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Paul Simon's 'Lyrics' Captures Career

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For an iconic songwriter whose words, melodies and rhythms are inextricably linked, a page of lyrics might seem like a chassis in search of an engine.

In Paul Simon's case, it's almost impossible to read, and not mentally sing, his familiar lines:

And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know,
wo wo wo

Paul Simon's Lyrics 1964-2008 (Simon & Schuster, $35), out Tuesday, spans his entire career, from Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 debut album through this year's unreleased songs Rewrite and Love and Hard Times.

Illustrated with vintage snapshots, album covers and handwritten notes. In editing the manuscript for typos, Simon resisted succumbing to nostalgia but found himself retracing the stages of his career.

The chronological Lyrics follows my natural evolution as a writer. I'm not somebody who takes a lot of photos. Here are the photos of my life. My lyrics started to get good when I wrote about something I knew. When I was a young songwriter, that's the least interesting to me. Later on, it gets more complex as characters emerge who are at least partially autobiographical.
Paul Simon

The winner of 12 Grammys and the first Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Simon is highly regarded for a sterling songbook that has drawn parallels to the work of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.

His songs can be wise, biting, mournful and romantic. But fans of You Can Call Me Al, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover and Pigs, Sheep and Wolves know he's also funny.

“People tend to say that my writing is very serious," Simon says. “Jokes are an essential part, but it's not often talked about."

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