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Much of songwriting is simply a mystery.

Paul Simon

And so you see I have come to doubt -All that I once held as true ~ I stand alone without beliefs -The only truth I know is you
PAUL SIMON

Belief Doubt Known See Stand True Yourself
I don’t think [Dylan and the Beatles] influenced me a lot. I think it was inevitable; they were so powerful that you couldn’t really escape the influence.
PAUL SIMON

Escape Influence Powerful Thinking
The abstract music is just more interesting because it doesn’t really have anything to say, but if it is good, it creates thoughts and feelings, and I enjoy that. For me, once the music creates those thoughts and feelings, I begin to write a song about it.
PAUL SIMON

Abstract Beginning Creation Interesting Music Song Writing
When I was 15, I made a solo record. It made Artie very unhappy. He looked upon it as something of a betrayal.
PAUL SIMON

Betrayal Music Myself Record
It was the year of the Beatles, it was the year of the Stones, it was 1964.
PAUL SIMON

Age Time
You want to be a writer, don’t know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.
PAUL SIMON

Humble Known Pen Place Quiet Writing Yourself
We’re living in a certain time, and we’re aware of it. And that’s part of what we’re aware of, along with our own personal aches and pains.
PAUL SIMON

Aware Live Myself Pain Personal Time
The trick is, as I know it, is to care like hell and not give a damn at the same time.
PAUL SIMON

Care Time Trick Yourself
A songwriter’s supreme challenge is being complex and simple at the same time.
PAUL SIMON

Challenge Simplicity Supreme Time
We work our jobs, collect our pay, believe were gliding down the highway, when in fact we’re slip sliding away.
PAUL SIMON

Fact Job Ourselves Slide Work
The phrasing didn’t work as well.
PAUL SIMON

Phrase Well Work
All lies and jests, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.
PAUL SIMON

Himself Lying Man Regard
In the clearing stands the boxer, and a fighter by his trade. And he carries a reminder of every glove that laid him down, or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame “I am leaving! I am leaving” but the fighter still remains.
PAUL SIMON

Carry Clear Fight Myself Reminder Shame Stand
There’s something about the sound of a train that’s very romantic and nostalgic and hopeful.
PAUL SIMON

Hope Nostalgia Romantic Sound Training
I try to open up my heart as much as I can and keep a real keen eye out that I don’t get sentimental. I think we’re all afraid to reveal our hearts. It’s not at all in fashion.
PAUL SIMON

Emotion Fashion Heart Open Reality
After all those years of automatic success, you don’t get nervous any more. It’s really necessary to be nervous and be a little bit frightened. It pumps the adrenalin into you and you really get down there and try.
PAUL SIMON

Automatic Necessary Nervous Scare Try Yourself

Much of songwriting is simply a mystery.

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Much of songwriting is simply a mystery.

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