Paul Simon at the Prudential Center, Newark, NJ - September 15, 2018
Simon also told a bit of a story about another song just a little later as well. Before actually playing it, he said that he had a strange and strained relationship with this song. After writing it, he mused that he said to himself, 'Well, that's better than what I usually do.' But he wound up giving it away, and although he rarely played it at his own concerts, he did do so occasionally, giving his own kind of unique spin and interpretation of it. But since this was his final, farewell tour, he felt that maybe it was time to reclaim it, in a way. And then he performed it, which wound up being "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," which is most famously sung by Simon's former partner, Art Garfunkel. This night's rendition of the song, with Simon indeed lending it a different feel, was quite nice as well. It truly is a great song, and a wonderful addition to his concerts this time around.
Simon discussed something before going into another song, which wound up being "Question for the Angels," as well. He said that he had been wearing the hat that he showed the crowd, which was a white cap with half of the letter E, representing the Half-Earth, or more specifically, the Half-Earth Foundation. It was to honor renowned scientist Edward O. Wilson, who Simon suggested had an inspiring vision of how we could still make the Earth a paradise again for future generations. Wilson lays out his vision, or plan, if you will, in a book titled "Half Earth," which Simon recommended we read. He believed in it, although he noted the difficult challenges that stand in the way. But he believes that it is a hopeful message for the future, and dedicated "Question for the Angels" to examining these things that he was talking about. Simon also mentioned that he had donated all of the profits from his last tour to the Half-Earth Foundation. He urged us to Google it, and the book, which I will be doing soon after finishing the post and publishing it. Please consider doing the same, if you get a chance.
Later, during the show, Simon addressed these same kinds of issues, asking the audience, "Strange times, huh?" The audience responded in the affirmative, and Simon let a bit of time pass, before simply saying, "Don't give up." A beautiful reminder not to lose hope during an era when sometimes things do indeed seem, or feel, hopeless. I know that I could use a reminder every now and then.
Maybe some people find it corny, or unrealistic, or the domain of environmental wackos and libtards, of which I guess I must be included. But yes, I do believe, as apparently does Paul Simon, that a better world is possible. Hell, it sometimes feels like we could hardly do worse, given the indeed strange times that we live in, and the rush of absurd headlines that can easily make us lose hope. It was nice to hear that a great and thoughtful songwriter like Paul Simon also still believes that we can, and should, aim to do better. I, for one, intend to read this book, upon the recommendation of Paul Simon.
Okay, back to the music, to the concert. He played most of the songs that you would expect him to play, with the notable exception of "Cecilia," which quite a few people in our section were requesting. But otherwise, this was more or less the concert I was expecting, with the songs that Simon is best known for. He played a long time, too - almost three hours! A terrific night of great music, shared with my son. Very memorable and enjoyable, and memories for a lifetime!
Setlist for Paul Simon at the Prudential Center in Newark, September 15, 2018 (taken from setlist.fm link for this specific concert: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/paul-simon/2018/prudential-center-newark-nj-2be98cb2.html):
America (Simon & Garfunkel song)
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
The Boy in the Bubble
Dazzling Blue
That Was Your Mother
Rewrite
Mother and Child Reunion
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
Can't Run But
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel song)
Wristband
Spirit Voices
The Obvious Child
Questions for the Angels
The Cool, Cool River
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
You Can Call Me Al
Encore:
Late in the Evening
Still Crazy After All These Years
Graceland
Encore 2:
Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song)
Kodachrome
The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel song)
American Tune
The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song)
As clichΓ© as it is to describe someone as "one of the all-time greats", he truly is one of the most unique and gifted singer-songwriters of this or any other era. I very much enjoy his solo material – which at this point represents the large majority of his repertoire – but Simon and Garfunkel's songs in particular have always had a special place in my heart. I've loved their beautiful vocal harmonies and arrangements – combined with Paul Simon's exceptional talent as a lyricist – since childhood. Along with the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Jacques Brel and Georges Moustaki, there's a timelessness and a poignancy there that have been the backdrop of my life so to speak for about as long as I can remember. The list is longer than that – I don't mean to suggest those five artists are the only ones who've had such an impact on me. But they're examples of musicians who have crafted countless songs that just make me think "Wow". Songs that in my estimation are so great that any attempt on my part to put that greatness into words inevitably falls flat. So yes, Happy Birthday Paul Simon.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. He is sometimes overlooked, in terms of musical greatness. Everyone knows the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and to a lesser degree, Zep or Floyd
DeleteBut some people don't even know who Simon is, let alone his work which, as you mentioned, stands proudly among the great works. I also love Simon & Garfunkel, and much of his solo career. But to me, Graceland really does stand apart. It is a truly great album, possibly the best of the eighties. I love it for nostalgic reasons, but also because it is musical genius. He has other great albums and works, but I think he was right when he said that Graceland was when he peaked.