Armitage_Shankburn wrote:

Reg knows. It's a corquer of a song. Heard it in a ravey electro club and it still killed. Heard it in a hotel band and even though it morphed into a bad 00s tune it still was ace.

https://youtu.be/KHxeM1hQOSc

The hotel band segued into Babylon by that dude, that was the tune. Still didn't ruin diamonds into the soles of her shoes/you can cal me al

I saw Graceland live in Dublin. Ladysmith Black Mombasa are quite a sight live. Diamonds was a highlight with a ludicrous bongo solo.

Fuck....mid 80s.

And my second to papa moot.  I've only seen him twice since the start of lockdown one.  This is how he eventually rolled up to my 10yr old niece's birthday party: 

I ran your idea for the book 'Things Nigel Left Behind' (working title additional: A Dead Budgie and a Live Grenade) past him and he absolutely loved it.

Growing up between the ages of 3-7 my dad fancied himself as a bit of a folk guitarist and instead of stories before bedtime I was serenaded to sleep by the Mancunian Paul Simon on his childhood Flamed Birch Levin acoustic guitar. 

Looking back it was a total brainwashing, Flowers never bend in the rainfall, Only Living Boy in New York, American Tune, Duncan, The Boxer and my favourite, Slip Sliding Away. I actually remember listening to the original S&G version when I was older and being disappointed that it didn't sound the same.

This indoctrination / musical education went on throughout my Primary school years with his 70's brushed steel finished JVC separates system banging out the latest Paul Simon offering at 7am every morning. This was 1984-1990, so, Hearts and Bones, Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints were of the offering.

By secondary school I was fully on board with Paul and in my Third year our music teacher asked us to bring in our favourite song on tape and explain to the class what we enjoyed about it. So sandwiched between Oliver Stratton's Informer and James Helgason's Mr Vain I decided on The Boxer because I could talk about acoustic guitars, finger plucking and prostitution!  It /I got laughed out of the classroom, but I had broad enough shoulders to defend it, culminating in a bit of push and shove with Abid Chaudary who had the audacity to have chosen East 17 House of Love btw. It wasn't Alright and I had to let off some Steam.

So, by the time I could afford to buy my own CD's at 15, I went straight in with the two-disc Paul Simon Anthology which sounded great on my 400W dayglow Aiwa 3 disc multichanger and brought back some serious memories. I would really recommend this for anyone looking to get into his stuff as there is some lovely stuff on there from his solo years and does better than most of the Playlists on Spotify and Tidal.

There have been some great choices so far and I'm totally with Charlie with Hearts and Bones, it's just beautiful. 


So, here's my lot including some Simon & Garfunkel for good measure

Poem on The Underground Wall (S&G)
Demo version without Garfunkel is below, I think it is purer than the recorded version and you really get the rhythm of of an underground train coming through. Lyrically I think this is up there with his best work. 




Duncan 
This is one of those songs I heard when I was very young and accidentally reheard when I was at University. The wave of nostalgia that hit me when the violin comes in still gives me goose pimples. Love it. Video shows his voice still going stong into his 70's



Gumboots
There are so many good songs on Graceland, but it does suffer from over exposure. There are only a few songs that still sound fresh to me and Gumboots is one of them. Love the accordion riff that runs through it.




Bookends Theme Reprise (S&G)
When George Best died back in 2005, Soccer Saturday went to every commercial break playing this song to a montage of George. It was a really touching tribute that stuck with me.


Peace Like A River
Thinking back, 13 year old me should have chosen this song to show of Paul's acoustic guitaring finesse to my class mates over the Boxer. It is glorious, it's just a shame that there aren't many live versions that don't keep it stripped back like the original.



American Tune
Ok so my favourite and it's a personal choice as it brings back memories of my dad playing it to me. I think the melody is actually lifted from JS Bach song. I love the Statue of Liberty bridge section so much which was the abiding memory of the song back then.




He doesn't take himself too seriously either:


Other songs that should make a playlist: 
The Late Great Jonny Ace
Mother & Child Reunion 
Renee & Georgette Magritte with their Dog after the War
Born at The Right Time
Think too Much (A&B )
Obvious Child
Train in the Distance (Great song about the impacts of divorce) 
Kodachrome TM
Darling Lorraine
Fakin in (S&G)
Keep the Customer Satisfied (S&G)
Baby Driver (S&G)
America (S&G)
Kathy's Song (S&G)

Oh, and yes of course I sing my kids to bed!

Yup, nice work

Cheers chaps, enjoyed pulling it together, always nice to recollect your thoughts from childhood.

Enjoyed the Graceland cover Moot, it took me into a rabbit hole of shitness though, lots of terrible offerings.

This guy can seem to play all three guitar parts at once though which was pretty impressive:

ITS FUCKING AL

Calling it Al?

Thoroughly enjoyed everyone's posts on this one. 
My vote goes to Graceland for solo stuff, and The Boxer for S&G.

Leonard Cohen week is coming, but it can be delayed by alternate suggestions.

Done.

g.man wrote:

Who?

He said The Band

Chic, ah? Go!

Yeah so probs Everybody Dance innit.

A quick skim through Chicago’s greatest hits tells me that I’ve heard precisely two (2) of their songs.

Of those two, I probably prefer this one:



Mostly because the other one has been overplayed to the point where it feels more like a parody than a song to me.

I hope you all enjoyed my informed and highly useful contribution to this thread.