Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall

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"Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall"
Song by Paul Simon
from the album The Paul Simon Songbook
ReleasedAugust 1965 (1965-08)
Genre Folk
Length2:27
Label Columbia/CBS
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon
"Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall"
Song by Simon & Garfunkel
from the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
A-side "I Am a Rock"
ReleasedOctober 24, 1966 (1966-10-24)
Genre
Length2:10
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon

"Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall" is a song by the American musician Paul Simon, later re-recorded by Simon & Garfunkel for their third studio album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme .

Contents

Lyrics

The song's lyrics talk about coping with reality and personal confusion. [1] In Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography, Laura Jackson says "his mirror on the wall threw back an image dark and small, which to some degree depressed him." [2]

Recording

The guitar on the song is capoed to G on The Paul Simon Songbook and A on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme . [3]

Reception

Hey Alma called it a "joyful blend of baritone and tenor" [4]

Cornell Banca said the song and "A Most Peculiar Man" "confront the listener with similarly shallow "philosophical" reflections that sound engaging the first few times, and then pale on repeated listening." [5]

The All Music Guide Required: Classic Rock book by Hal Leonard said it "was Simon at his most reflectively philosophical, dealing with age and its changes much as 'Patterns'" [6]

Matthew Greenwald at AllMusic states "An almost dead ringer for "Red Rubber Ball," a Paul Simon song never recorded in the studio by Simon & Garfunkel (it was a hit by the Cyrcle), "Flowers That Never Bend With the Rainfall" is a simple yet very likeable slice of pop confection. As with many of Simon's songs, this is a simple yet insightful self-analysis, filled with pathos and humor. Musically, it showcases Simon's pop instincts in a very powerful and charming way. There are many other songs of his from this period that are indeed better, but the sense of craftsmanship easily puts it on the level of Simon's other, more ambitious creations." [7]

Covers

The live tribute band Toast recorded a cover of the song in 1970 that was later included on Under the Covers – Forty Great Paul Simon Cover Versions 1964–2017. [8]

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"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" is a 1966 song by Paul Simon released on Simon & Garfunkel's album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, and as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation", which charted at number 25 on Billboard's Hot 100. It is a commentary on advertising.

"Leaves That Are Green" is a song written and originally recorded by Paul Simon for his 1965 album The Paul Simon Songbook. It was later re-recorded with Art Garfunkel for the 1966 album Sounds of Silence, adding an electric harpsichord, rhythm guitar, and bass. It was also the B-side to the hit song "Homeward Bound".

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"Cloudy" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their third studio album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966). It was co-written by Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley of the Seekers; that band later covered it on their 1967 album Seekers Seen in Green. The Cyrkle released a version of the song on their 1966 debut album, Red Rubber Ball. The title track, Red Rubber Ball, was also written by the duo of Woodley/Simon.

References

  1. Kicking Through the Leaves. Donald Skiff. ISBN   978-1-4243-4296-9.
  2. Jackson, Laura (2004-04-01). Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography. Citadel Press. ISBN   978-0-8065-2539-6.
  3. Bennighof, James (2007-10-30). The Words and Music of Paul Simon. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-0-313-08279-5.
  4. Frick, Evelyn (2022-01-26). "I Can Be the Only Living Boy in New York". Hey Alma. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  5. Bonca, Cornel (2014-10-10). Paul Simon: An American Tune. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-0-8108-8482-3.
  6. Woodstra, Chris; Bush, John; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2007). All Music Guide Required Listening: Classic Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   978-0-87930-917-6.
  7. Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall - Simon &... | AllMusic , retrieved 2024-06-20
  8. Thompson, Dave (2019-11-20). Paul Simon FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Legendary Singer and the Iconic Songs. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-1-4930-5075-8.