Paul Simon in Los Angeles: 2011
Seeing Paul Simon live is witnessing one of America's greatest songwriters perform a catalog that spans generations. From Simon & Garfunkel classics that defined the '60s to solo work that incorporated world music and sophisticated production, the man has been writing brilliant songs for over five decades.
At 70 years old in 2011, Simon's voice had changed from his younger days - it's lower, a bit more weathered - but his musicianship was impeccable. And when your songs are as well-crafted as his, they can withstand any voice changes.
"The Boxer" is one of the most beautiful songs in American popular music. Hearing it live, with that iconic "lie-la-lie" refrain, felt like being part of something larger than just a concert. It's a song that's woven into our culture.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Art Garfunkel sang it on the recording, but hearing Paul perform it reminded you that he wrote it. That melody, those lyrics, that message of comfort and support - it's timeless.
The "Graceland" material showed Paul's adventurousness and his respect for other musical traditions. Taking South African township jive and creating something that honored the source while making something new - that album changed what American pop music could sound like. "You Can Call Me Al" had everyone in the arena singing along, and those bass and guitar lines are permanently embedded in my brain.
"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" brought that reggae-influenced groove and those clever, quick-witted lyrics that Simon does so well. His songwriting has always been literary - he's a poet who happens to write with melodies.
What impressed me was the arrangements. Simon didn't just phone it in with a small backing band doing simplified versions. The band was excellent, the arrangements were sophisticated, and he clearly still cared about how these songs were presented.
Watching him perform, you're seeing someone who helped define what a singer-songwriter could be. Before people like Paul Simon, pop songs didn't have literary ambitions. They didn't incorporate world music. They didn't treat the three-minute song as a form worthy of real artistry.
He's won Grammys, been inducted into the Rock Hall twice, won the Gershwin Prize - all the accolades you could imagine. But seeing him live, what struck me was simpler: the songs are just really, really good. "The Sound of Silence," "Scarborough Fair," "Homeward Bound," "Mrs. Robinson," "Kodachrome," "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" - hit after hit, and they all hold up.
This wasn't a nostalgia act going through the motions. This was a master craftsman still caring about his work, still delivering it with professionalism and skill, still respecting the songs and the audience.
Paul Simon represents the best of American songwriting - intelligent, melodic, literate, emotionally resonant, musically adventurous. Getting to see him perform this incredible body of work live was a gift.