Kathy's Song
Simon And Garfunkel (The Definitive Simon And Garfunkel) Lyrics


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I hear the drizzle of the rain
Like a memory it falls
Soft and warm continuing
Tapping on my roof and walls

And from the shelter of my mind
Through the window of my eyes
I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets
To England where my heart lies

My mind's distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you're asleep
And kiss you when you start your day

And a song I was writing is left undone
I don't know why I spend my time
Writing songs I can't believe
With words that tear and strain to rhyme

And so you see I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you

And as I watch the drops of rain
Weave their weary paths and die




I know that I am like the rain
There but for the grace of you go I

Overall Meaning

The song "Kathy's Song" by Simon and Garfunkel is a melancholic tune that tells the story of a person who is separated from the one they love. The singer hears the rain tapping on their roof and walls and is reminded of their memories with their loved one. This person's mind is preoccupied with thoughts of their beloved, even when they are miles apart, talking about how they think about them when they're asleep or when they wake up in the morning. The singer is struggling with writer's block and is unable to finish a song, explaining how the lyrics he's been writing fell apart and didn't make sense. The singer continues to explain that they're starting to doubt everything they once believed in, feeling alone without any true beliefs, except for their unconditional love for this other person.


The final verse of the song offers a solemn comparison between the drops of rain and the singer's own life. The singer says that "I know that I am like the rain, There but for the grace of you go I." The rain is a metaphor for the singer's own life, in which they are simply living without much purpose until they become reunited with their loved one. This connection to their beloved serves as the only thing anchoring the singer to the world. Without the warmth and love provided by their significant other, the singer's life would be cold and purposeless – just like the rain.


Overall, "Kathy's Song" by Simon and Garfunkel speaks to the power of love and how it can serve as the on. The song offers a glimpse into the mind and emotions of a person deeply in love and struggling with their separation, offering a powerful insight into the human condition of love and heartbreak.


Line by Line Meaning

I hear the drizzle of the rain
The sound of the rain is like a musical memory.


Like a memory it falls
The rain falling reminds me of something in the past.


Soft and warm continuing
The comforting sound of the rain is continuous.


Tapping on my roof and walls
The rain is gently tapping on the house.


And from the shelter of my mind
From the safety of my thoughts.


Through the window of my eyes
Looking out of the window with my eyes.


I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets
I look past the rainy streets.


To England where my heart lies
Thinking of a person in England who holds my heart.


My mind's distracted and diffused
My thoughts are scattered and unfocused.


My thoughts are many miles away
My thoughts are focused on a person who is far away.


They lie with you when you're asleep
My thoughts are with you even when you're sleeping.


And kiss you when you start your day
My thoughts of you are with you at the start of your day.


And a song I was writing is left undone
I can't finish the song I was writing because of my distracting thoughts.


I don't know why I spend my time
I'm not sure why I'm wasting time writing songs.


Writing songs I can't believe
I'm not satisfied with the songs I'm writing.


With words that tear and strain to rhyme
I struggle to put rhyming words together.


And so you see I have come to doubt
As a result, I am beginning to doubt.


All that I once held as true
I'm starting to question things I once believed.


I stand alone without beliefs
I'm left without any strong convictions.


The only truth I know is you
The one true thing I hold onto is my love for you.


And as I watch the drops of rain
Looking out at the rain.


Weave their weary paths and die
I notice how the rain seems to fade away.


I know that I am like the rain
I see myself in the rain, fading away.


There but for the grace of you go I
My love for you is the only thing that keeps me going.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Darko

I hear the drizzle of the rain
Like a memory it falls
Soft and warm continuing
Tapping on my roof and walls

And from the shelter of my mind
Through the window of my eyes
I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets
To England where my heart lies

My mind's distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you're asleep
And kiss you when you start your day

And a song I was writing is left undone
I don't know why I spend my time
Writing songs I can't believe
With words that tear and strain to rhyme

And so you see I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you

And as I watch the drops of rain
Weave their weary paths and die
I know that I am like the rain
There but for the grace of you go I



Bob C

Lyrics
I hear the drizzle of the rain
Like a memory it falls
Soft and warm continuing
Tapping on my roof and walls
And from the shelter of my mind
Through the window of my eyes
I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets
To England where my heart lies
My mind's distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you're asleep
And kiss you when you start your day
And as a song I was writing is left undone
I don't know why I spend my time
Writing songs I can't believe
With words that tear and strain to rhyme
And so you see I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you
And as I watch the drops of rain
Weave their weary paths and die
I know that I am like the rain
There but for the grace of you go I
Songwriters: Paul Simon



All comments from YouTube:

Axie Simon

Growing up, my father sang this song to me as a lullaby. I remember falling asleep to the sound of him singing, and though I am 23 now, I still haven't discovered a greater peace than listening to it or singing it. I'll sing it to my fiancé, I'll sing it to my children, and I know one day, if I'm blessed to be there during his final moments, I'll sing it to my dad once more. There is love in these chords, and it's a shame we don't have artists like Paul Simon in the spotlight nowadays.

TripleM

Artists of his stature don't happen along very often, but I'm sure they will continue to appear from time to time. For me, it's important not to miss wonderful songs by expecting them to be similar to the ones we already love. So 'The Winner Takes It All' by Abba, and Billy Joel's 'Innocent Man', and The Hollies' 'The Air That I Breathe' (particularly as covered by kd lang) in very different ways capture something uniquely brilliantly about life and love.


Having said that (and maybe it's because of my generation) it does seem that lyrics that speak right into the soul, woven into wonderful melodies and arrangements, pop up less often now than they did a while ago.

John Cunliffe Music

Axie Simon - what a lovely memory to share

Mindful Harmony

Yes, I agree with you. What lovely memories. And your fiancé , your children and especially your Dad will love hearing you sing it. ❤️🌺🌹

patricia ryan

Thats truly beautiful. Its what life is all about

lilgrlQ1

Oh how beautiful is that - So much it brought tears to my eyes...

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John Cunliffe Music

To me, and only in my opinion: this is about as good as songwriting can get. To my ears, as a song, this is as near to perfection as it gets...stunning, beautiful, intelligent and thought provoking

noleftturnunstoned

Joni Mitchell

Antan A

Agree also the for Emily song.

fenwayify

@Antan A ...and "April come she will."

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