Monday, June 19, 2006

Random Top Ten

Random Top Ten!!

Random Top Ten Paul Simon Songs

(note: not Simon & Garfunkel songs. For some reason, trying to compare and contrast "Sounds of Silence" and "Obvious Child" is making my head hurt. Also, I've yet to get the new album. So nothing from that.)

10 - "Adios Hermanos" - A stately processional of a song showing off an authentic-sounding doo-wop sound married to Latin rhythms.

9 - "Late in the Evening" - If only for those killer horns.

8 - "St. Judy's Comet" - A lullaby. How nice. "Cause if I can't sing my boy to sleep/Well it makes your famous daddy look so dumb/look so dumb." What a line.

7 - "Further to Fly" - Moody and kind of dark; not typical Simon.

6 - "American Tune" - A gorgeous ode to the America that can be. Sung by Mandy Patinkin in Yiddish on his Mamaloshen album.

5 - "Homeless" - Just a gorgeous track, with the Ladysmith Black Mambazo singers making pure honey out of Simon's music.

4 - "Train in the Distance" - Such a sad, wise, and yet still hopeful little song.

3 - "Obvious Child" - Best use of percussion I can think of in a rock song.

2 - "Still Crazy After All These Years" - Those jazz chords are just beautiful.

1 - "Hearts and Bones" - "One and one half wandering Jews." Quintessential Simon.

Until Whenever

2 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

I'll probably steal this. For October, his birthday, because I'm just so...librarian-like.

BNot thinking about it thoroughly, though, there will be DEFINITE crossovers.

And I'll be curious about what you think of the new Simon album.

Tosy And Cosh said...

The one song I've heard, "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" I like very much.

I'd be curious as to what you thought of the Capeman stuff. I understand that the actual Original Broadway cast album is FINALLY going to be released, albeit on iTunes only. I'd love to hear the story one day of why Simon withheld it in the first place.