Paul Simon- The Cool, Cool River

From the album The Rhythm of the Saints

Category:

Music

Tags:

• paul
• simon
• the
• cool
• river
• rhythm
• of
• saints

[samiam64131]

"Hard times, I'm use to them. The speeding planet burns, I'm used to that. My life's so common, it disappears. And sometimes, even music, cannot substitute for tears."

[jackhillty1]

just checking. yep. still the best song ever

[beachallstar]

This has to be literally one of the best albums of all time.

[fredex426]

the rage of love turns inward into prayers of devotion

Mr. Stillwater, the face at the edge of the banquet

[tayloreh]

These prayers are the constant road across the wilderness. These prayers are the memory of God...

[blahness013]

@72livewire It's in 9/8. The maracas are playing 16ths. Usually the bass drum in just on beat 1, but during those parts that it isn't, it plays on beat 8. :)

[Ayess2008]

@72livewire Paul confirms the time signature is 9/8 in his Barnes and Noble interview which is in 7 parts here on youtube.

[polarautumn]

"I believe in the future

We shall suffer no more

Maybe not in my lifetime

But in yours, I feel sure."

[jackhillty1]

a fuckin prayer. bless us

[72livewire]

Thanks gashnor321! So the bass drum is on the "and" of beat 9? I was thinking 9/8 also, but it's a time sig Paul hasn't used before as far as I can recall. Either way, it's a beautiful song both musically and poetically.

[gashnor321]

@72livewire Sounds like 9/8 to me. There's 9 beats in between each drum downbeat. The maracas are going in triplet eighths, so three triplets per measure. (3x3 = 9) It all evens out.