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CD Description
Songwriter is a selection of songs, chosen by the composer in celebration of his 70th Birthday, as the best of his decades-long creative output. Some of these are well-known hits and others more obscure works, but all bear the distinct lyrical, melodic and rhythmic signature of Paul Simon, one of the great composers of popular song in the last 50 years.
Selecting the individual songs for Songwriter, from the hundreds he's written and recorded, presented Paul Simon an opportunity to reflect over the entirety of his career and showcase the individual songs best-exemplifying the high-points in his conversations with the muses, from his early work with Simon & Garfunkel through to his ruminations on the today's eternal now echoing across 2011's So Beautiful or So What. Songwriter includes an emotionally resonant rendition of "The Sound of Silence," from Simon's 2011 concert at New York's Webster Hall which has been previously unreleased until now.
Selecting the individual songs for Songwriter, from the hundreds he's written and recorded, presented Paul Simon an opportunity to reflect over the entirety of his career and showcase the individual songs best-exemplifying the high-points in his conversations with the muses, from his early work with Simon & Garfunkel through to his ruminations on the today's eternal now echoing across 2011's So Beautiful or So What. Songwriter includes an emotionally resonant rendition of "The Sound of Silence," from Simon's 2011 concert at New York's Webster Hall which has been previously unreleased until now.
Product Description
2CD .. Birthday Collection
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Jurg
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Every album of Paul Simon is followed by a compilation. But Songwriter isn't a greatest hits or a very best of! Although there are some big hits on it like "Mother and Child Reunion" and "Late in the Evening", some hits are missing: for instance "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" or "You Can Call Me Al"! If you want a greatest hits collection I advise you to buy "The Essential Paul Simon".
This is a selection of 32 songs chosen by Simon. More like "Hey man, I write songs and here are some of them I would like you to listen to." I'm not going to discuss what songs should be on it or not because I'm not Paul Simon. But a different version of some songs would make this collection a little bit stronger in my opinion!
It opens with "The Sound of Silence". A new unreleased version recorded live at Webster Hall in 2011. Ok, you got to throw a little bait for the collector! There's nothing wrong with that! "The Sound of Silence" is followed by "The Boxer" from the album "Paul Simon's Concert In The Park". (When are they going to release that show on DVD?)It's good but not great because nothing can beat the Simon and Garfunkel studio version. The third song is "Bridge Over Troubled Water". This is the Aretha Franklin version recorded in 1971. You will not hear Paul Simon or Art Garfunkel on it. Really? Can he put that in his own selection? ... Yes he can! Because "Bridge ..." has become so much more. It is now a traditional! And you really should listen to this. Soul dripping out of your speakers from the first second. So beautiful!
The other 29 songs are his well-known studio versions. But for me "American Tune" should have been the live one from "Paul Simons Greatest Hits, Etc". I still don't like the drums on the studio version. I'm sorry Paul but it should have been recorded without drums.
Songwriter has a beautiful booklet with all the lyrics, some pictures, a foreword and some additional information.
This is a selection of 32 songs chosen by Simon. More like "Hey man, I write songs and here are some of them I would like you to listen to." I'm not going to discuss what songs should be on it or not because I'm not Paul Simon. But a different version of some songs would make this collection a little bit stronger in my opinion!
It opens with "The Sound of Silence". A new unreleased version recorded live at Webster Hall in 2011. Ok, you got to throw a little bait for the collector! There's nothing wrong with that! "The Sound of Silence" is followed by "The Boxer" from the album "Paul Simon's Concert In The Park". (When are they going to release that show on DVD?)It's good but not great because nothing can beat the Simon and Garfunkel studio version. The third song is "Bridge Over Troubled Water". This is the Aretha Franklin version recorded in 1971. You will not hear Paul Simon or Art Garfunkel on it. Really? Can he put that in his own selection? ... Yes he can! Because "Bridge ..." has become so much more. It is now a traditional! And you really should listen to this. Soul dripping out of your speakers from the first second. So beautiful!
The other 29 songs are his well-known studio versions. But for me "American Tune" should have been the live one from "Paul Simons Greatest Hits, Etc". I still don't like the drums on the studio version. I'm sorry Paul but it should have been recorded without drums.
Songwriter has a beautiful booklet with all the lyrics, some pictures, a foreword and some additional information.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Coney
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are aul Simmon fan you will like thiis CD which contains some of his most famous /loved tracks. I keep waiting for the cost of CDs such as these, where most of the content is from the past rather than new works, to cost a more sensible / reasonable price but am getting too old to wait so have bought it anyway!!
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Davey
Format:Audio CD
The songs are so good I can add nothing by commenting on them as such; only negative, the one "but", is that we're told that these are Simon's own choice - "Compilation by Paul Simon" - but there's nothing about WHY these were chosen. We don't need an essay, just a few words - as an example, see the Beach Boys "Classics Selected By Brian Wilson" - otherwise, for all it's virtues, it's just another Paul Simon compilation. Sorry if this sounds more sour than a four star review should be; I just think it's a wasted opportunity from one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK
I was hoping that this album would have the original recordings on it but they dont sound that familiar now.
Published 13 months ago by Michael Matthews
5.0 out of 5 stars
You have to wait for Quality
Excellent, if you saw Webster then this is a good way to go to hear again, lovely recording, obviously a good band and super orchestral, almost operatic with the short pauses and... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. M. Stagg
3.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Songs But...
I was really surprised by this. it just seems like Paul wants Art nowhere near some of his most famous compositions. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Pete
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