Season 264 - The Sounds of Simon



Hi Geoff! Excellent choice this week ... I LOVE Simon & Garfunkel. Please accept my humble offering; I would have done it more quickly and, hopefully, better, if we hadn't had a snowstorm, an all day power cut and a leaking hot water tank all at the same time (does anybody want to be us?) As it is, having chosen it, once power was restored, I wanted to get it up quickly before anyone else did it!
 
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This song was inspired by a September, 1964 road trip that Simon took with his girlfriend Kathy Chitty. Producer Tom Wilson had called Simon back to the United States to finalize mixes and artwork for their debut studio album, "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.". Simon was reluctant to leave Chitty, and invited her to come with him, forgetting the album and spending five days driving the country together.The song has been regarded as one of Simon's strongest songwriting efforts and one of the Simon and Garfunkel's best songs. It was written in 1966, started in Saginaw, Michigan, it was recorded in 1968. In my view it is Simon's best work. It contains no rhyme, just a beautiful melody and fantastic meter.

 
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So many songs we ALL love! Tommy, I wish we'd all been together to do this one as a groovy gaggle!
What great info on it on your excellent version, too. Tom Dowd! Should have been S&G&D to be fair.

 
I already know from previous experience that Paul Simon is one of those musicians who I just can't fake a cover of. If I can manage two more of his songs this week, it'll be a wonder.

 
Greetings,

Well I broke out the electric uke (not usually my friend) but the Bangles version of this Paul Simon song needed it. I tried to make it a bit more upbeat and rock like. Electronics .... still a work in progress. No time to make it pretty, work is all consuming these days.

PS: I have not mastered the reverb or electronics. Maybe it's not meant for me.

Ciao
Gina
 
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Prog and Simon?

Now that we've had two wonderful Seasonista takes on "America," I'll share this one, which is the first version I heard of the song. I thought it was funny that Yes was doing a Simon & Garfunkel number, but they did a lot of covers in their early years, and it's one of my favorite Yes recordings. It almost makes them sound like a jam band. This is one of their first recordings with Rick Wakeman, but you can find YouTube versions of this that they recorded before Wakeman joined the band. And they still play it occasionally, though with Bill Bruford retired and Steve Howe slowing down and Chris Squire no longer with us, it's just not the same. If you're into it, enjoy. If not, please move on. Thanks for your indulgence. (The quotes from "West Side Story" are pretty neat, if you ask me.)

 
Hey all :) I'm a huge fan of Simon. Garfunkel too. Wonderful harmonies and interesting songs. I've got something going on with my throat this week so I did my best on one short song. Here is the one I did this week and a link to a better version. Bonus links too for other Simon songs that don't count, just sharing for the week.


Here's the one I did for Season 100 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCfbrEbDiGM
Apparently I did another for Season 213.
Here is Sound of Silence as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8deguyCPAo
This one turned out good...Under African Skies...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW5arduS1Y4
Wish I could add more to the week but with my voice it's not gonna happen.
 
hendulele said:
Prog and Simon?

Now that we've had two wonderful Seasonista takes on "America," I'll share this one, which is the first version I heard of the song. I thought it was funny that Yes was doing a Simon & Garfunkel number, but they did a lot of covers in their early years, and it's one of my favorite Yes recordings. It almost makes them sound like a jam band. This is one of their first recordings with Rick Wakeman, but you can find YouTube versions of this that they recorded before Wakeman joined the band. And they still play it occasionally, though with Bill Bruford retired and Steve Howe slowing down and Chris Squire no longer with us, it's just not the same. If you're into it, enjoy. If not, please move on. Thanks for your indulgence. (The quotes from "West Side Story" are pretty neat, if you ask me.)

Click to expand...


I've been working on a shortened version of this for the last couple of days.
 
This is such a beautiful song- thanks for bringing it back up Tootler. I had not heard it since I was a kid, but I reckon it is in my wheelhouse. I hope I didn't screw it up.
 
And here's your kitchen session. Looks like that is me for the season...Dang it. Tons of fun Geoff- off to see what you all are doing out there ;)
 
Here's a take on the Yes version of "America". The Yes version got a little airplay back in the day -- nothing on "Close to the Edge" made for a good single, so they released a shortened version of "America" as a single, and it went to #46 in the U.S.

If you want a more obscure take on Simon, I have an album called "dig?" by The Coolies. All of the songs on the album are weird takes on Paul Simon tunes, like a dirge version of "Feelin' Groovy" and a cowpunk "Cecilia", except for a cover of Paul Anka's "Having My Baby".

 
There's been some beaut versions of this one done already so I've jumped on the bandwagon with a bash at a short fingerstyle version...........

 
uke4ia said:
Here's a take on the Yes version of "America". The Yes version got a little airplay back in the day -- nothing on "Close to the Edge" made for a good single, so they released a shortened version of "America" as a single, and it went to #46 in the U.S.

If you want a more obscure take on Simon, I have an album called "dig?" by The Coolies. All of the songs on the album are weird takes on Paul Simon tunes, like a dirge version of "Feelin' Groovy" and a cowpunk "Cecilia", except for a cover of Paul Anka's "Having My Baby".

Click to expand...


Savor this one, gang.
 
"Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" (1982) - a fine song with more notes than I can handle. Still tried. :)
 
There's nothing in the rules that says the host can't pop the odd one or two in.

Off S & G's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme Album. Paul Simon wasn't happy with this song in the end, thinking it "pretentious" but I've always liked its description of a relationship gone stale and I sing it out from time to time.
 
I usually try and get my song done on Tuesday when I have the house to myself but that didn't happen this week. However, it did give me more time to practice and Im pretty please with this one rather than my rushed covers.

 
I think I've managed to comment on everyone's entry to here. I found I had missed at least one entry off the playlist. Please check your entry is on the playlist and if it isn't either PM me or you can add it yourself. If I've missed your entry and not commented then PM me and I'll take a listen. All omissions are purely accidental.

I've been enjoying the entries so far. A good mix of many of PS's well known songs and a few of his less well known ones as well. Keep them coming.

At this stage in the week, it's time to open up and let those who want to bring more than three entries bring them along. Please stick to songs written or co-written by Paul Simon and not covers, though.
 
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