Simon's current marriage to Edie Brickell is his longest by far, of his three. However, the course of true love never does run smooth, and the couple had an argument in 2014 that-- largely due to the fact that they are a celebrity couple-- made headlines. To show the public that they were fine after this bump in the road, they released a duet titled "Like to Get to Know You." (Thanks to my readers for spotting this one!)
This simple, Everly Brothers-style song is about a longtime couple who, despite their years together, seem frustrated that they still don't know each other well. At first, this is a source of frustration-- how can this be? Yet, they re-frame it is a positive: Well, it'll be like a new relationship, then!
"You share my heart/ you share my kids and my dogs," one sings, "But I swear I don't know you at all." They other responds: "You see my face/ Every night, every day/ But I swear you don't see me at all."
Echoing the classic "They Can't Take That Away From Me," with its intimate, personal observations about the way the other wears a hat and holds a knife, they sing: "I know how you like your coffee/ I know how bad you drive."
Meanwhile, they see other couples "in the movie line" or they "check out people in the checkout line." Those other couples seem very comfortable in their intimacy. They are "holding hands and laughing," and "exchanging loving glances." Unlike this couple, who seem estranged.
Still, they "wouldn't trade places" with those couples, even so. Why not? "I'd like to get to know you again."
In the title track to his 2016 album, Stranger to Stranger, Simon wonders if they would have gotten together had they met now: "Stranger to stranger/ If we met for the first time... could you imagine us falling in love again?"
He answered this question, in a way, years before. In 2014, they each said "I don't know you at all," but that they'd "like to get to know" each other now.
What's the difference, really, if the "stranger"-- the person you "don't know at all"-- is someone you meet on the street... or in your own bedroom?
Next Song: Fast Car
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Whatever went wrong with the marriage, she seems very happy now to have been rescued from a rather dreary empty nest domestic situation and to be working again with Steve Martin. Lovely voice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting.
Elizabeth-- A whole book could be written about Simon's friendship with Lorne Michaels and the early SNL cast, as well as his association with the show. I am surprised there there is no DVD titled "SNL: Best of Paul Simon."
ReplyDeleteAnd it is a shame that this is what it took to get Simon and Brickell to record together, but at least they did. Let's hope it's not the last time, and the rest are for happier times.