The Rhythms of Paul Simon: 7 Fun Facts You Never Knew!

Lori Acken 2 minutes ago

ONE TRICK PONY, Paul Simon, 1980, — Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection

Paul Simon isn’t just a singer and songwriter; he’s a bona fide cultural icon. From the haunting harmonies of “The Sound of Silence” to the infectious groove that is “You Can Call Me Al,” Simon’s music has woven itself into the fabric of pop culture, starting with his early days with Simon & Garfunkel and moving on to his solo career, which continues to inspire new generations. Seven years ago, Simon announced his retirement from the road due to diminished hearing and fans took him at his word. But in April, the 83-year-old folk icon will embark on the “A Quiet Celebration” tour. Performing classic favorites, plus the debut live performance of his 2023 Grammy-nominated “Seven Psalms” album, Simon will be accompanied by his wife of 23 years, fellow singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. Check here for tour info.

Here are some fascinating facts about the Jersey-born Paul Frederic Simon to hold you over until his tour, from his baseball skills to his beef with Sinatra.

1 Paul Simon met Art Garfunkel when they were 11

Both were performing in a production of “Alice in Wonderland” for their sixth grade graduation.

2 He wrote his first song at 13

By then, Simon and Garfunkel sang together regularly, mostly performing at school dances. Simon penned his first tune, “The Girl for Me,” which, he said, became “the neighborhood hit.”

It became more than that. Simon’s dad wrote the chords and words down on paper, and it became the first copyrighted Simon and Garfunkel song, even earning a spot in the Library of Congress.

3 His first recordings weren’t under his own name

Pop duo Simon and Garfunkel, comprising (L-R) singer, Art Garfunkel and singer-songwriter, Paul Simon, performing on ITV's 'Ready, Steady, Go!', July 8, 1966

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Simon and Garfunkel signed to Big Records while still in school, and the label promptly changed their name to “Tom & Jerry.” Simon was also a member of a band called “Tico and the Triumphs.”

4 He was neither a boxer nor a poor boy

Simon grew up comfortably middle-class with educator parents and was a talented baseball and stickball player, not a fighter. But his 1970 composition “The Boxer” is still culled from his own experiences being beaten up by the music critics, almost to the point of leaving the trade.

5 He tried to stop Frank Sinatra from covering “Mrs. Robinson”

“[Sinatra] changed the lyrics,” Simon told People magazine in 2024 of the 1960s incident. “They were fantastic, but when I first heard it, it was like, ‘Man, ring-a-ding-ding you Mrs Robinson, Jesus loves you more.’ … I said, ‘He can’t do that.’I’m stopping the record.’” Frank begged to differ, but Simon held firm — until a representative from Warner Brothers called and implored him to change his mind. Simon gave in.

6 He performed “The Boxer” on the first Saturday Night Live episode after the 9/11 attacks

He also sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water” on America: A Tribute to Heroes, a multi-network broadcast to benefit the September 11 Telethon Fund,

7 Simon took music videos in a new direction — with Lorne Michaels’ help

Simon wasn’t a fan of the live performance version of the video for his 1986 song, “You Can Call Me Al,” and asked for something different. Like, really different. SNL‘s Lorne Michaels came to the rescue. His idea featured the highly expressive — and very much taller — SNL alum Chevy Chase flawlessly lip-synching Al‘s lead vocals. Meanwhile, Simon wanders out of the mostly empty room to lug a bongo back and forth, returning only to lip synch the backup vocals while twiddling his thumbs and looking bored to death — until the pair team up to “play” a series of instruments. The clip is credited with helping to establish music videos as a credible form of artistic expression.