I have always been a Simon fan, although either forgot about this album or just really started listening at "Still Crazy after all these years." This is a hidden gem that people seem to be grading the norm of what they heard on the radio day after day of old hits. (Me and Julio and Mother and Child..). Both good pop songs, although the rest of this album has deep tracks with different movements and stories that feel like experiences that draw a clear picture. That you might in most of the good albums, but his guitar is as good as he has written thoughout his career. His voice alone like (Paul Mcartney) can be enough, but the guitar, knocked me flat, listen and hear the big picture. Songs written for the times but guitar that leads it's own melody from the the voice of Simon. All the one star grading by itune listeners are not interested before hearing the songs. Just hits played again and again. Enjoy the album and you might hear the magic like every great artist seem to write on their first cover album. All the songs they had in their head or packaged away, awaiting to share some or the best stuff they might write for many years. This Cover was/is just that, listen and hear melodies dancing with that guitar and stories of experiences of his own. Enjoy his raw talent and best sounds of a man, guitar with loads of talent!

I agree with the iTunes reviewer, you felt much less disappointed about the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel after you heard this album. This one and the next one, "There Goes Rhymin' Simon", touched me deeply. I was kind of alienated myself, and here Paul continues a bit of that alienation that he wrote about during S&G. Mixed in with some extremely whimsical songs and subtle rhythms and melodies. And a ton of acoustic guitar. This has got to be one of my top 5 or 10 albums of all time, along with Abbey Road and Sweet Baby James and The White Album and SMiLE and Bridge Over Troubled Water, etc.

i was just listening to the previews of these songs (im only on 'peace like a river' though so sorry the rest may be great) but i don't like them very much. i know someone will say that since im not even using proper grammer or even capatalizing things, my opinion is stupid. seriously though-- i love the song 'graceland' and 'you can call me al'... but i wish that his songs sounded like 'father and daughter'. that song makes me want to almost cry because it's so sweet

Paul Simon is my favorite musician of all time and yet I didn't own this album or know some of these songs until I'd been listening to him for 20 years. Oops. Anyway, there are so many wonderful and underplayed songs here... Paranoia Blues, Duncan, Papa Hobo, etc etc. If you love Paul or just excellent songwriting, you need this.

I would have to say that this is my favorite album of all time. However, it its extremely underrated. For complexity, people pick Graceland as the pinnacle of Paul's work. However, for sheer, simple beauty, this album rules supreme. If you are one who enjoys a masterfully-built, simplistic album with few just a few instruments and Simon's amazing voice, get this album. Jack Johnson pales in comparison. The lyrics sum up this review: (from "Duncan") "I was playing my guitar, lying underneath the stars, just thanking the lord for my fingers...for my fingers."