CoronaVinyl Day 230 (S): Paul Simon by Paul Simon

 For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "S," and the selection is Paul Simon's eponymous 1972 album.  I have no idea why the photo is so blurry, but I refuse to take another one.

Technically, this was Simon's second studio album, although his first one was released in 1965 and only in the UK (and not in the U.S. until 1981), so in the U.S., this was effectively his solo debut album.  Released two years after he and Art Garfunkel split ways, and it showed that Simon was still one of the best singer-songwriters around.  The songs are personal and sometimes painful.  

Both critically and commercially acclaimed, the album went to #4 on the Billboard album chart, as well as #1 on the album charts in Finland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, and Top 5 on the album charts in Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, and Spain.  The album also notched Simon his first two solo Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, as "Mother and Child Reunion" went to #4, and "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" went to #22.  "Duncan" also charted, reaching #52.

Simon, of course, went on to a long and successful solo career, and he's a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame both as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist.

The Spotify version of the album has demo versions of "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" and "Duncan," as well as a previously unreleased song.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Mother and Child Reunion"

This is the only song on Side 1 that isn't a ballad or super slow, and it has a Caribbean/reggae feel to it, which makes sense, since it was recorded in Jamaica with members of Jimmy Cliff's backing band and members of Toots & The Maytals.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard"
This song always puts me in a good mood, and making matters better, whenever I hear it, I think of The Royal Tenenbaums.  I'm talkin' about throwing a brick through the other guy's window.