A Winter's Day...

I think Paul Simon is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, so he will definitely show up here from time to time. As I was gazing out my window this morning, looking at the dirt encrusted snow, I could hear the weather man in the background reporting another big snowfall for the area. While the 'freshly fallen silent shroud of snow' would be welcomed in that it would cover the dingy banks that currently line the street, I think I have had enough. 


This song, 'I am a Rock', is set in winter - December to be exact - because no other season could encompass such harsh feelings or depression. In fact, this is a dangerous song to actually listen to in the wintertime lest you crawl into the bathtub and end it all. That being said, I think we have all had a connection with this song at one point in our lives, especially after a bad breakup. Who hasn't sung, 'if I never loved I never would have cried' through broken sobs in our bed or car? Don't answer that. I don't want to be the only one. Luckily though, we've all made it through. 


Anyone who has listened to Paul Simon's Songbook, his figurative one, not the literal album he put out with the same name that he actually hated, knows that Paul is a pretty deep and sometimes depressing dude. Maybe that's why I like him so much. If he can't make you feel something, you should probably be institutionalized. So Paul wrote this song for the above-mentioned Songbook in 1965 that was released only in the UK. To give you a taste of his feelings toward the project here's what he wrote in the linear notes...


This L.P. contains twelve of the songs that I have written over the past two years. There are some here that I would not write today. I don't believe in them as I once did. I have included them because they played an important role in the transition. It is discomforting, almost painful, to look back over something someone else created and realize that someone else was you. I am not ashamed of where I've been and what I've thought. It's just not me anymore. It is perfectly clear to me that the songs I write today will not be mine tomorrow. I don't regret the loss.


Deep, right? He released the all acoustic endeavor, and went about touring as a poor folk artist. It wasn't until a few months later that Bob Dylan's band got ahold of the tracks and added some electric dubs to them that they became the songs we know today. They sent the revisions to the US and they quickly became hits. Simon didn't even know it had happened. When he found out, he and Garfunkel set about adding harmonies and cleaning up the tracks even more. This became the 'Sounds of Silence' album, which starts with 'The Sound of Silence' and ends with 'I am a Rock' - like a pair of beautiful, depressing book ends. 




Original Version from the Songbook (Be prepared! If it's possible, this is more depressing than the radio version)




So that's my 'Winter' song. What's yours? For a list with some ideas, check out Chris Uggen's Blog.