayers and wishes
They sparkle in the shallows
They catch the falling light
We hide our hearts like holy hostages
We're hungry for the love, and so we bite
Workin' his way back home
He's workin' his way back home
They took him away in the ambulance
Made a way with the ambulance
He waved goodbye from the ambulance
My heart goes out to the street angel
The song Street Angel can be interpreted in different ways with its varying imagery, but one of the most common understandings is the depiction of homelessness and the struggles that come with being on the streets. The first stanza establishes the empathy felt by the singer, expressing their heart going out to the "street angels," possibly referring to those who are homeless, marginalized, or forgotten by society. In this context, the term "angel" may be used ironically to showcase the harsh reality that those who are homeless are often viewed as outcasts, rather than as people who may have once had aspirations and dreams.
In the second stanza, the singer mentions their desire to help a "street angel" by saving their change. They then have a conversation with the person, and the exchange is asymmetrical as the "street angel" shares his philosophy while the singer remains silent. The "street angel" describes his purpose in writing, stating that he writes for the "hoot of it" and gives it away for free. He also talks about the deeper meanings in life that go beyond our logical reasoning, using the imagery of a bare tree with deep roots. This could be seen as a metaphor for the roots of human experience, the trials, and tribulations that run deep and go beyond what we see.
The third stanza continues with more imagery, echoing the previous stanzas' themes of struggle and hopelessness. The singer describes God as the fisherman, and human beings as fishes, baiting his lines with "prayers and wishes" that eventually catch the light. The stanza ends with the hopeless and desperate state of the human heart, exemplified by the line "We hide our hearts like holy hostages. We're hungry for the love, and so we bite." Here, Simon seems to be suggesting that despite being trapped and yearning for love, people often reject what they need the most.
Overall, Street Angel resonates with deep despair and empathy that Simon feels for a marginalized group of people. The song uses metaphors and images that highlight the shared human struggle, the interconnectedness of all things, and the power of empathy and kindness.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart goes out to the street angels
I feel empathy for those who are less fortunate and struggling in life.
Working their way back home
Trying to overcome their struggles and return to a better situation.
I save my change for a street angel
I have compassion for those less fortunate and try to help in any way I can.
Working his way back home
Striving to get back on track.
I'd this exchange with the street angel
I talked with the homeless person, but nobody usually bothers to talk to them.
Nobody talks to me much
A shared experience of loneliness and isolation.
I make my verse for the universe
I create art for everyone to enjoy and appreciate.
I write my rhymes for the universities
I create my work for the purpose of education and intellectual challenge.
And I give it away for the hoot of it
I create for the sheer joy and pleasure of it, with no expectation of reward or recognition.
I tell my tale for the toot of it
I share my story for the sake of sharing, with no ulterior motive.
I wear my suit for the suit of it
I dress up to fit in and conform with society, even though it's not always comfortable or authentic.
The tree is bare, but the root of it
Appearances can be deceiving, and what's important may not be immediately visible.
Goes deeper than logical reasoning
The meaning or essence of something can't always be explained by reason or logic.
It's god goes fishing
A metaphor for how we're at the mercy of fate or a higher power, and often feel helpless and unable to control our lives.
And we are the fishes
Humans are vulnerable and frequently caught unaware by life's events.
He baits his lines
The higher power seems to deliberately cause our struggles and temptations for reasons unknown.
With prayers and wishes
We often plead and pray for our desires and demands to be granted, though we may never know if they're really heard or fulfilled.
They sparkle in the shallows
Our dreams and desires are often superficial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
They catch the falling light
Our hopes and dreams may seem bright and appealing, but they often fade or disappoint us.
We hide our hearts like holy hostages
We keep our true feelings and desires deep inside, for fear of being hurt or rejected.
We're hungry for the love, and so we bite
We're eager for love and connection, but may not always express it well or get what we need from others.
They took him away in the ambulance
The homeless person was taken to the hospital, likely because of illness or injury.
Made a way with the ambulance
The ambulance carried the homeless person away and disappeared from sight.
He waved goodbye from the ambulance
The homeless person left without fanfare or notice, but remembered to say goodbye to those around.
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind