Paul Simon Performs The Only Living Boy in New York at B&N

[ramblingringodolenz]

Missed him last year when he came to Dublin! Please come back, Paul!

[DebbSaxx1]

... a true poet ... always touching the heart.

Debb in Florida

[warrenvazquez]

i would love to hear ray lamontagne cover this.

[andytoka1]

@LMB2229 yeah......his ageing voice lends weight to the songs gentle spirit.....very sweet and moving.

[andytoka1]

i love the way that he has to tune original pitch down to make it easier on his voice......bless him.

recently rediscovered this song having listened to it loads as a child....my dad would sing along to it so, it reminds me of him. and this version is beautiful and gentle.

[sionnyn]

He's so much better without Garfunkel. This is brilliant and moving.

[harel10]

@sionnyn

They did a great job together and you shouldn't talk like that.

[chunakichat]

Salam from Khalid. I love this little Jew I do not a song this guy has ever sung that I have not liked. I have been listening to them (Simon and Garfunkel as well Paul by himself since the 1970's.

[PeterMayer]

@chunakichat how about saying, what a killer song, song writer....not I love this little Jew, this darkie, this kraut etc

[coolanddark]

This man is such a genious songwriter! especially his songs from the sixties! Im so glad I found this!

[JWPMinnesota]

Thanks Paul! I feel like you're one of my best friends I never physically met. Don't know what it is about acoustic guitars either, they just put me into good moods everytime I hear one.

I believe Simon and Paul were the last of the great folk music era and were at the Pinnacle of what was left of it after the Beatles came in 64.

[celloprofundo]

Sounds great, even on a twelve dollar barnes and noble P.A system ; )...thanks Paul, for all you've done, more than twelve people could do in twelve lifetimes...and yes, I DID just learn how to spell twevle, thank you very much ; )

[RAdamson71]

No matter how many times I listen to Paul, he puts a smile on my face. I love this song, simple, gentle and superbly composed. Mr Simon your a genius. Shalom Alechiem Paul.

[GemanAussie100]

There is noone that I look up to more than this man! :')

[cjungood]

Pure genius!

[archeng123]

beatiful

[SwedishDK]

Wauw!!! This song is awesome!

The old man is actually very hot!

You can find me on facebook: Mads Hansen. Greve/Hundige.

[TheBlindPig1]

the wicked flood everywhere, how might the temple to god on earth be rebuilt. Man a desity and woman a purpose. That where i live and thats where i stay. Well you can have your retards and your plagues, you wont crue conuption, well you might, but you will only hunger that hunger ever more.

[Fons1958]

Paul, thank you so much for all you and Art made for us! You guys are a GOD send !!!

You still got all God has given you...MASTERFULL and BEAUTIFULL done !!!

[Frankiarmz]

Plays like a master and sounds like a young man. What a talent, he continues to grace us with these gifts.

[surfmcgoogler]

It's depressing how old and faded Paul Simon looks, but what are you gonna do? ( His career never did hinge on looks ). His voice is still golden and the words he writes today are just as thought provoking and evocative as his old songs, so what's not to like? He's one of the few artists whose music I'm inspired to actually buy. This guy's talent has never faded.

[scimanuk]

Hey. Please check my cover out. It ain't gettin no love

[uploader10041986]

hello old friend... Paul Simon (and Art Garfunkel) made my teenage angst bearable some 40 years after Wednesday Morning 3am was released. Between 2002 and 2006 I'd say i only listened to Paul and Arty. Its been 5 years since i really listened and I just feel like i've gotten a hug from an old buddy. great video.

[huston3]

those who dislike are garfunkel fans. nothing wrong at all with this performance. He could have been a better friend to artie, but he would have been living someone else's life. can't fault the man for that.

[nootminwoo]

His voice is still the same...

[ohiocowboypoet]

4 people actually disliked this? They must think it's way too short and want it to continue forever

[ChiroQuacker]

i prefer when he wore a wig back in the day...nowadays he looks like my old jewish uncle morris..

[scimanuk]

Have been listening to this song so much recently!.. and just recorded a cover of it... Would be grateful if you checked it out.

[ericdburton91]

4 dislikes? Seriously, why would you dislike this?! :D

[iwashungry4hands]

was it simon singing the solo part in the original recording of the song?

[floppyd0g]

@iwashungry4hands Yes!

[huston3]

@iwashungry4hands yep



[bennysammy]

how were there 4 people that disliked this?

[jolie1957]

Just posted to my FB... just send me Paul Simon singing this song, and all is well with my soul :)

[TheChicomangman]

I get to see him for the first time this May and I can't wait

[jsimon]

Song still gives me chills. Wow.

[fhof88]

One of the coolest moments of my life sitting fifteen feet from Paul watching him perform at B&N. One of the most beautifully crafted songs of all time. What a great night.

[jolie1957]

@fhof88 ... absolutely freakin' awesome! My kids didn't even know about Simon and Garfunkel until I started playing this song... they love it too! LOL, got them hooked. Thanks for your nice post :) P.S. My hubby and I are 55 and 53, respectfully.

[ThingsThatVexMe]

GENIUS!!!!

[frickadele]

We're all dying.

[patandjoan]

keep practicing.

you'll get it eventually

[paulwells26]

Yes, a genius. Paul Simon is one of only a few men I'd say "I love you" to if I had a chance to meet him in person. I had that chance with Stevie Wonder when I lived in LA. He said..."....I love you too, I love you too!"...One of the greatest moments of my life.

[ScratchTT]

Holy cow, for so long I've been bagging on Paul Simon for his crappy, derivitive work in recent decades (!) that I'd forgotten all about his immense talent. This is truly amazing.

I'm sure that 40 years from now Justin Bieber will sit down at a university coffee house somewhere and sound just as awesome on one of his current "classics." Yeah right.

[pouchmouth]

@ScratchTT please go into detail how his work "in recent decades" has been "derivitive".

[rudiesoma]

anybody else think he sounds a bit like poohbear here? Hero.

[MrClipper23]

Wow, I love this version of the song!

[Harddog321]

Sorry guys, this $hit brings tears in my eyes. This song leaped out at me the first time I heard it way back in 69.  To me, the best song on the album. The sound and recording quality at Columbia was always the best! The harmony! There is just no comparison to these guys in their prime. Just nothing else!!! Absolute brilliance. The Boxer as well. Funny how these companies go for the old stuff and funny how it brings it back to the front. $hit nowadays sucks so bad compared to this!

[Harddog321]

Sorry guys, this $hit brings tears in my eyes. This song leaped out at me the first time I heard it way back in 69. To me, the best song on the album. The sound and recording quality at Columbia was always the best! The damn harmony! There is just no comparison to these guys in their prime. Just nothing else!!! Absolute brilliance. The Boxer as well. Funny how these companies go for the old stuff and funny how it brings it back to the front. $hit nowadays sucks so bad compared to this!

[18tastee]

japanese automakers looove this shit. and so do i :)

[Amyjosing2]

Paul, catch your plane right on time,

Babe, you are still mighty fine!

Fly to Puerto Rico

Dotin do dotin do dotin do dote, and HERE I AM.

I think it's cold up there man... and you might need a vacation. 

[ioriorioriorio]

Brings me right on back to a winter afternoon in ny many, many years ago!!

[thenobs123]

i think i like this better than the original

[Nathandm78]

I love you Paul Simon.

[casper1918]

Truely the best American songwriter in history.

[kickthespike]

the man never lost it!!!!!!!

[steelundergrounder]

Paul Simon's voice has aged like fine wine. I think the fact that he learned to sing so many different styles of singing kept his voice in top shape.

[zorro11100]

Amazing singer,amazing song and an amazing guitar, need I say more!

[glotaro1]

Paul is genius, and this is my favorite song! Thanks!

[beachglassqueen]

Half of the time we're gone, but we don't know where...we don't know where......

[cuff1957]

paul is working on his fourteen inch forehead

[criv64]

I'm here from the Honda commercial. Hard to think that they would go back 40 years and find this underated classic.

[Chrisdrumz]

@criv64 Yeah,find it and now mutilate it in a fucking car commercial.

[mrdave777]

Was just curious how many are here from the Honda commercials??

[Suzywriter]

@mrdave777, those commercials make me so happy...but I've been listening to S&G since 1967...and it just keeps getting better.

[rickzters]

You're not an "old fart" for listening to great music and REAL artists.

[mugui]

the only performance of this song that I like, for me it needs to be kept this way, just a guitar and that magnificent voice bringing that inspired melody to life, again, for me, the more instruments and choirs you add, the more of this original beauty that you take away

[ejgiv]

Like the way he changed the key after he had already started. Happens to me all the time.

[SergeiSMel]

Only guitar and voice and nothing else, but sounds is great.

[Android3008]

I love Paul Simon. Thank you, Paul, for all of the wonderful emotions that your songs have evoked in your millions of fans the world over.

[1955colleen]

he is just one of the best, love his voice,yeah definately a genius with class

[casper1918]

Bought this album in college 1970......always gave me chills on this song, the orchestra made it haunting. He is one of the greatest artists of all time.

[ovchl]

Simon is a Master

[chaddvanzanten]

Just a guy and a guitar -- doesn't get much more elegant than that, eh?

[mwebber69]

Strings of that guitar looks hard to play with...

And in the CD version it's capo 4, but with a 12 strings guitar :)

[winterweib]

Somewhere on youtube a woman wrote that she longed to marry him when she was young and someone answerde: If you had you'd awake in the morning at the side of the old Paul Simon!

I for myself can only say that I would LOVE to. He ist still beautiful and adorable.

[harris8388]

Proving with doubt that form is temporary and that genius goes on for ever!! The greatest songrwriter of his generation.

[idle44]

His voice is still good. Fantastic.

[01Moodies]

brillant song my fav.and he once again he deliver the goodies, Paul is at ease in the studio but he sounds so equaly good on stage

[kerrzo1971]

an excellent benchmark standard American strength song.

[starman778]

Thankyou Paul for writing so many great songs...Oh Arthur!

[Rawego]

a living legend... and all for the price of a Borders frapuchino :))

[gtrrobster]

How Excellent....40 yrs later plus....

? for other guitarists out there.....

I had lways played this w/o CAPO --C, F..

But he is playing it capo 4, G to C shapes.

Anyidea how he did it on the original take?

thanks.

[selloutasaurus]

@gtrrobster He started with capo on 6th fret (like on the original recording)& the G-C-D pattern he plays on the record/CD on 6th fret is in fact C-F, etc. But, for this performance he brought it down to 5th fret (with same pattern, so it's in B instead of C)since, as you get older, it's harder to hit those high notes. peace & happy music to you & yours! :)

[iatragenesis]

@selloutasaurus He did start with a capo on the 6th & then move it to the 5th using the same G & C chord patterns. However on the 6th he was in B & on the 5th, where he sang this version, he was in Bb. The original recording is capo on 4th(key of B). This had me a bit confused as i was playing along with my guitar in standard tuning & moving the capo to match Paul's but it was still out. It then dawned on me that his guitar was tuned down a full step.

[hunkyfunkster]

@iatragenesis The guitar isn't in standard tuning, it is tuned down by 2 frets mate. He tuned it down earlier in the session, because he said it was more comfortable for him to sing. And so, when he places the capo on the 6th fret it is in the same key as the recording, same as 4th fret standard tuning.

[iatragenesis]

@hunkyfunkster As i said in my post he has tuned the guitar down a full step! (2 frets) However i did mistake where he placed the capo. He started with it on the fifth & moved it to the 4th (not the 6th & then 5th) Anyway, this version is in Bb (as i stated) a half step lower than the original recording. End of story

[Jah044445]

I'm sad. I was never alive to see the greatest artists like this in their hey-day, and now I get to see them in their sunset years while record labels today are waving these stupid acts called "pop stars" in front of our noses like us youth are dogs.

[66peacelove]

Sad. Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Ray Davies and the rest of that wonderful generation You thought they'd be here forever, so did I once. They won't. This is probably the last decade that they 'll be able to do their stuff. Enjoy them!

[willwak]

Nice ears....I mean song. Yeah paul you look weird...I mean you sound great.

[TsukaiDaiku]

@willwak You're quite the moron, aren't you?

[haleybug301]

no one can do it like paul

[DaWhiteBoyOfCompton]

Joe Pesci plays guitar?? Holy shit!

[huston3]

@DaWhiteBoyOfCompton Sorry, folks, I LOVE Paul,, but this is as funny as sh*t! I'm sure Paul would laugh, too.!

[drd20]

Pauly!

[ianpomster]

i prefer carter the unstoppable sex machines version. (nice comb over BTW)

[ahz123]

Impressive.

[arehumansgood]

barnes and noble? lol pshhhh

[Picardy]

Paul, shave the shreds of remaining hair off. Your hair is distracting me from one of the best songs you ever wrote.

[Indefatigable4]

Wow! I agree with idle44 below... flawless vocals. Hey let your honesty shine shine shine, like it shines on me... Gorgeous forever.

[Rawego]

magic :))

[cefishb]

November 13 of what year ????

[kiwitobin]

@cefishb 2008 :)

[idle44]

Most singers lose their voices at a certain age. Paul S. has jept his. Respect and Awe.

[MikeFromRLC]

It's really cool to see a solo acoustic performance of this song. I like the big production jobs on Simon and Garfunkel albums, but I really love hearing really minimalist versions like this one.

[skirtles1]

I dont want to sound like and old f*rt but how many of todays "stars" could play an impromptu performance of this calibre? Sheer class!

[TsukaiDaiku]

@skirtles1 My goodness!! You're not an old fart! You are a discriminating listener who appreciates fine music. There are however, some good musicians today and most of them will agree that Simon is a musical icon. I remember how the Beatles credited the "old timers" of rock and roll (chuck berry, little richard) as a major influence. The icons teach the yungin's. That's how it should be.

God Bless!!

[idle44]

@skirtles1 None

[redhot654]

@skirtles1

No worries, I'm 16 and completely agree with you! :)

[steelundergrounder]

@skirtles1 You don't. Your spot on mate :)

[jbender23]

@skirtles1 Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where...we don't where...

[urbanagorilla]

wonderful!

[twinoak170]

Hey MuffinKido: "Ditto".

[MuffinKido]

"Half of the times we go but we don't know where, we don't know where!!!", Paul your the greatest man I've ever seen. One of my biggest wishes is to meet you, one day in person. Though you're with me everyday!!!

[simstephen]

Some of my favorite memories of New York are sitting in my apartment and playing this song. Thank you so much for posting. It is amazing to see a man revisit his own work with such honesty (it's not a waste of energy).

[progjunky]

wow

[BethanyAlice08]

The first time I heard this song it seriously changed my life.

I'm almost (or actually) moved to tears every time I hear it.

[Chrisdrumz]

Bugs me how the morons in the crowd clap before they even know what he's playing.

[gmtobehere]

no --- it's easy to detect the song from the first few seconds if you know this song --- it's a classic

[majadahonda]

@Chrisdrumz LOL I've been to concerts where it's taken people up to a minute to recognize a song, I don't know what's worse.

[Chrisdrumz]

Went to an Elton John show and he opened with FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND. The chick next to me was like "Uh,what song is this?" I told her it was on GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD she said "OOHH,I LOVE that album". Guess she didn't love the album enough seeing it's the first song on it. I told her to go home and stick to watching THE VIEW and baking cookies for her kids.

[majadahonda]

@Chrisdrumz LOL I have a (female) "friend" who LOVES Elvis, I mean she LOVES HIM and his music.

Amount of money spent on Elvis' records/CDs/DVDs/Cassettes/ by this woman in her lifetime: $0.00

[Chrisdrumz]

Well,Elvis is COOL. Classic rock stations are geared towards that ilk. The people that get excited when STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN or HOTEL CALIFORNIA comes on the radio. Unfortunately the world is full of these "Greatest Hits" people.

[skirtles1]

Someone at an EJ concert who doesnt recognise Funeral For A Friend!! One of Eltons finest and along with Tiny Dancer, my favourite. Hope you chastised her accordingly LOL.

[JAYJAY1000000]

I must say, I really prefer this song when he sings it without Garfunkel.

[IHaveHeart]

I get all the news I need on the weather report.

[ray5677]

Simon & Garfunkel's lyrics is poetry rather than just lyrics and their music is soul touching.

Honestly I fell in love with America right after listening to their Kathy's song and America.

[robada71]

Paul's a god given talent, with a wonderful heart and sings from his heart.

Barukh atem Paul.

Yeshua hu Adonia.

We love you Paul............

S+G forever

[UncleAndy13]

I don't know....... There's not many other places I'd rather of been than there listening to him sing that song at that moment........................

[pauluzzzzzz]

he is getting beautiful old!! his voice is warmer. thanks for the music S&G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HaasjeRepje]

his voice is weak, the guitar is out of tune, but i do believe in him... GREAT!!! vellous! (did you noticed that he sounds like will oldham/palace music?)

[2tides]

Wow. He's better than ever.

[UncleAndy13]

I think he loved/loves Artie alot and vice versa. The feeling of betrayel (Art going to make that movie) brought out the best and worst in them both and the decline of their relationship began. I've loved their music since I was a child and used that rift between them as a lesson in part of my life....lifes just too short. At least they've made attempts to mend the fences, but I really think no two voices together have made more of an impact on people musically as theirs. I'll stop rambling now.

[ethanhopkin14]

Well said

[jonletter]

Brings me back to a different time.

[markhkay]

Beautiful. Paul Simon is a genius.

[panicluvrforever]

Wonderful- Made me cry, let him live on!

[neilss1]

dude u scared me so much there i thought he had passed on when i read that comment lol

Great song and it shows the lil solo fill aswel GOLDEN!!

[Hasslington]

This is my wife's favorite song; she says it speaks to her childhood perfectly.

She is from England.

[irelephant]

The sincerity exudes from every note, and it's hard to think of anyone else from that era whose still has chops like this and a following of multi-generational fans to boot. There really never was anyone else quite as fine as Paul Simon. When you look at the quality of his songwriting and then add his unique skills as a virtuoso guitarist and fine tenor, few stars have shined so bright.

[goldhat3]

Brilliant, wish I coulda been there.

[2732802]

sweet as an apple on christmas day

[roma11giu]

sempre il solito mito..

[leon723]

His voice is rough in spots but it's a great, honest rendition of this outstanding tune. His guitar playing is remarkable and underrated.

He sang this as part of a longer interview, all of which is worth watching if you are interested in the songwriting process.

[majadahonda]

For those who might think otherwise listen (and watch -if you stll have your VCR or LD player at hand-)to Hearts and Bones' in his 91 Central Park concert.

[BluesBrother39]

Why?

[majadahonda]

It's a good example of Simon's remakable guitar playing.

[zepper72]

Paul sounds as good as ever. Thanks for posting this classic.

[Aliendear]

Excellent.

[Antoinette2222]

wow! Thank you for posting this! This is one of my favourite song by S&G...