Analogs of Vysotsky: my replies

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Sentinel76 Astrakhan wrote:

[quoting me without attribution:]
>> For my money, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan rose to that level (though
>> Dylan couldn't sing a lick); I'll put Paul Simon's genius, with or
>> without Garfunkel, up against anyone (some listeners outside the
>> New York area may not see it). And his songs had a substantial,
>> meaty content that you don't often get in pop music.
>
> Paul Simon definitely had the talent and the longevity.  But was his
> impact strong enough?  Was his peak high enough?  Did he have any of
> the "dark vibe"?  I am mostly familiar with his S&G stuff and I saw
> him live in 1999 and remember his song "Can't Run But" having some
> social criticism, but I certainly did not get the sense of power
> coming from him.  If anything, he was miles better than Dylan, who
> opened for him and looked like a mannequin.
>
> One thing I did not get from him is the "substantial" and "meaty".
> Can you provide some examples?

You're right that Simon didn't have a lot of the "dark vibe" you may be 
looking for; it's hard to find direct equivalences between cultural 
icons. Each is unique. My point was that his talent is second to none.

Simon does have a lot of purely playful stuff like "Feeling Groovy" and 
"Kodachrome." But here are a few examples of more substantial material:

Bridge over Troubled Water
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYKJuDxYr3I>
When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

The Boxer (revised version)
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hqdZ4AWSaI>
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders 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.

The Sound of Silence
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUy9ePyo6Q>
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never shared
No one dared disturb the sound of silence

How can a Russian not relate to that one?

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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