The Paul Simon song he never figured out: “Didn’t make any difference to me”
Paul Simon is arguably one of the greatest songwriters ever to commit words to a rhythm. He and Art Garfunkel, together, were a creative force to be reckoned with, one that is no doubt given its flowers but that also feels slightly undermined at times. When you consider the size of the crowds the two were playing for and the fact that so many of their listens are still cited as classics today, it’s hard to deny the two legendary status.
When you think about the plethora of songs that Paul Simon is responsible for, a variety of emotions come to mind. He has always been able to talk about things real and fictional, abstract and with a narrative attached. This is a gift, although it’s one that sometimes comes with catches, as fans are often read looking for meaning in a song where there shouldn’t be any.
This isn’t anything new in music, of course. A lot of songs and albums are often misunderstood because fans are too quick to question them or consider the deeper meaning that may be attached to them. Alternatively, some people might take a song at face value when, in fact, there is another meaning hidden beneath the surface that needs to be explored.
For instance, Bruce Springsteen’s hit ‘Born in the USA’ is often misunderstood as blind patriotism, and it has certainly been adopted by people to mean as much. It will get played at rallies and have people waving American flags and singing at the top of their lungs when, in fact, the track was a criticism of the poor way soldiers were treated during the Vietnam War.
In a similar vein, many people hear Joy Division’s song ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and get excited about dancing to it, given how upbeat and playful the instrumental is. However, the lyrics are incredibly dark, with a hidden meaning that pertains to themes of depression and epilepsy. It’s one that people don’t read into enough.
In Paul Simon’s case, one of his songs was a track that people read into a bit too much. On the track ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’, Simon sings about a woman (mama) who saw something that triggered a response, which saw her run to the police. It is never explicitly said what the mama sees, and when people have turned to Paul Simon with their theories, asking for clarification, it’s not something he has ever figured out himself.
“I have no idea what it is,” said Simon when he was asked what the mama in the song saw. “Something sexual I imagine,” he continued, “but when I say ‘something’, I never bothered to figure out what it was. Didn’t make any difference to me.”
