Slip Slidin' Away

Last updated
"Slip Slidin' Away"
Paulsimon slipslidinaway77.jpg
Single by Paul Simon
from the album Greatest Hits, Etc.
B-side "Something So Right"
ReleasedOctober 1977
Genre Soft rock
Length4:43
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon
Producer(s) Paul Simon, Phil Ramone
Paul Simon singles chronology
"Still Crazy After All These Years" / "I Do It For Your Love"
(1976)
"Slip Slidin' Away" / "Something So Right"
(1977)
"Stranded in a Limousine" / "Have a Good Time"
(1978)

"Slip Slidin' Away" is a 1977 song written and recorded by Paul Simon which appears on his compilation album Greatest Hits, Etc. It was one of two new songs to appear on the album, the other being "Stranded in a Limousine". Backing vocals on the song are provided by The Oak Ridge Boys. The song was originally recorded and considered for Simon's 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years , but Simon decided not to include the song on the finished album. A demo version appears on the 2004 re-issue of the album. [1] [2] [3] [4] The song was also included on Negotiations and Love Songs (1988).

Contents

Billboard found the melody to be "catchy" and the lyrics to be "sensitive, thoughtful, melancholic and evocative." [5] Cash Box said that "the emotionally complex lyric works around the title, which serves as the song's memorable chorus line." [6] Record World said that it "shows [Simon's] perception of adult problems and relationships to be undimmed." [7]

"Slip Slidin' Away" was released as a single in October 1977 and became a major hit, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. [8] The song was regularly performed at both Simon's solo concerts and Simon & Garfunkel concerts. [9]

Personnel

Chart performance

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [19] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  3. "Greatest Hits, Etc". Amazon. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  4. "Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away + lyrics". youtube.com. Retrieved 12 January 2014.[ dead YouTube link ]
  5. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 15, 1977. p. 82. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  6. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 15, 1977. p. 22. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 15, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  8. "Slip Slidin' Away (4:44)". last.fm. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  9. "Slip Slidin' Away by Paul Simon song statistics | setlist.fm". setlist.fm.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 19701992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
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  14. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 499. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
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  19. "American single certifications – Paul Simon – Slip Slidin' Away". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved November 16, 2015.