Quotes By Paul Simon

When we came into the studio I became more and more me, making the tracks and choosing the musicians, partly because a great deal of the time during Bridge, Artie wasn't there.

I don't consider myself to be a major talent, so the only solace I can take is to hope I'm growing.

Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die.

Faith is an island in the setting sun, But proof is the bottom line for everyone.

Why am I so soft in the middle when the rest of my life is so hard?

I don't believe what the papers are saying They're just out to capture my dime, Exaggerating this, exaggerating that.

I don't like fashion. It's very heartless.

I think Bridge Over Troubled Water was a very good song. Artie sang it beautifully. The Boxer was a really nice record. But I don't think I've written any great songs.

There must be 50 ways to leave your lover.

When I was 15, I made a solo record. It made Artie very unhappy. He looked upon it as something of a betrayal.

It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no importance once it's finished.

I'm not in it for the money. I like music. I love to write music. I can't imagine myself not playing or singing or writing. It would just drive me crazy if I didn't.

I rate each album as better than the last one. That's how I see it.

Facts can be turned into art if one is artful enough.

We were always able to sing and blend well together; that's our gift. But aside from that, we're really two different guys.

How much can you do with two voices? You can sing thirds or you can sing fifths or you can do a background harmony.

Not every song I write is ecstasy. And it can happen only one time. After that, when you sing the same melody and words, it's pleasure, but you don't get wiped out.

There's something about the sound of a train that's very romantic and nostalgic and hopeful.

We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a record and then rate it. We called ourselves Tom and Jerry. I was Jerry.

Without Arthur's voice, I never would have enjoyed that success.

It's a big error to think that because you like somebody's work, you're going to like him.

I would be willing to do almost anything to make Art happy. I care about our friendship. The only thing I won't do is change the essence of my work.

I'm more interested in what I discover than what I invent.

The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.

Artie travels all the time. The rehearsals were just miserable. Artie and I fought all the time. He didn't want to do the show with my band; he just wanted me on acoustic guitar.

One of the things that upset me was some of the criticism leveled at Simon and Garfunkel. I always took exception to it, but actually I agree with a lot of it.

Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.

I think I have a superior brain and an inferior stature, if you really want to get brutal about it.

People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music.

Mrs. Robinson is a little dated now, but it has nothing to do with Joe DiMaggio.