S is especially for Paul Simon

Saturday 16th November

He was the creative force, the writer, the singer who had an edge to his voice, the one who had something to say – in Simon and Garfunkel.  He was also quite brave, discarding Art at the height of both their fame and critical approval.  And over here the Beatles had just split, so we hardly noticed this other break-up across the Atlantic.

In a few months Paul had a new album out, and boy was it different.  Far more edgy, some reggae tunes in there, a duet with violinist Stefan Grapelli; every track was different.  It was as if there had been an outpouring of frustrated musicality, a release which kept on coming, at least for a few albums.

And then we had Hearts and Bones, possibly at this point his best collection of songs.  Art and he had had some sort of a reconciliation and Art had recorded his vocals for the record.  At the last minute Paul told him by phone that Art’s vocals had been wiped and it would now be a Paul Simon record again.

The album didn’t do that well, and Paul new he had to be daring.  He went to South Africa and sought out new unknown musicians, and brought the exciting sounds of township jive to the West.  Combined with his cool vocals and witty urbane lyrics it was the biggest success imaginable.  Not without his critics, I believe in his inclusive way he did more to open up South Africa (still gripped with Apartheid) than those artists who boycotted it.

Since then, a series of albums of diminishing returns.  Some good songs, but it seems Paul has lost that excitement with music he once had.  One last vote of confidence for an album, of a musical he spent seven years writing, The Capeman, which was a total flop on Broadway.  But he recorded the songs, with a few singers, and actually it is rather brilliant.

Every new record I buy, just hoping he has made a winner again.  I am still waiting.

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