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."
Train in the Distance
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was married to someone
He was doggedly determined that he would get her
He was old she was young
From time to time
He'd tip his heart
But each time she withdrew
Everybody thinks it's true
Well eventually the boy and the girl get married
Sure enough they have a son
And though they were both occupied with the child she carried
Disagreements had begun
And in a while
They fell apart
It wasn't hard to do
Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance
Everybody thinks it's true
Two disappointed believers
Two people playing the game
Negotiations and love songs
Are often mistaken for one and the same
Now the man and the woman they remain in contact
Let us say it's for the child
With disagreements about the meaning of a marriage contract
Conversations hard and wild
But from time to time he makes her laugh
She cooks a meal of two
Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance
Everybody thinks it's true
What is the point of this story
What information pertains
The thought that life could be better
Is woven indelibly
Into our hearts and our brains
The lyrics of Paul Simon’s song Train in the Distance tell the story of a man who falls in love with a married woman. He is determined to win her over despite the age difference between them. He expresses his feelings to her on numerous occasions, but she always withdraws, indicating that she values her commitments to her husband more than anything else. The lyrics, “From time to time, he'd tip his heart, but each time she withdrew,” reinforce her reluctance to give in to his advances.
Eventually, the man and the woman get married, and they have a son. However, disagreements begin to surface, and their relationship begins to fall apart, leading to a separation. Despite their differences, they continue to stay in touch for the sake of their child. They have conversations about their marriage and what it means to them, but they never seem to agree on anything. However, they still find moments of joy in each other's company. The lyrics, "But from time to time he makes her laugh. She cooks a meal of two. Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance, everybody thinks it's true," show how they still have an emotional connection.
The song's underlying theme seems to be about how life is full of uncertainties, and we never really know what's going to happen. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations that we never imagined, and the choices we make can have unforeseen consequences. The lyrics, "Two disappointed believers, two people playing the game, negotiations and love songs are often mistaken for one and the same," illustrate the idea that love is complicated and sometimes more of a transactional deal than an emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
She was beautiful as southern skies the night he met her
The woman was very attractive when he saw her for the first time at night.
She was married to someone
The woman was not available because she already had a husband.
He was doggedly determined that he would get her
He was very persistent to win her heart despite her being married.
He was old she was young
He was much older than the woman who he was trying to pursue.
From time to time
He'd tip his heart
But each time she withdrew
He would express his feelings to the woman, but she would not reciprocate.
Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance
Everybody thinks it's true
People like the idea of a romantic train journey even though it may not be realistic.
Well eventually the boy and the girl get married
Sure enough they have a son
And though they were both occupied with the child she carried
Disagreements had begun
Eventually they got married and had a child, but they began to argue often.
And in a while
They fell apart
It wasn't hard to do
Their marriage failed eventually and it was not difficult for them to separate.
Two disappointed believers
Two people playing the game
Negotiations and love songs
Are often mistaken for one and the same
They were two people with high hopes who were trying to make a marriage work, but they realized it was not as easy as it seemed. Love is not just about romantic gestures; it also requires compromise and negotiation.
Now the man and the woman they remain in contact
Let us say it's for the child
With disagreements about the meaning of a marriage contract
Conversations hard and wild
They still communicate because of their child, but they argue often about the terms of their marriage.
But from time to time he makes her laugh
She cooks a meal of two
Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance
Everybody thinks it's true
Occasionally they are able to enjoy each other's company, but they both still have the unrealistic notion of a romantic train journey.
What is the point of this story
What information pertains
The thought that life could be better
Is woven indelibly
Into our hearts and our brains
The story shows that even though life may not turn out the way we hope, we still have this idea of perfection in our minds. It is an idea that is deeply ingrained in our consciousness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind