Paul Simon "The Essential"

2 CDs

or

2 CDs + 1 CD

 

Released five years after Warner's last Paul Simon comp, the single-disc The Paul Simon Collection: On My Way, Don't Know Where I'm Goin', the double-disc The Essential Paul Simon is a full 17 tracks heftier than its predecessor and contains all but one of its 19 songs (MIA is the latter-day "Love," which only hardcore fans will recognize as from You're the One, and they're not quite the market for this set anyway). It's also slimmer than the 1993 box Paul Simon 1964-1993, which spanned three discs but also encompassed his '60s recordings with Art Garfunkel, plus a single the duo recorded as Tommore… & Jerry, along with selections from his solo debut, The Paul Simon Songbook — it was ambitious, where this compilation is efficient, picking up after the parting of ways with Garfunkel and running straight through until 2006's Surprise. The sequencing isn't strictly chronological — some songs are shuffled around for effect, with "Still Crazy After All These Years" closing the first, while "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" is cleverly followed by the zydeco stomp "That Was Your Mother" — but it roughly divides into having the first disc devoted to the '70s and early '80s, the second devoted to Graceland and beyond. Some might argue that there's too heavy of a Graceland presence here — a whopping six tracks, over half the album — but it is his biggest album and functions as a nice transition between his better-known '70s hits and the more esoteric but frequently compelling work that he's done since. And, unlike The Paul Simon Collection, The Essential Paul Simon is designed to introduce fellow travelers to the interesting work he's done since Graceland, as the second disc emphasizes that quite greatly, and it does a good job of it, while also providing a good summary of his best-known (and much of his best) solo work.

Tracklisting / Additional Info:

CD 1
1. Mother And Child Reunion - Halee Roy (3:10 min.)
2. Loves Me Like a Rock - Simon Paul (3:40 min.)
3. Me And Julio Down By The School Yard (Album Version) - Halee Roy (2:45 min.)
4. Duncan - Halee Roy (4:29 min.)
5. Kodachrome (Album Version) - Simon Paul (3:35 min.)
6. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Ramone Phil (3:37 min.)
7. Slip slidin' away (Album Version) - R.HALEE (4:43 min.)
8. Gone At Last - Ramone Phil (3:41 min.)
9. Something so right (Album Version) - Simon Paul (4:37 min.)
10. Late In The Evening - Ramone Phil (4:03 min.)
11. Hearts and bones - Halee Roy (5:39 min.)
12. Take Me To The Mardi Gras (Album Version) - Simon Paul (3:31 min.)
13. That Was Your Mother - Simon Paul (2:53 min.)
14. American Tune - Simon Paul (3:47 min.)
15. Peace Like A River - Halee Roy (3:23 min.)
16. Stranded in a limousine - Ramone Phil (3:11 min.)
17. Train In The Distance - Simon Paul (4:22 min.)
18. The Late Great Johnny Ace - Halee Roy (4:53 min.)
19. Still Crazy After All These Years - Ramone Phil (3:27 min.)

CD 2
1. Graceland - Simon Paul (4:51 min.)
2. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Simon Paul (5:34 min.)
3. The Boy In The Bubble - Simon Paul (4:00 min.)
4. You Can Call Me Al - Simon Paul (4:41 min.)
5. Under african skies - Simon Paul (3:37 min.)
6. The Obvious Child - Simon Paul (4:10 min.)
7. Born At The Right Time - Simon Paul (3:48 min.)
8. The Cool Cool River - Simon Paul (4:33 min.)
9. Spirit Voices - Simon Paul (3:56 min.)
10. Adios hermanos - Halee Roy (4:42 min.)
11. Born In Puerto Rico - Halee Roy (5:03 min.)
12. Quality - Halee Roy (4:19 min.)
13. Darling Lorraine - Simon Paul (6:39 min.)
14. Hurricane Eye - Duggan Dan (4:12 min.)
15. Father and daughter - Simon Paul (4:11 min.)
16. Outrageous - Eno Brian (3:24 min.)
17. Wartime prayers - Simon Paul (4:49 min.)

Bonus DVD:
Music Videos
1. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard
2. You Can Call Me Al
3. The Boy In The Bubble
4. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
5. The Obvious Child
6. Father And Daughter

TV Appearances:
7. Mrs Robinson - Live on The Dick Cavett Show
8. Loves Me Like A Rock - Live on Saturday Night Live
9. Sweeney Sisters - Live on Saturday Night Live
10. Homeward Bound [with George Harrison] - Live on Saturday Night Live


Year of Release: 2008
Format: 3 DISC CD/DVD SET


Record Label: Warner
Catalogue No: 9362499697
Country of Origin: UK