An open letter to Paul Simon.

[Ray9]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

 

[bluzman61]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

Fantastic post, Ray. I like the song "Kodachrome", as well. I've liked it since hearing it on top 40 radio in 1973, when I just 12 years of age. I like a LOT of Paul Simon's music, both with Art Garfunkel and his solo work. I've enjoyed the lyrical magic in many of his songs.

 

[Gdjjr]

Well written!

There was a lot of music in that era that made one think- I remember sitting in a bar, in Japan, at the ripe old age of 18, (1966) listening to "The Eve of Destruction" and wondering what the hell he was talking about - of course that was then this is now. In retrospect, I wonder if our parents didn't have he same thoughts about WW1 and 2?

Thankfully, I believe, my formal education stopped before graduation. The 9th grade to be exact. If memory serves, I read 1984 just prior to the stoppage. I thought, WOW!, that guy has a great imagination. Now, I see he was a bit of a prophet, as are many song writers.

I suspect, that a lot of my life philosophy has had help from, not only what I read, but by music as well and could be considered as a foundation of my belief that knowledge isn't biased in its origin-

Good post, Ray

 

[Ray9]

I don't know why this was moved. The post is clearly political.

 

[kjamer]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

Remakes seldom are good. But Disturbed's remake of "Sound of Silence" was an exception. Puts a lot of feelings into the meaning of the words Simon wrote.

 

[Gdjjr]

I don't know why this was moved. The post is clearly political.

Was it the Question Mark avatar? He/she/it loves the power.

 

[Dana7360]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

First of all, Paul Simon isn't a child of the 60s. He was in his 20s in the 60s.

I am a child of the 60s. I was born in 1960.

Second, Paul Simon is a life long liberal. Very liberal. You would call him a socialist.

I've worked with him many times though the years. He puts on a great show. He's easy to photograph and he always tried to give me something to shoot.

Finally, I don't think he would appreciate your interpretation of his song. Hint, the original name for the song was "Going Home."

 

[Ray9]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

First of all, Paul Simon isn't a child of the 60s. He was in his 20s in the 60s.

I am a child of the 60s. I was born in 1960.

Second, Paul Simon is a life long liberal. Very liberal. You would call him a socialist.

I've worked with him many times though the years. He puts on a great show. He's easy to photograph and he always tried to give me something to shoot.

Finally, I don't think he would appreciate your interpretation of his song. Hint, the original name for the song was "Going Home."

I was a professional muscian for awhile. A guy name Larry Santos owned a nightclub in my town and saw that I was a precocious guitar player. Santos wrote the song Candy Girl by the Four seasons. He brought me to New York where I played in his band for about a year in the late 60's.

I learned a lot but the city blew my head as I was so young and knew nothing. I played in bands for years but never made any real money at it so I got a haircut and a real job while I raised a family. I wish I had stuck it out but that's they way it goes.

Simon's song is what it is.

 

[Dana7360]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

First of all, Paul Simon isn't a child of the 60s. He was in his 20s in the 60s.

I am a child of the 60s. I was born in 1960.

Second, Paul Simon is a life long liberal. Very liberal. You would call him a socialist.

I've worked with him many times though the years. He puts on a great show. He's easy to photograph and he always tried to give me something to shoot.

Finally, I don't think he would appreciate your interpretation of his song. Hint, the original name for the song was "Going Home."

I was a professional muscian for awhile. A guy name Larry Santos owned a nightclub in my town and saw that I was a precocious guitar player. Santos wrote the song Candy Girl by the Four seasons. He brought me to New York where I played in his band for about a year in the late 60's.

I learned a lot but the city blew my head as I was so young and knew nothing. I played in bands for years but never made any real money at it so I got a haircut and a real job while I raised a family. I wish I had stuck it out but that's they way it goes.

Simon's song is what it is.

I was and still am a professional photographer.

I spent 35 years photographing the greatest musicians on my time on and off stage.

My list of musicians I've worked with has over 500 names on it. Most I've worked with more than once.

I started working with Mr. Simon in the early 90s when I was the house photographer for an amphitheater in my state.

I started taking my camera to concerts in 1979. My misspent youth turned into a career.

I did keep up with it and ended up successful. I retired at the age of 54.

 

[sealybobo]

Dear Paul,

Like you I am a child of the 60’s. I am also a fellow short person. I have no idea what your politics is and if you are liberal beautiful person, that is ok. I am an independent thinker on the conservative side. I have fond memories of you and Art Garfunkel using heavenly harmonies at the end of the folk era and transitioning to rock. It was a beautiful thing and your music is in my heart forever.

You penned a song in 1973, Kodachrome, that I confess I missed the importance of when it came out. Creative people can sometimes pull things out of the air. You and Bob Dylan were especially good at it. Today I can use my computer to do a forensic crawl through my musical past and I pay attention to the words now.

The first line of that song was revealing: “When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all.” Educators in our society have a captive audience and even then you seemed to have perceived that privilege was being abused. Worldviews were being imposed on students as far back as your song and your lack of education that hadn’t hurt you none, allowed you to see that.

Most attempts to reproduce your original lyrics miss the poetic license you used to coin a word, “remagination”, which means that memories are vividly colored in hues that were never really there. “Everything looks worse in black and white” was good, please stop changing it for apparent political correctness in your concerts.

There is a terrible plague of indoctrination in our educational system today and our society is in a state of chaos not seen since the 1960’s when you and Art were just getting started. Our colleges and universities have become recruiting centers for the overthrow of our way of life and kids are not getting a true picture of reality.

I will be forever in your debt for writing that song. It was so long ago but it captured the essence of a terrible misuse of our schools and the creeping socialism that drip, drip, drips like a leak that becomes a flood. If you listen to the angry music that is out there today you are probably as concerned as I am.

Thanks for listening.

Ray

I hope it's okay to bump your old thread in appreciation of Paul Simon. He was just on Howard Stern and I'll try to remember some things I found interesting

a. He sold his catalog. And does regret it but he didn't want his kids fighting about it when he is dead.
b. Interest rates were near zero back then so people were spending money on things like catalogs.
c. He love SNL.
d. I think he's with Eddie Brickel. Young bohemians?
e. Art was a pain in his ass. Always making movies. Simon was the one with all the songs. They told him he was making a mistake going solo. Now you listen to his body of work and WOW did he do well on his own.
f. He wrote a song that got him on American Bandstand when he was in highschool. Great song writer.

Some people can write songs. Some can sing. Some can play an instrument. Very few can do all three.