To celebrate Paul Simon's catalogue reverting back to Columbia Records (the label where he started his career over 40 years ago) Sony Legacy has released "Songwriter."
"Songwriter" is a strange 2-CD compilation in that it's supposed to celebrate Paul Simon "the songwriter" and yet only includes 3 songs from his "Simon & Garfunkel" and those aren't even the original versions. Instead we get a solo Simon singing "The Sound Of Silence" from a 2011 LIVE performance, "The Boxer" from Simon's 1991 solo "Live At Central Park" and Aretha Franklin's version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and those are the first 3 songs you hear. I'm not taking anything away from Simon as a vocalist because he is quite good and I wouldn't dare knock a living legend like Franklin who is also superb. But for me it seems like Paul Simon is always running away from his "Simon & Garfunkel" legacy.
By not including even one "Simon & Garfunkel" performance aren't we missing a lot of amazing songs written by Paul Simon ... the "songwriter?" It just doesn't make sense that songs such as "America," "Homeward Bound," and "I Am A Rock" would be omitted. Not to mention countless Paul Simon solo compositions like "Duncan," "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard," "Slip Slidin' Away" and "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover."
Instead, we get 5 songs that are not Paul Simon solo compositions but songs he co-wrote with other writers including a couple from the much maligned musical "Songs From The Capeman."
Maybe these are the songs that Paul Simon feels best represent him as "the songwriter" but for me, a life long devotee, I graciously disagree and therefore would recommend some of the other Simon compilation CDs such as "The Essential Simon & Garfunkel" and "The Essential Paul Simon" or Simon's 2011 release, "So Beautiful Or So What." For me those contain all the gems in Simon's songwriting crown.
Drumroll please... 6 out of 10 drumsticks!!
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