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."
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me a story
I used to be so blue
Yeah, I was lonely, too
I had a broken heart
All day I sat and cried
But that was just the start
Of the greatest story ever told
'Cause then I saw her there
Of thrill beyond compare
She was my dream come true
And when I asked for
Her love forevermore
She added "I love you"
To the greatest story ever told
Everyday we hear stories
Some new, some old
But the story of love, yes the story of love
Is the greatest story ever told
The greatest story ever told
And now we're happy now
We made that sacred vow
For now we're more than friends
Our love will grow and grow
'Cause with each kiss I know
There'll never be an end
To the greatest story ever told
In the song "The Greatest Story Ever Told" by Paul Simon, the singer opens the song by asking someone to tell him a story, setting the stage for the story of his love to be shared. The singer then discusses how he used to be lonely and had a broken heart, feeling a sense of despair. However, the introduction of the woman he has fallen in love with has changed everything for him. She is the missing piece in his life, and he considers her to be his dream come true. When he asks her to love him forevermore, she agrees, and they become partners in the greatest story ever told, the story of their love.
Paul Simon's song emphasizes the power of love and how it can take individuals from a place of sadness and loneliness to one of happiness and fulfillment. Through the singer's story, listeners can understand how true love can uplift and revitalize an individual, giving them a new lease on life. Therefore, the message is clear: the greatest story ever told is not the one told in a book or a movie, but the story of true love that can transform lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me a story
Requesting a story from the singer
Tell me a story
Repeating the request for a story
I used to be so blue
I was sad and unhappy in the past
Yeah, I was lonely, too
I also felt alone in that time
I had a broken heart
My heart was shattered and in pain
All day I sat and cried
I spent the whole day weeping
Teardrops I couldn't hide
I couldn't stop tears from falling
But that was just the start
However, that was only the beginning
Of the greatest story ever told
This is the beginning of something amazing
'Cause then I saw her there
But then I caught sight of her
Of thrill beyond compare
She gave me an indescribable feeling of excitement
She was my dream come true
She was everything I had always hoped for
And when I asked for Her love forevermore
And when I asked her to love me for eternity
She added "I love you"
She reciprocated with "I love you"
To the greatest story ever told
Adding to the already wonderful story
Everyday we hear stories
We encounter stories every day
Some new, some old
Some of them are fresh, while others are ages old
But the story of love, yes the story of love
But undoubtedly, the story of love,
Is the greatest story ever told
is the most wondrous and magnificent of them all
The greatest story ever told
Reiterating the exceptional nature of the tale
And now we're happy now
Presently, we're full of joy
We made that sacred vow
We declared and professed a sacred promise
For now we're more than friends
We've become something far more significant than acquaintances
Our love will grow and grow
Our affection for each other will increase without bounds
'Cause with each kiss I know
Because each kiss makes me aware
There'll never be an end
That our love will go on indefinitely
To the greatest story ever told
Thus further cementing the notion that this is the most fantastic story ever told
Writer(s): Tradizionale
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.