Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. One of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century, Simon's career has spanned six decades. Born in New Jersey, Simon grew up in the borough of Queens in New York City and developed an interest in rock music in his teens.

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 Riverbank
Paul Simon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Frightened by the tone of a phone in the dead of night
Then staring into darkness and praying till the morning light
The price already paid
A son gone to the grave
Now the sorrowful parade to the riverbank

Must be half the county come down to the riverbank
High school is closed, same for the local police

Shall we tearfully embrace?
Shall we sing "Amazing Grace?"
Will the shallow river waters bring us peace?

Army dude, only son, nowhere to run
No one to turn to, he turns to the gun
It's a cross, it's a stone, it's a fragment of bone
It's a long walk home

A long walk home
Gonna be a long walk home from the riverbank

Is there any reason why the black pine should not weep?
Is there a woman or a man who wouldn't understand why he could not sleep?
And the nightmares when they came
Like poison to the brain
Reminded him again
Life is cheap

Army dude, only son, nowhere to run
No one to turn to, he turns to the gun
It's a cross, it's a stone, it's a fragment of bone
It's a long walk home

A long walk home
Gonna be a long walk home from the riverbank

Army dude's mama
At the edge of the river
Limp as a rag, American flag in her arms
Then a triangle of light
Kissed the red and blue and white
Along the riverbank
Past the dealerships and farms

Army dude, only son

'Gon be a

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Paul Simon's song "The Riverbank" tell a poignant and heart-wrenching story of a community coming together in the face of tragedy. The song opens with a sense of fear and despair, as someone receives a disturbing phone call in the middle of the night and finds themselves praying in the darkness until morning. The price of this tragedy has already been paid, as a son has been lost to the grave. The community gathers at the riverbank, with half the county present, and even the local institutions like the high school and the police force closed for the occasion. The lyrics question if they should embrace each other with tears or find solace in singing "Amazing Grace," wondering if the shallow waters of the river can bring them peace.

The song then shifts to the perspective of the Army dude, who is the only son and feels trapped with nowhere to run. With no one to turn to, he turns to the gun, symbolizing his desperation and feeling of hopelessness. The imagery of the cross, the stone, and the fragment of bone further explores the weight and burden he carries. It becomes evident that he faces a long and arduous journey home, metaphorically represented as a long walk from the riverbank.

The lyrics continue to explore the aftermath of the tragedy, with a focus on the Army dude's mother. She is described as being at the edge of the river, holding an American flag, carrying a sense of grief and loss. The triangle of light represents a ray of hope or solace, shining upon the colors of the American flag. The song concludes by emphasizing again that the Army dude is the only son, and his journey home from the riverbank will be a long one.

Line by Line Meaning

Frightened by the tone of a phone in the dead of night
Terrified by the menacing sound of a phone ringing late at night

Then staring into darkness and praying till the morning light
Sitting alone in the darkness, praying fervently until sunrise

The price already paid
The heavy toll has already been exacted

A son gone to the grave
The loss of a son, buried in the ground

Now the sorrowful parade to the riverbank
The mournful procession towards the riverbank

Must be half the county come down to the riverbank
Seems like half the county has gathered at the riverbank

High school is closed, same for the local police
Even the high school and the local police force are closed

Shall we tearfully embrace?
Shall we hug each other amidst tears?

Shall we sing 'Amazing Grace'?
Shall we sing the famous hymn 'Amazing Grace'?

Will the shallow river waters bring us peace?
Can the shallow waters of the river grant us tranquility?

Army dude, only son, nowhere to run
A young soldier, the sole son, with no escape

No one to turn to, he turns to the gun
With no one to seek support from, he resorts to using a gun

It's a cross, it's a stone, it's a fragment of bone
It symbolizes the cross, the stone, a fragmented piece of bone - all representing death and suffering

It's a long walk home
The journey back home is arduous and lengthy

Gonna be a long walk home from the riverbank
It will be a lengthy and challenging journey returning home from the riverbank

Is there any reason why the black pine should not weep?
Is there any justification for the black pine tree to not shed tears?

Is there a woman or a man who wouldn't understand why he could not sleep?
Is there anyone who wouldn't comprehend why he couldn't find rest?

And the nightmares when they came
And when the nightmares arrived

Like poison to the brain
Like a toxic substance affecting the mind

Reminded him again
Served as a reminder once more

Life is cheap
Life is of little value

Army dude's mama
The mother of the soldier

At the edge of the river
Standing by the river's edge

Limp as a rag, American flag in her arms
Weak and feeble, cradling an American flag in her embrace

Then a triangle of light
Followed by a triangle-shaped beam of light