In 1980, Simon switched to Warner Brothers Records and released the album One-Trick Pony, his first in nearly five years. Simon also wrote and starred in the movie of the same name. The single "Late In The Evening" reached #6 and has exceeded one million radio airplays.
Simon was nominated for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special at the Grammy Awards. He released the album Hearts and Bones, which failed to sell at the time but since has gained in stature. A highlight of the album is "The Late Great Johnny Ace", partially written about R&B singer Johnny Ace and partly about John Lennon, who had died just prior to Simon recording it.
Another Top Track* and fan favorite is "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War". As part of the crème de la crème of songwriters in music history, Paul was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982.
We also want to feature the title song.
In 1985, Simon was one of the voices behind the great #1 song "We Are The World".
But Simon was disappointed with the commercial failure of Hearts and Bones and felt the chances of returning to hit songs were small. One day in 1984, Simon listened to a cassette of the instrumental Gumboots: Accordion Jive Volume II by the Boyoyo Boys, a South African group. Paul was intrigued by the unusual sound and wrote lyrics to the song.
Buoyed by what he had just written, Simon traveled to South Africa to further explore the music and culture that would comprise his next album. He collaborated with some of the top South African musicians and groups and began recording in Johannesburg in February of 1985.
The result was the landmark album Graceland, although Warner Brothers didn't know if such an eclectic album would find much footing in the mainstream. Nevertheless, the album was released in 1986 and became the highlight of Simon's solo career.
But Simon was disappointed with the commercial failure of Hearts and Bones and felt the chances of returning to hit songs were small. One day in 1984, Simon listened to a cassette of the instrumental Gumboots: Accordion Jive Volume II by the Boyoyo Boys, a South African group. Paul was intrigued by the unusual sound and wrote lyrics to the song.
Buoyed by what he had just written, Simon traveled to South Africa to further explore the music and culture that would comprise his next album. He collaborated with some of the top South African musicians and groups and began recording in Johannesburg in February of 1985.
The result was the landmark album Graceland, although Warner Brothers didn't know if such an eclectic album would find much footing in the mainstream. Nevertheless, the album was released in 1986 and became the highlight of Simon's solo career.
"You Can Call Me Al" reached #2 in Australia, #4 in the U.K. and #5 in the Netherlands. Simon received a BMI Award when the song exceeded radio airplay of two million. The accompanying music video starred comedian Chevy Chase, which gave Simon important exposure to a new generation of music fans on MTV.
Graceland reached #1 in many countries, including the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and peaked at #3 in the U.S. The title song was highly underrated at #81.
The album sold over five million copies in the United States and over 16 million worldwide and was the second-best-selling album of 1987. Those facts seem to mock Billboard's peak of #86 for the incredible song "The Boy In The Bubble", which feature some of the best lyrics of Simon's career. It is near the top of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era
Although the album represented experimentation into new music, Graceland put Paul back in the spotlight. He captured Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Graceland") and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album. "Homeless" is another solid track.
Although the album represented experimentation into new music, Graceland put Paul back in the spotlight. He captured Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Graceland") and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album. "Homeless" is another solid track.
The album is loaded with great material, such as "Under African Skies", featuring Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals.
Simon was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music. Another noteworthy song on the album is "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes".
Simon continued to explore with the Brazilian-flavored album The Rhythm of the Saints, released in 1990. The album went to #1 in the U.K. and #4 in the United States and was certified Double Platinum. Simon was nominated for another Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Paul's ex wife Carrie Fisher states in her autobiography Wishful Drinking that the song "She Moves On" is about her. Fisher writes "If you can get Paul Simon to write a song about you, do it. Because he is so brilliant at it."
Simon & Garfunkel reunited again in 1993 and Simon released the box set Paul Simon 1964/1993. Meanwhile, Paul worked on The Capeman, a musical that he finally finished later in the decade for it to open on January 29, 1998. Despite his great amount of work, the show closed after just 68 performances. Simon recorded an album of songs from the show, but it too failed, as Paul fell short of the Top 40 for the first time in his career.
Paul received the Johnny Mercer Award on June 10, 1998 from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Simon joined Bob Dylan in a co-headlining tour of North America that allowed fans to see two legends in the same show.
In 2002, Paul recorded "Father And Daughter" for the animated The Wild Thornberrys Movie, nominated for Best Song at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards, then once again reunited with Garfunkel for another tour. Simon was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors, the nation's highest tribute to performing and cultural artists.
Simon released the album Surprise in 2006.
Simon was named as one of the "100 People Who Shaped the World" by Time magazine in 2006. In 2007, Paul became the first honoree of the recently created Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
In 2010, Simon received an honorary degree from Brandeis University.
In 2012, Paul was awarded the Polar Music Prize. He won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming for the documentary Graceland Journey: Under African Skies. In 2014, Simon toured with Sting for concerts in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The next year, Paul performed with Billy Joel at the final concert of Nassau Coliseum.
On February 5, 2018, Simon announced his retirement from touring in a letter to fans, citing time away from family and the death of longtime guitarist Vincent Nguini as the main reasons, but he did not rule out live shows all together. Paul did a Farewell Tour throughout North America and Europe.
In 2018, Simon released the album In the Blue Light, re-recordings of earlier material.
In 2000, Paul co-founded The Children's Health Fund with Dr. Irwin Redlener, which brings health care to the poor throughout the United States. The project has paid for 1.2 million doctor visits. This organization was the main source for those communities affected by Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina.
Paul has also raised millions of dollars for AMFAR, THe Nature Conservancy, The Fund for Imprisoned Children in South Africa and Autism Speaks. Paul received the Frederick D. Patterson Award from the United Negro College Fund in 1989 for efforts made by Simon on their behalf.
Simon's music has received over 75 million airplays as of 2005, according to Broadcast Music, Incorporated. Paul is widely regarded as one of the best lyricists of all-time, and in an interview reprinted in American Songwriter, Simon discussed his songwriting process:
"The music always precedes
the words. The words often come
from the sound of the music and eventually evolve into coherent
thoughts. Or incoherent thoughts. Rhythm plays a crucial part in the lyric-making as well. It's like a
puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is
saying."
Simon has scored 19 solo hits, including six Top 10's and one #1 song. He has won 13 Grammys for his solo career and work with Garfunkel, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. Simon's album Still Crazy After All These Years was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003 and his classic Graceland album was inducted in 2012. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for both his solo career and his work with Garfunkel, Paul has won 39 BMI Pop Awards, two Emmy Awards and been nominated for an award at the Academy and Golden Globe Awards.
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