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."
Was a Sunny Day
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
Was a sunny day
All the birdies in the trees
And the radio's singing song
All the favorite melodies
He was a navy man
Stationed in Newport news
She was a high school queen
With nothing left to lose
Was a sunny day
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
Was a sunny day
All the birdies in the trees
And the radio's singing song
All the favorite melodies
Her name was Lorelei
She was his only girl
She called him Speedoo
But his christian name
Was Mr. Earl
Was a sunny day
Not a cloud was in the sky
Not a negative word was heard
From the people passing by
Was a sunny day
All the birdies in the trees
And the radio's singing song
All the favorite melodies
The lyrics of Paul Simon's song "Was a Sunny Day" tell the story of a happy day where everything fell into place. Simon sets the scene with "Not a cloud was in the sky" and "All the birdies in the trees," which indicate a bright, carefree mood. The fact that "Not a negative word was heard / from the people passing by" suggests an absence of conflict, tension, or ill-will. The feelings of positivity and lightheartedness are further enhanced by the reference to "the radio's singing song / All the favorite melodies," which implies a collective sense of ease and enjoyment.
The song is also a story of romantic love that blossomed in the midst of such a happy day. The two main characters initially seem quite different: "He was a navy man / Stationed in Newport News" while "She was a high school queen / with nothing left to lose." This suggests that she may have been on the verge of taking a risk, moving on, or making a change in her life. Nevertheless, she and the navy man met and fell in love. Her playful nickname for him, "Speedoo," adds to the happy, affectionate tone of the song, and it is contrasted with his more formal "christian name / Was Mr. Earl."
Overall, "Was a Sunny Day" is a picture of a joyful, peaceful world where love can light up unexpectedly, and it celebrates the power of happy moments in one's life to create lasting memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Was a sunny day
The day was filled with sunshine
Not a cloud was in the sky
The sky was completely clear and blue
Not a negative word was heard
There was no criticism or negativity expressed
From the people passing by
From those who walked by the scene
Was a sunny day
The day was filled with sunshine
All the birdies in the trees
Many birds were perched on branches
And the radio's singing song
The radio played a song
All the favorite melodies
Everyone enjoyed the popular tunes
He was a navy man
The man was a member of the navy
Stationed in Newport news
He was located in Newport News, Virginia for his work
She was a high school queen
The woman was popular in her high school days
With nothing left to lose
She had no obligations or commitments
Was a sunny day
The day was filled with sunshine
Not a cloud was in the sky
The sky was completely clear and blue
Not a negative word was heard
There was no criticism or negativity expressed
From the people passing by
From those who walked by the scene
Was a sunny day
The day was filled with sunshine
All the birdies in the trees
Many birds were perched on branches
And the radio's singing song
The radio played a song
All the favorite melodies
Everyone enjoyed the popular tunes
Her name was Lorelei
The woman's name was Lorelei
She was his only girl
She was the only woman he loved
She called him Speedoo
She gave him the nickname Speedoo
But his christian name
However, his actual name was
Was Mr. Earl
Mr. Earl was his real name
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind