This song is more significant-- if at all-- for its music than its lyrics, which are either off-handed or half-hearted, depending on your level of generosity.
The bright spots are the inventive rhymes: "jungle/hungry," "write me/brighten," "sign/iodine." Also, the device of rhyming the end of one line with the middle of the next is quite clever.
Musically, the song hearkens back to earlier rock sounds while its loose ranginess looking forward to Simon's international explorations. And then the whole ending is rapped.
The notion that this song is aimed at Garfunkel-- that he left for Mexico and refused to get in touch from there-- seems hard to prove. First of all, he sings on the track itself. Second, the song is framed as a request for correspondence from a lover, not a friend.
The album is so strong overall that it is hard to fathom how this number crept in. It's not as if there weren't other fun songs included, such as "Baby Driver" and "Customer." And "Bye Bye Love" covers the duo as far as sending a salute to the sounds that inspired them.
Place this one in the column with "Groovey Thing" and "Pleasure Machine" as the sound of a songwriter having fun and blowing off creative steam.
Oh, and the title was "borrowed" from a doo-wop song by a group called The Jacks.
(I did not expect to be able to post an "Impact" for this song, but I just learned that Olivia Newton-John covered it. I had to listen to that. So I can, sadly, tell you that you don't have to.)
Next song: Song for the Asking
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Oh no I love this song! :(
ReplyDeleteCertainly Confused: As I said, you are not alone. The jazz-vocal ensemble New York Voices covers this song on their Songs of Paul Simon album. Taste is a highly personal thing.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong - this song is about Art Garfunkel. See pages 4 & 5 in his book & he talks about it (What is it all but Luminous). Why don’t you write me? Maybe I wanted to “sock it to him” why didn’t I write?
ReplyDeleteAnon-- It makes sense to read Garfunkel's take on things too, and that was a lapse of mine. There are, of course, at least two sides to every story, right?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Garfunkel saying he knew it was about himself only raises more questions.
You would find it hard to imagine a singer asking someone in the room why he doesn't communicate. I mean... he's right there.
And if Garfunkel hated the message of the song so much, why did he participate in it? Surely by this point he had some veto power over a song's inclusion on an album, or at least his own participation in it.
Lastly, If someone asks "Why don't you write? I miss you," isn't that a nice thing to say? If I left a friend in a huff, then came back and they said "Why didn't you call? I missed you," I would have one of two reactions: "Why? HERE's why!" or "Oh, I guess we ARE still friends. If he could let it go, maybe I can, too."
But I'm not gonna sing his song about me not writing to him.
If anything, I would explain why I felt I had to leave, and that I'm willing to recommit to the friendship-- if his behavior changes. I have done that in relationships: "I will take you back, but you have to tell me what is going to change."
This is a fun song. Musically brilliant. May I add that it is the only one in the BRIDGE album that I really like?
ReplyDeleteJose-- Thank you for your comment. And you may say that, but you're swimming against the tide. The title track has more than 200 covers, by some of the world's most popular artists; it is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. And almost 50 covered "The Boxer," which is also on this album.
ReplyDeleteI agree that neither of those songs is much "fun" as "Why Don't You Write..." but that "Cecilia," "Baby Driver," and "Keep the Customer Satisfied"-- all also on that album-- are even more fun that that.
Yes, taste is a highly personal thing, as you said above, Another Paul.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I am not a Bob Dylan fan but I prefer his cover on "The Boxer" (SELFPORTRAIT) than the original by S&G. Why? Because Dylan sounds more comparatively merry, more "light" than the famous S&G track. Dylan tries to put a little humour in it, in such a melancholy song as "The Boxer" is.
I think your blog is interesting and useful. It helps me to understand many of Paul Simon songs. You give a lot of information on the lyrics to those who, like me, are not native English speakers. A lot of small details on words, idioms...
Besides, Paul Simon writes in an allusive style, frequently. He tells us a few things, here and there. Like a puzzle. And you need to put all of those little pieces together to reach some meaning. And that is where your interpretations are often suggestive, whether we agree or not.
Jose-- First, let me say that I like speaking with people with whom I disagree; I find I learn a lot more from them then from those who already see things my way!
ReplyDeleteFor example, I will have to listen to Dylan's version of The Boxer (it's one of the few Dylan albums I don't have) and learn what he thinks about the song.
And thank you for the compliment. One of the main reasons I wrote the blog was to explain Simon's references and expressions to those too young to catch them. It did not occur to me that this would also help those for whom English is not a first language, but given that I did know Simon's audience is global, perhaps I should have!
I am glad that my blog has been helpful, as that was my main reason for writing it. Simon's melodies and phrasings can be appreciated for their aesthetic beauty, but there is a deeper level of appreciation I was hoping to help his listeners find. So thank you.
Now, someone please write a whole blog like this analyzing his music, so non-musicians like me can appreciate THAT for all its deeper layers!