Paul Simon once picked out his perfect setlist
Paul Simon has been crafting hit songs since his pre-teen years. He first wrote music for himself and his childhood friend turned bandmate, Art Garfunkel, as they built a folk rock legacy together under the name Simon and Garfunkel. Later, Simon showcased his talents as a solo artist, pushing the boundaries of genre with his iconic Graceland album. Along the way, he created some of the grooviest and greatest compositions of all time.
Picking out your favourite Simon song, then, can be a difficult task. Some people might take the easy route and go for the big hitters, for the endlessly catchy ‘You Can Call Me Al’ or the gorgeous ‘Graceland’. Others might show off their knowledge of Simon’s catalogue with a deeper cut. Fans of Simon in his folk years might name the iconic ‘Mrs. Robinson’ or the melancholic ‘The Sound of Silence’.
Even Simon struggles to pick out a favourite from his catalogue. The songwriter selected his perfect live setlist during an interview with Stephen Colbert, spanning songs from across his solo career and his time with Garfunkel. He kicked things off with the legendary title track from his 1986 record, ‘Graceland’.
A bold and bouncy example of Simon’s growing worldbeat influences, ‘Graceland’ seems like the perfect opening song choice, guaranteed to warm any crowd up. It’s also one of the finest examples of Simon’s adept lyricism, charting a restorative journey to Graceland following a break-up. “I’ve reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland,” Simon declares.
The songwriter also picked out another of his signature solo tracks in ‘Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard’. The song saw Simon returning to more folk-infused stylings, pairing bright strums with more simple storytelling. It featured on Simon’s self-titled record in 1972, which also spawned another pick on his list: ‘Mother and Child Reunion’.
‘Mother and Child Reunion’ served as the opening track on Paul Simon, pulling new reggae influences into Simon’s sound. Lyrically, the song charts longing for a parental reunion and simultaneous attempts to avoid false hope. It’s a reflective pick that shows off a different side to Simon’s solo writing.
Simon included two more solo offerings in his dream setlist – ‘Late In The Evening’ from 1980’s One-Trick Pony, which pairs pulsing percussion with tales of acapella groups and girls on stoops, and ‘Still Crazy After All These Years’, the opening track from his album of the same name. This is perhaps the most subdued pick from his solo career.
When it came to his work with Simon and Garfunkel, the songwriter stuck to the hits. He picked out ‘The Sound of Silence’, the duo’s melancholic tale of restless dreams and silent raindrops from 1964. ‘The Boxer’, a slightly later offering from the duo, also made an appearance on his list. With twangy guitars and warm vocals, it’s yet another demonstration of the pairing’s command over folk rock.
With a list that ranges from Simon and Garfunkel classics to groovy experimentations with genre to more sombre solo tracks, Simon seems to have nailed the perfect setlist. If you’re still struggling to pick out your favourite works from his discography, the list below might be a good place to start.
