Getting Ready For Christmas Day (official) | Paul Simon

[tminus10h]

Sounds empty with no bass, and its just craving a groovin' bass line IMO

[eggman913]

I saw your video today on a Paul Simon interview on PBS

[dougeagle]

I've been a fan of Paul Simon for quite a long time. Got this album for Christmas and its an awesome album for sure. Aside from my heavy metal hard rock listening...I still enjoy listening to Paul :)



[Thranobulax]

Flawless Paul Simon mastery.

[birdwomanish]

Paul Simon has always been a favorite of mine. I am amazed at how he continues to give us such precious gifts of celebration of the human spirit. This is a wonderful example!!! Thank you Paul Simon. WHY DO I NOT HEAR THIS ON THE RADIO STATIONS PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC?! Shame on them!

[BassPlayerSusan]

@birdwomanish WYEP in Pittsburgh (my city) and WXRT in Chicago have played it.

[chillphil27]

this almost sounds like the lead singer from Train....

[Thranobulax]

@chillphil27 Or the lead singer from Train sounds like Paul Simon!

[Sh1mna]

This song is so mediocre and disappointing considering the standards that he set during his S&G days and on his first solo albums such as "There Goes Rhymin' Simon". It's lyrically weak and melodically spartan compared to songs such as "The Boxer", "Duncan", "Homeward Bound" or the "Boy in the Bubble". It seems that over the years he has substituted sloganeering and repetitive rhythms for strong melodies and thought provoking lyrics. If this is indicative of his last album I'll pass on it.

[BassPlayerSusan]

I love artists who can remain vital into their 50s and 60s (Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, John Mellencamp, John Fogerty).

[klondike316]

Love this!!!! Geting ready, only 5 more days!!!! But I'll be paying off credit debt 'til next Christmas!

[jimwalsh2001]

Phil Ramone was producer, but I'm sure the spirit of Roy Hallee permeates the project...

[jimwalsh2001]

Great song, great production. Thank God for Paul Simon: he;s still out there, busting his ass and making original, compelling music...

[Areseesee]

I love this song but I thought Paul Simon was Jewish. I guess that if Irving Berlin can write "White Christmas" then Paul can write this one... Beautiful!

[sam60398]

I Hate I Missed Him In Concert!!!

[biffrossberg]

He's Back!!!!!!!! The Paul Simon of my youth..... Thank you god, someone who can make some sense of the beauty and the pain. Amazing, awe-filled video, love the line, "...gotta tell my mom and dad / that the things we never had / didn't matter...." love the shot of the tree and the light.... Thank you so much, love, biff

[RoJoeLa55x]

I love this song! The whole Cd is some of the best music that Simon has put out. Out of the ball park, a home run, Paul!

[dudefromtheearth]

Wow this video is awesome! I really like it when the tree changes colors. The song I totally dig. Paul Simon rocks!

[airdaleva42]

Heard part of the song on KDHX St Louis. Had to hear the whole thing. Got me in the holiday spirit.

[nodramamamelah]

Our very own Sir Paul, (no) ordinary player in the key of C... xoxo4ever

[IJGriffiths]

What a genius!Still writing amazing songs after all these years!I really thought "Surprise" was a great album but "So beautiful..." is on a different level all together.I've listened to Paul Simon since the late 1960's and am constantly surprised by the way he seems to reinvent himself time and time again.Thanks for another gem!

[4TCRONAN]

Great Stuff from a true genius. An instant classic!

[spellteacher]

I must admit that while the album this song is from is certainly not the best Paul Simon album I've owned, this track is a great stand alone single.  A shame that except for maybe one or two other tracks, the album isn't up to the level he set with Graceland or Rhythm Of The Saints.

[fontinau]

@spellteacher Okay, look, very few things by anybody are on the level of Graceland.

As for Rhythm of the Saints, I say the new album is BETTER than Rhythm of the Saints.

[msytmc]

Figures the older artists make the good music even today. Great song. I thought this was an older song from the seventies. Heard it on Imus in the morning. Fun vid too.

[spiglator]

@minpinful What are you like 5 years old?. What a stupid comment to make.

[roy80998]

IS NOBODY AWARE OF THE WRONGLY ADJUSTED COMPRESSOR LIMITE0R??? IT OCCURS ON THE OFFICIAL CLIP, THE CD AND EVEN THE LP. SO SOMETHING HAS GONE TERRIBLY WRONG. I DIDNT EXPECT THIS FROM PAUL SIMON AND HIS TEAM !!

[spiglator]

@roy80998 I'm sure it's done on purpose. Relax, start getting ready for Christmas Day!

[roy80998]

@spiglator i think it was. but still very strange all that fading! its a nice tune after all!

[spiglator]

@roy80998 On that note ( pardon the pun ) we part in agreement.

[cgh1]

@roy80998

As the effect is not applied to main vocal or drums, consider it is used simply as an effect - nothing 'gone terribly wrong'. Flanging/Phasing type result without the cadence or tonal change associated with those two effects. Sorry it disturbs you but the producers can't please everyone. I think it really brings out the (seriously phased) acoustic guitar in the mix, fulfilling its purpose. Cheers!

[WilliamKersten]

Fantastic record, the master did it again!!!

[psalmtone2008]

Yes Simon paid the Gates estate and they get radio play money too!

[JettRink50]

Did he pay the Gates estate for using his sermon.

[ccballou]

Only Paul Simon could make this great existential lament out of Getting Ready For The Christmas Day!! My new favorite. Cried first two times I heard it :)

[sarrahysf]

get down to this, sexy bitch.

[Kins1002]

Paul Simon is 69 years old, and sounds like he just passed 18 years

[donpaul45]

...brilliant....



[Streamline09]

Love the album. A classic. The video...not so much, but what the heck :-)

[psalmtone2008]

@Streamline09 When you have a song this strong...the video should take a back seat, right? It's when songs suck as much as most do these days that a video is necessary to salvage it.

[TheStevemcfall]

The album is not the greatest but this song is pure genius from Paul Could have been written at any time.



[SDD3204]

Really good.. Wonderful combination of Paul's new writing style with raw material derived from his best social commentary roots. Absolutely adore the video production too!

[castingtherunes]

For the power and the glory and the story of Xmas day -- hummbugg!!

[MsSongcollector]

It was about time for some new Paulie! Great stuff!!!! Five stars dudes and dudettes!

[Jimmnie1]

I don't wanna see Paul get defined by this song late ~ but it's maturity ~ get out the cow bells , lol

[granddaddyduke]

The greatest, this is a fact.

[neilington904]

@castingtherunes u fucking idiot

[connieskitchen23]

@castingtherunes

No, Hon, you ruined it for yourself. Too sad.

[willthethrill1974]

There's a reason they call him "Rhymin' Simon." It's too bad more rappers aren't this talented.

[blazak]

I love this album so much!!!!

[psalmtone2008]

Maybe the greatest album ever made...and maybe the last real one. Seriously.

[cubaclips]

I have been told by someone who knows that the album is a masterpiece and I am getting ready to get it tomorrow!

[baad0501]

SIMON IS BACK, BABY!

[ericmathison1]

God bless America!

[Jimmnie1]

Getting Ready !!!! Baby Jesus and that goes with ~~ cuz we know Santa is comming to town ~~ yeah, we ready ~ Christmas Day!! Get'em Boyzzzz !!!! 

[mlmac]

This song, this whole album... utterly brilliant.

[lynnrich1964]

the song is so good it doesn't matter that its not Christmas!

[charlie1der]

His voice still sounds great

[bartonim]

It's just a great album. Paul is genius.

[StarkRavingBrad17]

the slide guitar line at 2:35 is heaven...followed by 'if i could tell my mom and dad all the things we never had never mattered, we were always okay...'

genius.

[ChrisMediaTV]

Really nice video - I just bought the CD a few days ago at Starbucks and I can't stop playing it! - The production is amazing! - on a whim I just got 2 tic's for tonight's performance at Pantages.

[zadraph]

this album is great.  its unique, the sounds he forged.

[amirlavie]

long for this voice. so good to listen to new songs. it sounds great and he is still the king.

Amir

Tel Aviv

[ClassicCity17]

Paul Simon continues to impress!

[barrolds]

Its ok .if it was not paul simon .ask yourself .would you be bothered

[morethanadistantland]

@barrolds but it is

[barrolds]

@morethanadistantland ..there is no denying that , sure is

[juliepeno]

@barrolds If it was not Paul Simon, the song would not exist. But it is Paul Simon, therefore it exists, and it is great.

[barrolds]

@juliepeno criptic but true...i put the comment on the wrong song...this one has really grown on me ..it was the song that his future album is named after that i was not mad on ..sorry for the confusion

[juliepeno]

@barrolds yeah it's totally a song that has to grow on you! It's been growing on me more and more as I listen to it. I bought the album today and it's really great, very 'Paul Simon'. There's an explanation as to what is going on in this song that makes you appreciate it even more, very cool.

[leskinen212]

Fuckin right! Paul Simon , not matter his state of health will always continue to rock!!

[luckygirl2b]

good song but too much chit chat...don't like that.

[AppleCorp3]

The last album was terrible, this song at least makes me optimistic we might get something good in the Spring.

[jaikwillis]

way way way way overproduced. 45 seconds worth of 2 decent Paul Simon verses with 3 & 1/2 minutes of terrible production. The last record was modern and produced but the production was subservient to the songs, which were very good. This is disappointing, but I'm glad he's still producing work at his own pace, just like his brilliant wife, Edie Brickell.

[Spaceshiptopluto]

Paul should have changed the title to "Getting Ready For Them Better Days" and replaced the lyrics "...Christmas Day" to "...For them Better Days". And for that to work, should have replaced "I know Santa Claus is coming to town" with "I’ll just keep singing towards better days". In my opinion.

[wigprsx]

sorry but this is not the paul simon i used to listen to. btw im a fan all albums dvds and stuff and i know every musician has to move on, so do i. but thats nothin compared to graceland still crazy or even h&b. little bit dissapointed.

[juliepeno]

@wigprsx check out the other song on this album, "The Afterlife". I assure you you will not be disappointed.

[Jayoung1000]

Great song!

[plangentmusic]

I've got a great bassline in mind for this song. Paul -- call me.

[pedroims]

no bass, this song sounds crappy

[ZAPDUNGAA]

Another WINNER from one of..if not THE greatest lyricist of all time!

[manlyduckling]

There was a golden age of Christmas songs in the early to mid part of the last century. Since then, most Christmas songs have been worthless. The one exception I would point out is the songs of Sufjan Stevens (an artist influenced in a major way by Paul Simon). As for this song, it's just about bearable. An odd choice to open an album released in the spring.

[Harbringe]

This is more than just a song ,its a telling ,you just need to listen.God bless you Paul Simon.

[huxtible1]

this song is absolutely beautiful!

[Jayoung1000]

Hey, Hear Music, how long until we hear more of the album?

[1DesertPirate]

Awesome song and very catchy. Love to play it. Highlights the genius of Simon, using a recorded 1941 Christmas sermon of J.M. Gates to inspire this song. Portions of Gate's sermon are played in the background! Who else but Simon could put together such a song? Answer: no one.

[diodewatch11]

when , where , how did this come about . ive heard nothing of this song before .is there an album in the pipeline?

[discosinner]

@diodewatch11 This album hasn't been released yet, but it's titled "So Beautiful Or So What" and it'll be out Springish of this year.

[twinoak170]

Paul said that he would never do another album (cd), I'm glad he was wrong.

[7512123]

The trees at 2:22 are a visual pleasure. Nice bark!

[rosemackieelf]

I clicked dislike ... I read the sermon but honestly ... Paul Simon is a better writer than this ... a series of cliches linked together with generic guitar riffs and some tiggly wiggly sound editing

[diodewatch11]

@rosemackieelf i see where your coming from , seems a bit too light

[hintermmondwien]

@rosemackieelf :

For about 22 years I´m a fan of Paul Simon. (I know the lyrics of all his officialy released songs by hard to approximatly 98%.)

I don´t think there are many people out there who are more happy than me, that there is another album coming.

But concerning the song I have to agree with you to some extend.

[hintermmondwien]

@rosemackieelf

- Word-wise the song is minimalistic for Paul Simon standards.

- Message-wise the song ist far too...well there is no message worth noticing that I can discover

[hintermmondwien]

@rosemackieelf

I distrust basically all christmas songs. They usually don´t exist because there is something worth telling, but because they want to get airtime during november and december.

If anybody could have picked up the subject "christmas" and then come up with some honest, interesting and in any way touching thoughts it could (or rather should) have been Paul Simon.

[hintermmondwien]

@rosemackieelf

Paul is smart and skilled enough, and he ought to be in a financial position where he can produce good things, rather then just things that sell well

[hintermmondwien]

@rosemackieelf

But here we have a song that gives no new or interesting perspective. Just a song that has christmas in the title, hoping to get airtime for that achievement.

I was willing to doubt my sceptism. Maybe there is some meaning there which I just happen to miss. - After all its Paul!

But seeing that the song came out in November, Paul being a jew...well I think the song is just what most of those other christmassongs are.

[Jayoung1000]

@hintermmondwien I would have to disagree. Most Christmas songs are not half as dark as this song is. It talks about real life, rather than feeding on bells, Santa, and presents. It was released in November because most people don't listen to Christmas songs at any other time, and whats wrong with wanting alot of people to hear it? Plus PS is no longer a Jew (religiously), in an interview for Surprise he said that he believes in a "creator" but he holds to no specific religion. v=AGeY8_I7x8U

[klondike316]

How can anyone dislike this????

[klondike316]

Whomever clidked dilike wre gonna get all ove'your ass!!!!

[klondike316]

Yes Whoever clicked dislike is a dumbass

[klondike316]

yes Whom ever clibkedd dislikeis certainly a dumbass!

[klondike316]

Itheme 2000 I love your response whoever clicked dislike is quite a dunbass

[turtlepowerstudio]

an expanding party !

[hanservg]

Thank God for American hero's like Paul, who dare to surprise us with new songs - instead of living of old hits like so many other artists (Cohen?!)

[The4Mad2Hatter0]

@hanservg Cant help but be a smartass...Of course Cohen isn't an American hero like Paul Simon, he's Canadian.

[hanservg]

@The4Mad2Hatter0 the emphasis wasn't on the American part, but thanks! have a great christmas

[LeslieGrishamOusdahl]

Absolutely upliftingly sensational!

[ltnemo2000]

OK...who's the dumbass who clicked dislike?

[The4Mad2Hatter0]

@ltnemo2000 Surprised I'm the first one to give this a thumbs up.

[klondike316]

@ltnemo2000 I like this statement the best!!!

[klondike316]

@ltnemo2000 I like this statement the best!!!

Can we be FB friends, I like your attitude!!??

[WhatExactlyisAJoke]

@ltnemo2000 A dumbass, plain and simple, a dumbass

[1914z28]

The Colbert Bump!

[klondike316]

OMG I love this song. For a Jewish man at Christmas-time, this rocks!!!! And I like this better than the Colbert version. All this video is, is what was playing in the background!!!

[MrSubtleSubterfugeSr]

I like the version on Colbert

[kjdaugirdas]

reverse guitar is annoying.

[tpauly123]

he's still got it. love it.

[tiredju]

ya baby.

i love it,

i'm feeling religious...!?

thanks, Paul...i love you...always have and always will...

[OpusDeFocus]

I feel better now!

[abhijeet1goyal]

Big Bear Lake!

[DamascusHounds]

Wow. Dig it. Not so subtle spiritual message is not what I expected from PS. But glad to hear it. Cool production on the song too.

[dashford]

You can find the source material for the samples that Paul uses at Dust to Digital's web site. It's a 1941 sermon by the Rev. J.M. Gates and it's fantastic -- much better than what Paul did with it.

[leapingoutofwater]

subtle genius

[fossgoddess]

AWESOME!!

[Geetarmann]

Wow! Absolutely LOVE this song AND video!!! Nice job, Paul!!!

[cormackjames]

Fantastic Paul, the old boy still got it, great track!!! Great Video!

[JettRink50]

Who made this video? I'd rather see Paul and the other singers. It is very

unique. Not that the images are bad, nice footage.

[costellodan]

I like the video Paul. Brilliant.