Summer is the great nostalgia time. On go all my Greatest Hits CDs from faves in their graves - Gene Pitney being one, Buddy Holly another and the wonderful Roy Orbison (called the best singer of all time by none other than Presley) being the third (see the thread on recently purchased CD's).

I found a Paul Simon compilation in a pile of CDs at home which must have been put together by someone with similar taste to me (except for some very odd missing titles like You Can Call Me Al and most of the Gracelands era).

Included was a brilliant live version of Still Crazy After All These Years (I normally hate live versions) with a stunning sax solo.

Just as I was thinking "this is a very JK compilation" - example, second track, Cecilia, which I actually covered, a lesser known masterpiece normally relegated to very low in the listings if at all - and "I do hope they have included my favourite Paul Simon track but I bet they haven't" - it was not that big - when on it came.

American Tune.

Paul's masterpiece.

I was lucky enough to spend time with Paul on several occasions (never met Holly, Pitney, Orbison or, for that matter, Dylan, though did meet and chat to the great Leonard). But I don't think I ever told him how much I love American Tune.

In my all time top ten.

Actually, thinking about it, I suspect the compilation was BEFORE the Gracelands era (AL was around then wasn't it?).

I think Al was the first Gracelands single.

Yes that seems to be the case and this does appear to be a 50's, 60's, 70's compilation.

But isn't Paul Simon right up there with the Dylans and Cohens of this world?

And didn't he deserve to be amongst the Guardian's Great Lyricists list?

Incidentally, so should have been Noel Coward.

He is one of the greats, but there has always been something about his work that does not quite put there for me.

Difficult to explain why I feel this, I just feel that he does not have the same amount of grit in his work that the others mentioned do.
You can`t argue with millions of records sold though

Bridge Over troubled Water is one of the best songs of all time, however not even vaguely near the greatest lyric. One great line and a few supporting couplets which , I`m pretty sure buskers change around and nobody notices.

Don`t forget that there are some very nice Bono lyrics too and superb Costello lyrics, who should without a doubt be on the list incidently.

Actually, in fact there are no bad Costello lyrics at all thinking about it.
I could not even name my fave actually.

OK - Costello, so good I feel a new thread is needed.

My favourite Paul Simon solo song is "The Late Great Johnny Ace" from the Hearts and Bones album - the best and subtlest of all the Lennon tribute songs with an exquisite and moving string arrangement from Philip Glass.

Much as this is THE pop music board, conversations tonight (yes another do!....lol), moved to Jazz musicians.
I hated being brought up on Miles Davis and John Coltrane but my word do people still love them.
I try and try to get into this jazz stuff and have done for a lifetime, but it still is twiddling to me, although , obviously excellent in it`s genre.
Well worth mentioning John Mayall for cross over music in this thread that is probably more important than it seems in this century.

Blues+Jazz+songs+pop+rap.(a 30 year equation theory)