This song is about a recluse locking himself away from the world. When he says, I am a rock, I am an island, he means away from everything and everyone. Its far from autobiographical, as Paul Simon was doing his best to write a hit song with this effort, and didnt write it for himself. The use of the word Rock is interesting in that Simon considered himself a folk singer, and didnt associate himself with Rock music. In the vast majority of songs with the word rock in the lyrics, it is used to imply music or lifestyle, but for Simon, it was just a piece of stone. He did the same thing in 1973 for his song Loves Me Like A Rock. This song has one of more perplexing histories of recordings and releases. Written by Paul Simon before he hit it big as a musician, the song was offered to the duo Chad and Jeremy, who turned it down. Simon then recorded it himself for his UK solo album (released in America 1981) The Paul Simon Songbook, which was released in the UK in August, 1965. The single was issued in September but didnt chart despite a performance by Simon on the show Ready, Steady. Go! Simon was going solo at this time because the Simon & Garfunkel 1964 debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. had stiffed, and the duo split up. Late in 1965, the producer Tom Wilson overdubbed and remixed a track from that album, The Sound Of Silence, and it became a huge hit. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were summoned back to the studio, where they recorded the singles I Am A Rock and Homeward Bound, which were included on their Sound of Silence album. These songs were recorded with producer Bob Johnston at one of the Columbia Records studios in New York City, and now released with a more contemporary sound, I Am A Rock became a hit for the duo. Here is another great song by Simon & Garfunkel going out by request. The Rockin Apple
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 05:23:56 +0000
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