Paul Simon – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Paul Simon Biography

American musician, singer, composer, and actor Paul Frederic Simon has worked for 60 years. He is a top pop songwriter.

Simon was born on October 13, 1941 in Newark, NJ, and raised in Queens, NY. In 1956, he and Art Garfunkel began performing together. After a 1966 hit, the couple reunited. Simon wrote “Mrs. Robinson,” “America,” “Bridge over Troubled Water,” and “The Boxer” for Simon & Garfunkel’s five albums.

Simon released three Top 5 Billboard 200 albums in the five years after Simon & Garfunkel separated in 1970. His 1972 self-titled album featured hits “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”. His first number-one solo album, Still Crazy After All These Years, featured Garfunkel. “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Gone at Last,” and “My Little Town” were among its Top 40 hits.

After three successful studio albums, Simon became less productive during the second half of the 1970s. He dabbled in various projects, including writing music for the film Shampoo, which became the music for the song “Silent Eyes” on the Still Crazy album, and acting (he was cast as Tony Lacey in Woody Allen’s film Annie Hall). He achieved another hit in this decade, with the lead single of his 1977 compilation Greatest Hits, Etc., called “Slip Slidin’ Away” (which reached number 5 in the United States).

In 1980, Simon released One-Trick Pony, his debut album with Warner Bros. Records and his first in almost five years. It was paired with the motion picture of the same name, which Simon wrote and starred in. Although it produced his last Top 10 hit with the upbeat “Late in the Evening” (also a number 1 hit on the Radio & Records American charts), the album did not sell well.

Simon and Garfunkel reunited in 1981 for a half-million-person Central Park concert and a world tour. In 1986, Simon released Graceland, a township-inspired record. His most successful solo effort, it sold 14 million copies worldwide. “You Can Call Me Al,” “The Boy in the Bubble,” and “Diamonds on Her Shoes” were big singles from the album. 1987 Grammy Album of the Year.

Simon toured throughout the 1990s. His 1997 CD Songs from The Capeman accompanied his Broadway show The Capeman. You’re the One was nominated for Album of the Year again in 2000. After that album, he toured for years, including with Garfunkel again. Surprise (2006) was his decade-ending album. Stranger to Stranger, released in 2016, opened at #3 on the Billboard Album Chart and #1 in the UK. His biggest commercial and critical success in thirty years. In the Blue Light (2018), his latest album, reworks his lesser-known tunes.

Simon has won sixteen Grammys for his solo and collaborative work, including three for Album of the Year (Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years, and Graceland) and a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1990, Simon & Garfunkel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2001, he was inducted solo. Time named him a “100 People Who Shaped the World” in 2006. Rolling Stone named Simon one of the 100 best guitarists in 2011 and the 8th greatest songwriter in 2015. 2007’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song went to Simon.

Paul Simon Discography

You’re the OneSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Songs from The CapemanSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The Rhythm of the SaintsSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
GracelandSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Hearts and BonesSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
One-Trick PonySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Still Crazy After All These YearsSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
There Goes Rhymin’ SimonSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Paul SimonSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The Paul Simon SongbookSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Many No 1 Has Paul Simon Had?

Paul Simon has had six No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These include “The Sound of Silence” (1965), “Bridge over Troubled Water” (1970), “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” (1972), “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (1975), “Kodachrome” (1977), and “Graceland” (1986). He has also had three No. 1 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, with “The Boxer” (1969), “Bridge over Troubled Water” (1970), and “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (1975). Additionally, Simon has had four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a member of Simon & Garfunkel, with “The Sound of Silence” (1965), “Bridge over Troubled Water” (1970), “Cecilia” (1971), and “My Little Town” (1975).

What Was Paul Simon’S Best Selling Album?

The answer is 1986’s Graceland, which has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. The album featuresSimon’s trademark mixture of folk, rock, pop, and world music styles, and includes the hit singles “The Boy in the Bubble” and “You Can Call Me Al”. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.

What Is Paul Simon’S Most Famous Song?

Paul Simon’s most famous song is “The Sound of Silence.” The song was originally released in 1964 and has since been covered by many artists. “The Sound of Silence” is a timeless classic that speaks to the human condition.

Most Searched For Paul Simon Songs

You Can Call Me AlSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard SpotifyAppleAmazon
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
KodachromeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
GracelandSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes SpotifyApple
Late in the EveningSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Still Crazy After All These YearsSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Slip Slidin’ Away SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Mother and Child Reunion SpotifyAppleAmazon