During his distinguished career….Paul Simon has been the recipient of many honors and awards….which includes 12 Grammy Awards….while three of which….“Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Still Crazy After All These Years” and “Graceland”….were albums of the year. In 2003 he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel. He is a member of The Songwriters Hall of Fame….a recipient of their Johnny Mercer Award….and is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame….as a member of Simon and Garfunkel ….and as a solo artist. His song “Mrs. Robinson” from the motion picture “The Graduate” was named in the top ten of The American Film Institute’s 100 Years 100 Songs. He was a recipient of The Kennedy Center Honors in 2002….and was named as one of Time Magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006. In 2007, Simon was awarded the first annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song….which was named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin….as this newly created award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture….and is given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwin’s. In 2011, Paul Simon was elected to The American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Of Simon’s many concert appearances…..he is most fond of the two concerts in Central Park in New York ….with his partner and childhood friend Art Garfunkel in 1981…..and as a solo artist in 1991….and the series of shows he did at the invitation of Nelson Mandela in South Africa….as the first American artist to perform in post-apartheid South Africa. In 1998, his performance on center field at Yankee Stadium celebrating the unveiling of Joe DiMaggio’s monument is a treasured memory for this lifelong Yankee’s fan.
In this video herewith…..Paul Simon sings You’re King in 1978 as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live…..as the words to the song really do express the song writing genius of this American treasure as follows:
You’re kind
You’re so kind
You rescued me when I was blind
And you put me on your pillow
When I was on the wall
You’re so kind
So kind
So kind
And you’re good
You’re so good
You introduced me to you
neighborhood
Seems like I ain’t never had
so many friends before
That’s because you’re good
You’re so good
Why you don’t treat me like
the other humans do
Is just a mystery to me
It gets me agitated when I think that
You’re gonna love me now indefinitely
So goodbye,goodbye
I’m gonna leave you now
And here’s the reason why
I like to sleep with the window open
And you keep the window closed
So goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
