Paul+Simon


 * Conner Domaleski**

"Paul Simon Biography." //Bio.com //. A&E Networks Television. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.
 * Biography:** Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941 in New Jersey. His mother was an English teacher and his father was both a bandleader and a teacher. Simon moved to Queens, New York and met Art Garfunkel. The two went to separate colleges as Simon attended Queens College while Garfunkel attended Columbia University. The two singers would later reunite and go on to be one of the best musical duos of all time. Simon and Garfunkel released their first album as "Simon and Garfunkel" in 1964. Because it was not a large success Simon went solo on his next album and although including songs on his new album that are now hits, he still had very little success. It was not until 1966 when Simon and Garfunkel release the album "The Sound of Silence" and it became an immediate success. Things only got better in 1968 when the duo released an album for the movie //The Graduate// which featured songs such as "Scarborough Fair" and "Mrs. Robinson" making it an instant classic. Paul Simon pursued a solo career in 1972 after duo split up and continued to write and sing beautiful poetic works. He currently has thirteen Grammy awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was the first ever to receive the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He is currently wed to his third wife Edie Brickell and continues to be viewed as one of the greatest musical artists of all time.

"The Sound Of Silence" //1// Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again, Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping, //5// And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence. In restless dreams I walked alone Narrow streets of cobblestone, //10// 'Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light That split the night //15// And touched the sound of silence. And in the naked light I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more. People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, //20// People writing songs that voices never share And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence. "Fools," said I, "You do not know.   Silence like a cancer grows.    //25// Hear my words that I might teach you.    Take my arms that I might reach you." But my words like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence And the people bowed and prayed //30// To the neon god they made. And the sign flashed out its warning In the words that it was forming. And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls   And tenement halls    //35// And whispered in the sounds of silence."
 * Analysis:** The first couple of lines of the poem help illustrate the theme for the poem, set the tone, and is even an example of an apostrophe. Simon is demonstrating that he is left to talk to nothing but the darkness because no one will listen to him. Simon’s next lines (3-7) speak of a dream he has that has left a lasting impression on him. These lines contain a personification as the vision is “softly creeping” and planting seeds within his brain.

Simon’s next verse in lines 8-15 go on to describe the powerful dream he had. It provides great imagery in speaking of “narrow streets of cobblestone” and again provides a personification when he tells of the flash of a neon light being so bright that it stabbed his eyes and touched the sound of silence. The imagery provided in this verse evoke the same sense of loneliness given off in the first verse. The tone is dreary and lonely.

The next verse, lines 16-22, show that this dream Simon is writing about is less of a dream and more of an epiphany. The diction in this verse is magnificent as words like “naked” depict the raw exposure as to what he is seeing. He goes on to talk of “people talking without speaking, people hearing without listening.” These lines are powerful in more ways than one. They obviously convey to the listener what the man has scene in his epiphany but they also are meant to describe what culture has become. Talking without speaking refers to the meaningless things coming out of society’s mouth, signifying that yes we are talking, but our words carry no real emotion or significance. The same can be said of hearing without listening; our ears are not void of sound, but we make no attempt to understand or decipher what is spoken to us. In the next line, “People writing songs that voices never shared” helps to support the true theme of the poem, submission. Silence is a metaphor for submission and is supported in this line by the fact that people are creating and writing songs, but never truly communicating their creations with others. The final two lines of this verse though, have the largest impact on the song. The fact that Simon uses the word “dared” he is implying that people are aware of this submission, but no one dares to escape it. The submission can truly be submission to whatever the listener best relates to, but for me, it is the submission to the status quo of society. It helps demonstrate that everyone has their own ideas but no one dares to be different, instead they silently give in to what the world wants them to be.

The next verse, lines 23-28, demonstrate Simon’s attempts to save people from conforming to the world. He writes, “Silence like a cancer grows” to show that this submission to who and what the world wants you to be will only grow like a cancer if it is not cured. In the next lines he urges society to hear his words and take his hand that he would share his epiphany with the world. The tone is one of desperation and he is imploring the people to listen and be saved from what they do not know will only grow like a cancer inside of them. The tone quickly changes from one of desperation to despair as his attempts to warn the people “like silent raindrops fell and echoed in the whelms of silence.” These lines signify his pointless and unsuccessful attempts to save society.

The final verse of the song helps bring Simon’s message home. The first lines are powerful as they suggest society’s dedication to submitting themselves is so strong that it is as if they are submitting to a god. Lines 33-35 contain much allusion and foreshadowing. “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls” alludes to the Bible, more specifically Daniel 5:5. This is of extreme importance because Daniel 5:5 tells of the Babylonians who experienced a strange writing on the wall which ultimately was used to signify God’s punishment of the Babylonians for worshipping things other than He. This “writing on the wall” concept may also be used to demonstrate that the truth is right in front of the people (the writing is on the wall), but they are too blind to see it. Simon also strategically writes that the words were written on subway walls and tenement halls. This is important as both these places signify the poor and poverty. This is used to signify that the rich are too stuck in their wealth and ignorance to see the doom that is coming, only the poor can see it, but ironically, have no voice to warn the rich.

This song is a magnificent piece of art as it opened my eyes to the beauty of Paul Simon’s writing and to modern culture. It carries a beautifully dreadful tone that tells of how culture is too interested in itself and impressing others that it is blind to see what really matters and too scared to try and break the status quo. However, my favorite part of the work was the incredible irony that was the sound of silence. The people where so invested in conforming to society that there was no longer any meaning or emotion behind anything. Although many were talking, it was just white noise, and therefore, silence. The only possible help for these conformed people to turn from their ways was the poor who, looking from the outside in, saw the pattern of conformity society was creating. The problem is, the poor have no voice, they are too silenced too disturb the sound of silence.

"The Sounds of Silence: An Amateur Analysis." //The Liberal Arts in Singapore //. 2012. Web. 08 Feb. 2016. "Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence." //Genius //. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

**"I Am A Rock"** //1// A winter's day In a deep and dark December; I am alone, Gazing from my window to the streets below //5// On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow. I am a rock, I am an island. I've built walls, A fortress deep and mighty, //10// That none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. It's laughter and it's loving I disdain. I am a rock, I am an island. //15// Don't talk of love, But I've heard the words before; It's sleeping in my memory. I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died. If I never loved I never would have cried. //20// I am a rock, I am an island. I have my books And my poetry to protect me; I am shielded in my armor, //25// Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me. I am a rock, I am an island. And a rock feels no pain; //30// And an island never cries.
 * Analysis:** The poem begins by giving off a theme of isolation and loneliness. Simon writes, “A winter’s day, in a deep and dark December, I am alone.” These lines create imagery and give off a dark and cold tone to the listener. They also include an alliteration with the phrase “deep and dark December.” The following lines once again contain alliteration in both “freshly fallen” and “silent shroud of snow.” The fact that he is “gazing from my window” shows a sense of longing. He then continues to describe untouched fresh snow which supports his claim that he is alone because if he had visitors or company the snow would not be perfectly untouched. He is deserted. And he finally states, “I am a rock, I am an island.” These metaphors extend throughout the poem and mean that he is as a rock, hard to breakthrough and inanimate. He is also as island which suggests he is separate from society and wishes to only be alone.

The following verse is one used to describe the hurt felt by author and how he has made himself impenetrable. It takes a tone of isolation and hurt. Simon begins by telling of a fortress he’s barricaded himself in, one that has walls and cannot be penetrated. This is to describe how he has made himself a rock. He has endured so much hardship and pain that to prevent any further unwanted emotions he has blocked himself out of the world. His next lines are, “I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain, its laughter and its loving disdain.” These lines clearly demonstrate why he has made himself to be an island removed from the world. Because he has been hurt by the world and by relationships with others, he refuses to partake in those things anymore. Even more though, he despises these things and is almost jealous of how happy they are but how abusive they were to him.

The next verse takes on a more vulnerable tone as the author tells why he is avoiding his emotions and shutting himself away from the world. He writes, “Don’t talk of love, well I’ve heard the words before, it’s sleeping in my memory.” This goes to show that the author didn’t always act how he does now. He has vague memories of love. He goes on to say that he won’t disturb the slumber of what has died. This is where the vulnerability is seen because if the feelings truly have died then speaking of love would have no effect on him. We know these feelings are in fact not dead because even in the line before this one he admits the feelings are only in slumber. His final line of this verse is, “If I never loved, I never would have cried.” This statement demonstrates the regret he has for opening himself up to others. He knows that had he not loved, he would not have been hurt. So he simply refuses to love or be loved any longer.

In the fourth verse Simon takes on a cowardice type tone and shares how he has allowed himself to be such an island for so long. He tells of his books and poetry which serve to protect him. These things are the armor that shields his mind and keeps him preoccupied. Instead of feeling pain and reminiscing he simply occupies his mind with literature. “Hiding in my room, safe within my womb, I touch no one and no one touches me.” These lines obviously signify the physical gap he has in keeping away from others but it also shows the mental gap. Not only does no one physically touch him but he refuses to even allow his mind to be tainted with the idea of love. His mind and body are hidden away and fortified.

His final two lines state, “A rock feels no pain, and an island never cries.” These metaphors demonstrate the benefits he feels he has by living in solitude. He will no longer feel pain and will never again cry. These last lines and the poem in general have a heartbreaking tone to them. Although he will no longer feel any pain he is also void of any happiness. He feels no emotion and therefore really is like an inanimate rock. These two lines beautifully close his conceit and summarize the poems themes of solitude and depression. "Simon & Garfunkel – I Am A Rock." //Genius //. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

**"Scarborough Fair / Canticle"** Are you going to Scarborough Fair: Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there. She once was a true love of mine. //5// On the side of a hill in the deep forest green. Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested brown. Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain Sleeps unaware of the clarion call. Tell her to make me a cambric shirt: //10// Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; Without no seams nor needle work, Then she'll be a true love of mine. On the side of a hill a sprinkling of leaves. Washes the grave with silvery tears. //15// A soldier cleans and polishes a gun. Sleeps unaware of the clarion call. Tell her to find me an acre of land: Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; Between the salt water and the sea strand, //20// Then she'll be a true love of mine. War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions. General order their soldiers to kill. And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten. Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather: //25// Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; And gather it all in a bunch of heather, Then she'll be a true love of mine. Scarborough Fair/Canticle Analysis:

The song Scarborough Fair/Canticle is an anti-war song, specifically the Vietnam War, which was created by mixing together a poem about love and a poem about war. Each line of the poem Scarborough Fair has the same second and fourth lines that are, “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” as well as, “then she’ll be a true love of mine.” Both of these lines help contribute to the ABAB rhyme scheme of the poem. Also, “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” serves to represent feelings as parsley is comfort, sage is strength, rosemary is love, and thyme is courage. Each stanza of the poem Scarborough Fair (after the first stanza) offers a separate impossible task for the man’s lover to complete in order for her to be a true lover of his. From lines 9 to 12 in the poem the task is for her to make him a cambric shirt but without using any seams or needles, clearly a feat that cannot be accomplished. The other tasks include finding and reaping an acre of land between the salt water and the sea strand, and gathering it into a bunch of heather. I believe Paul Simon included these impossible tasks in order to symbolize his views of fighting the Vietnam War. He was possibly attempting to convey that although we might win this war, we as one nation cannot totally stop the spread of communism, just like someone cannot make a shirt without seams or needles.

The second piece of the song is the poem Canticle which helps really drive in the anti-war sentiment of it. The verses of Canticle are heartfelt and focus on the tragedy of war. This is obvious with lines such as, “Washes the grave with silvery eyes. A soldier cleans and polishes his gun” (lines 14-15). The most powerful verses in Canticle, however, are found in lines 22-23 where the author writes, “Generals order their soldiers to kill. And to fight for a cause they’ve long ago forgotten.” This verse sums up Simon’s intent on creating the song; young men are being forced to fight for a cause many of them do not support.

Through beautifully crafting together a hopeless love poem and a devastating poem of war, Simon's song accomplishes its purpose of condemning the Vietnam War. With imagery used in Canticle to invoke harsh feelings of war, and symbolism used in Scarborough Fair to represent emotions and unattainable goals, Paul Simon's song will always be a wonderful anti-war cry.

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle by Simon & Garfunkel Songfacts." //Scarborough Fair / Canticle by Simon & Garfunkel Songfacts //. Web. 14 Feb. 2016. "History: Vietnam War." //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">- City of Albuquerque //<span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

**"Bridge Over Troubled Water"**

When you're weary, feeling small When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all...all...   I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough And friends just can't be found //5// Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down When you're down and out //10// When you're on the street When evening falls so hard I will comfort you (ooh) I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes And pain is all around //15// Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Sail on silver girl //20// Sail on by   Your time has come to shine All your dreams are on their way See how they shine Oh, if you need a friend //25// I'm sailing right behind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind Paul Simon’s work, Bridge Over Troubled Water, tells of the love and loyalty one friend has for another. The song is extremely relatable because it seems as if everyone has someone or something in their life that they see as their bridge over troubled water. Whether it is a positive item such as a friend, a significant other, or a religious figure or a negative one such as drugs, alcohol, etc., everyone has something that they take comfort in.
 * Analysis:**

In the first stanza Simon talks as if he is speaking to a friend and comforting him. He offers his companionship even when no other friends can be found when he writes, “I’m on your side, oh, when times get rough and friends just can’t be found.” However, his most powerful piece of imagery comes in the chorus when he says, “Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down.” That statement finishes both the first and second stanzas and is powerful because it produces an image of raging waters and troubles that seem far below and out of reach, all because a friend helped you overcome them.

The second stanza continues the same sad but uplifting tone as the first. It again speaks of one friend who is there for another in his time of need. Here Simon writes of darkness and pain but continues to demonstrate love by allowing his companion to know that he is not alone. Here he even states, “I’ll take your part, oh, when darkness comes and pain is all around.” So he not only is willing to lay himself down for his friend, but he is willing to share in his hardships and pain.

The last stanza is truly beautiful and completes the song perfectly. This stanza takes a totally different tone as his friend is no longer in pain or suffering, but is now living happily. Yet Simon sticks by his friend’s side and encourages him, “Sail on silver girl, sail on by. Your time has come to shine.” The beautiful thing about this stanza is that although he has been there for his friend through his darkest times, he takes no credit for that and asks for no repayment. I get a Godly image when I hear the last stanza. I picture God who asks for no repayment for what he offers us but simply smiles at us and truly wants us to be happy. When I think of a friend sailing right behind me and there to ease my mind, it gives me the image of God who is there for me and will never leave me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderfully crafted poem that promoted happy thoughts and feelings. It was totally relatable and made me think of many friends that I knew where like a bridge over troubled water for me. I believe Simon may have been writing this with Garfunkel in mind, but truly I think he hoped to inspire others and bring happiness to whoever may hear the song. <span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Simon and Garfunkel." //<span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Music as Literature //<span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.