| Paul Simon | ||||
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| Released | January 24, 1972 (1972-01-24) | |||
| Recorded | January–March 1971 | |||
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| Genre | Folk rock •pop | |||
| Length | 34:03 | |||
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| Producer | ||||
| Paul Simon chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Paul Simon | ||||
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Paul Simon is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriterPaul Simon. It was released in January 1972, nearly two years after he split up with longtime musical partnerArt Garfunkel.His first solo album, recorded in England in 1965, remained unreleased in the U.S. (except for a brief period in 1969) until 1981, when it appeared in the 5-LPCollected Works boxed set.[citation needed] Originally released onColumbia Records,Paul Simon was later issued under theWarner Bros. label and has since returned to Columbia through Sony. The album topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Japan and Norway and reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Albums. It was certified platinum in 1986.[1]
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AfterSimon & Garfunkel's acrimonious breakup, Paul Simon taught songwriting classes atNew York University during the summer of 1971. Among his students were two of theRoche sisters, Maggie and Terre, and singer-songwriterMelissa Manchester, who recalls that Simon was nervous, listened to the students' songs and offered suggestions and criticism, often dissecting the lyrics and drawing comparisons with his own work while offering insights into his own creative process and sources of inspiration.[2]
In a 1972 interview withRolling Stone magazine, Paul Simon stated that one of his primary goals during the recording of the album was to move beyond the musical style he had become associated with during the 1960s. "I didn't want to sing 'Scarborough Fair' again", he toldJon Landau. As a result, the album is characterized by a more understated production compared to his past records withArt Garfunkel, with Simon's guitar and vocals taking center stage. It also incorporates a wide variety of musical genres, includingLatin music,jazz,blues, andreggae, showcasing an eclecticism that foreshadows his later exploration ofworld music on his acclaimed 1986Graceland album.[3]
This stylistic diversity resulted in contributions from several notable guest musicians, including violinistStéphane Grappelli (featured on "Hobo's Blues", for which he is credited as a co-writer), jazz bassistRon Carter (on "Run That Body Down") and percussionistAirto Moreira (on "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", where he plays thecuica). The album was recorded in a variety of locations, such asSan Francisco,New York City,Los Angeles,Paris andKingston, Jamaica. The latter was where the recording of "Mother and Child Reunion", considered one of the first songs by a non-Jamaican musician to feature elements of reggae music,[4] took place. Released as a single, it became the album's biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart in March 1972.
The lyrics throughout the album are also marked by variety, with Paul Simon's songwriting shifting between lighthearted and solemn moods, blending humor and biting irony with melancholy and uncertainty. On one hand, songs like "Duncan", whose protagonist leaves his life in the ruralCanadian Maritime Provinces in search of whatRob Sheffield describes as "a romanticDylan/Kerouac adventure"; "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", set in the multicultural New York City neighborhood ofCorona, Queens; and "Papa Hobo", featuring a down-on-his-luck homeless man fromDetroit, each contribute a unique character to the album's diverse cast, allowing Simon to explore themes such as youth and self-discovery, the political and social turbulence of the late 1960s and thecounterculture that emerged in response, and the daily lives and struggles of disenfranchised groups within American society.[3] On the other hand, heartbreak and bitterness over the collapse of a relationship emerge as significant themes as well, with several songs referencing, either directly ("Run That Body Down," in which "Paul" and "Peg" are mentioned by name) or indirectly ("Congratulations"), Simon's troubled marriage to Peggy Harper, which ultimately ended in divorce in 1975.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [5] |
| Blender | [6] |
| Chicago Tribune | [7] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A+[8] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [9] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[10] |
| The Guardian | [11] |
| Record Collector | [12] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [13] |
| Uncut | [14] |
Released on January 24, 1972, the album arrived at a time when, following the dissolution of the duo that made him famous, Paul Simon was considered to be at a disadvantage, with many seeing him as theunderdog. This sentiment was echoed byColumbia Records presidentClive Davis, who told Simon, "[Simon & Garfunkel] is a household word. No matter however successful you'll be, you'll never be as successful as S&G", to which Simon responded, "Yeah, likeDean Martin andJerry Lewis".[3] Despite these doubts, the album became a major commercial success against all odds, peaking at number 4 on theBillboard 200 on April 1, 1972,[15] and eventually earning aPlatinum certification by theRecording Industry Association of America.[16]
In a 1972 review forThe Village Voice,Robert Christgau stated, "this is the only thing in the universe to make me positively happy in the first two weeks of February 1972."[17] That same year, writing forRolling Stone,Jon Landau described it as Simon's "least detached, most personal and painful piece of work thus far — this from a lyricist who has never shied away from pain as subject or theme."[18] In a 2022 article written on the occasion of the album's fiftieth anniversary,Rob Sheffield called it "the funniest, nastiest, leanest, meanest, and possibly weirdest masterpiece of his great career", adding that, "for some fans, including this one, it’s the best album he’s ever made, with or withoutthe other guy".[3]
Critical praise for the album was widespread, though some reviewers were less enthusiastic. Noel Coppage, writing inStereo Review, called it "undistinguished" and added, "I gather...this album is merely Simon's way of keeping his hand in while Garfunkel makes movies....I'm now wondering if Garfunkel's arranging work doesn't include sending Simon back to rewrite some of his songs before recording them."[19] Despite Coppage's critical panning, otherStereo Review critics went on to award the album one of its "Record of the Year" honors.[20]
The album was ranked number 268 onRolling Stone's 2012 list of the500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and number 425 in the 2020 update.[21] It was ranked number 984 inAll-Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd. edition, 2000).[22]
All songs written by Paul Simon, except "Hobo's Blues" co-written byStéphane Grappelli.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mother and Child Reunion" | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Duncan" | 4:39 |
| 3. | "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" | 1:59 |
| 4. | "Run That Body Down" | 3:52 |
| 5. | "Armistice Day" | 3:55 |
| Total length: | 17:30 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" | 2:42 |
| 7. | "Peace Like a River" | 3:20 |
| 8. | "Papa Hobo" | 2:34 |
| 9. | "Hobo's Blues" | 1:21 |
| 10. | "Paranoia Blues" | 2:54 |
| 11. | "Congratulations" | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 16:33 34:03 | |
Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of this album.
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Certifications[edit]
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[H]is hunger to explore different musical styles is evident on his eponymous 1972 release...
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