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The Essential Paul Simon

Paul Simon  Main Performer

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1 Mother and Child Reunion Simon 3:04
2 Loves Me Like a Rock Simon 3:32
3 Me and Julio Down by the School Yard Simon 2:44
4 Duncan Simon 4:29
5 Kodachrome Simon 3:33
6 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover Simon 3:28
7 Slip Slidin' Away Simon 4:45
8 Gone at Last Simon 3:38
9 Something So Right Simon 4:32
10 Late in the Evening Simon 4:02
11 Hearts and Bones Simon 5:39
12 Take Me to the Mardi Gras Simon 3:26
13 That Was Your Mother Simon 2:54
14 American Tune Simon 3:45
15 Peace Like a River Simon 3:18
16 Stranded in a Limousine Simon 3:07
17 Train in the Distance Simon 4:22
18 The Late Great Johnny Ace Simon 4:47
19 Still Crazy After All These Years Simon 3:25
20 Graceland Simon 4:46
21 Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes Shabalala/Simon 5:38
22 The Boy in the Bubble Motloheloa/Simon 3:58
23 You Can Call Me Al Simon 4:36
24 Under African Skies Simon 3:35
25 The Obvious Child Simon 4:08
26 Born at the Right Time Simon 3:48
27 The Cool, Cool River Simon 4:31
28 Spirit Voices Simon 3:54
29 Adios Hermanos Simon 4:43
30 Born in Puerto Rico Simon/Walcott 4:55
31 Quality Walcott/Simon 4:12
32 Darling Lorraine Simon 6:36
33 Hurricane Eye Simon 4:13
34 Father and Daughter Simon 4:10
35 Outrageous Simon/Eno 3:22
36 Wartime Prayers Simon 4:48
  • Overview
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The Essential Paul Simon

Audio Compact Disc

Label: Warner Bros.

Style: Singer/Songwriter

The Essential Paul Simon

UPC: 093624997009

Release Date: 06/26/2007

Original Release Date: 06/26/2007

Number of Discs: 2

Tracks: [Mother and Child Reunion, Loves Me Like a Rock, Me and Julio Down by the School Yard, Duncan, Kodachrome, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Slip Slidin' Away, Gone at Last, Something So Right, Late in the Evening, Hearts and Bones, Take Me to the Mardi Gras, That Was Your Mother, American Tune, Peace Like a River, Stranded in a Limousine, Train in the Distance, The Late Great Johnny Ace, Still Crazy After All These Years, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies, The Obvious Child, Born at the Right Time, The Cool, Cool River, Spirit Voices, Adios Hermanos, Born in Puerto Rico, Quality, Darling Lorraine, Hurricane Eye, Father and Daughter, Outrageous, Wartime Prayers]
Contributors:

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Released five years after Warner's last Paul Simon comp, the single-disc The Paul Simon Collection: On My Way, Don't Know Where I'm Goin', the double-disc The Essential Paul Simon is a full 17 tracks heftier than its predecessor and contains all but one of its 19 songs (MIA is the latter-day "Love," which only hardcore fans will recognize as from You're the One, and they're not quite the market for this set anyway). It's also slimmer than the 1993 box Paul Simon 1964/1993, which spanned three discs but also encompassed his '60s recordings with Art Garfunkel, plus a single the duo recorded as Tom & Jerry, along with selections from his solo debut, The Paul Simon Songbook -- it was ambitious, where this compilation is efficient, picking up after the parting of ways with Garfunkel and running straight through until 2006's Surprise. The sequencing isn't strictly chronological -- some songs are shuffled around for effect, with "Still Crazy After All These Years" closing the first, while "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" is cleverly followed by the zydeco stomp "That Was Your Mother" -- but it roughly divides into having the first disc devoted to the '70s and early '80s, the second devoted to Graceland and beyond. Some might argue that there's too heavy of a Graceland presence here -- a whopping six tracks, over half the album -- but it is his biggest album and functions as a nice transition between his better-known '70s hits and the more esoteric but frequently compelling work that he's done since. And, unlike The Paul Simon Collection, The Essential Paul Simon is designed to introduce fellow travelers to the interesting work he's done since Graceland, as the second disc emphasizes that quite greatly, and it does a good job of it, while also providing a good summary of his best-known (and much of his best) solo work. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi