There Goes Rhymin' Simon

Paul Simon

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: May 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002LBW
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #128,668 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Kodachrome

2. Tenderness

3. Take Me to the Mardi Gras

4. Something So Right

5. One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor

6. American Tune

7. Was a Sunny Day

8. Learn How to Fall

9. St. Judy's Comet

10. Loves Me Like a Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

In the early '70s, Paul Simon sounded old before his time: while his harder-rocking peers were hanging on to themes of youthful rebellion and romantic obsession, Simon, already a pop veteran who'd notched records since his teens, focused on the smaller details and defining quirks of real life. His second solo album finds him regarding the passage of time and the fragility of relationships with his usual mix of smart-aleck observations and gentler, more deeply felt melancholy. "Kodachrome" was a breezy delight upon its release that now sounds prescient in its backwards glance at myths of youth, "An American Tune" sustains its mood of graceful maturity against a Bach-inspired guitar arrangement that's still gorgeous, and "Something So Right" remains Simon's most luminous declaration of love. Actually produced in varied studios with shifting session bands (including the chameleons in the Muscle Shoals Sound section), the set also introduced the Roches and notched Simon's first plunge into gospel on "Loves Me Like A Rock." --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Album By Paul SImon Gone Solo!, August 30, 2000

By	Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This album represented Paul Simon's realization of his full abilities hinted to so well in the previous albums both with Simon and Garfunkel and then as a solo artist. This album provocatively showcases Simon's unique talents and creative interests with an eclectic, wide-ranging, and gorgeously produced solo effort. From the haunting rhythms and wry lyrics of "Kodachrome" to the tender and sensitive emotions expressed so well in "Something So Right", we sense more than a little autobiographical influence in all the songs. Simon's lyrical genius is displayed in spades here, from "American Tune" to "Learn How to Fall" to the joyous "Loves Me Like A Rock", and we can tell that this is an artist in full bloom and enjoying his singular ability to deliver a wide range of songs with a panorama of emotions and telling personal observations so artfully expressed that it is a wonder to listen to them. This is an album one must listen to appreciate, and the new directions Simon began with this album have now stretched out in a dozen or so albums and compilations. This is a terrific album for a man who had the courage and nerve to deliberately walk away from a phenomenally successful situation as half of Simon and Garfunkel to follow his own artistic heart. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Singer/Songwriter Excellence! One of the all-time best!, March 22, 2000

By	Bob Martinez (Brooksville, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Paul Simon has always been a thinking man's pop star. His ecletic tastes run the gamut from folk to jazz to rock. This is my favorite album of his, including everything he did with Garfunkel. His intelligence, sense of humor, production values and musicianship are of the highest order. This album features beautifully crafted songs like Something So Right, American Song, Take Me To The Mardi Gras, but really every song is great. The addition of the four-part gospel harmonies of The Dixie Hummingbirds add a poignant and almost sacred touch. Simon's acoustic guitar work is not that easy to figure out (he uses a lot of jazz-like chordings). A work of art in 1973, is still a work of art today!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the pocket, October 24, 2005

By	EugeSchu "be-bop" (WI USA) - See all my reviews

Along with the also heartfelt Hearts and Bones, one of Paul's
slightly overlooked records that was "in the pocket". So soft
and tender it can make you cry. Rubbed off the needle on the record player as the gentle melodies whirled into memories.