Inspired by Simon’s grief over his dog’s death, it was suggested that Simon predicted the title event, the mother and child reunion. The second verse described the effect of what happened on the strange and mournful day, but without making clear what it was. However Simon said he wrote this in response to the Jimmy Cliff song Vietnam 1970, where a mother received a letter about her son's death on the battlefield. [The timing was right for Australians. It took until Dec 1972 before the Australian Government officially declared the end of our involvement in the Vietnam War].
Mother and Child Reunion, Simon with Cliff
Graceland 25th Anniversary Tour, London 2012
Londongigger
The success of this song proved that audiences were willing, from then on, to accept Simon without Art Garfunkel at his side. But when my own mother passed away in Melbourne and a friend suggested this song as a source of comfort, I didn’t even remember the 1972 changes made in Simon and Garfunkel’s musical works.
Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon (youtube)
[Chorus] No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh, little darling of mine
I can't for the life of me
Remember a sadder day
I know they say let it be
But it just don't work out that way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
Oh, little darling of mine
I just can't believe it's so
Though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
Oh, the mother and child reunion is only a motion away
Oh, the mother and child reunion is only a moment away
Paul and his mother Belle Simone holding hands
Pinterest
The Every Single Paul Simon Song blog attempted to cover all the possible explanations for the “mother and child reunion” central to the song. For example the speaker referred to the listener as Little darling of mine, so he presumed some familiarity between the two parties. Also the listener seemed to be at least a generation younger, given that form of address.
When my beloved mother passed away, I Helen assumed the lyrics referred to the desolate child who will remain on earth until they are reunited forever, in heaven. So thank you providing some small comfort at a terrible time, Paul Simon.
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30 comments:
A song that can reflect so many different aspects meaningfully is a classic.
I learnt about Reggae music and now listening to some of the ones on
google search. Sounds not bad for an ethnic Taiwanese lol
I've always enjoyed listening to Simon and Garfunkel as well as Paul as a solo artist. I've already told my daughter which one I want played at my funeral.
jabblog
not everybody cares about our favourite song-writer's intentions, but some of us care very much, yes. I have heard a number of very different meanings to 'Mother and Child Reunion", including from Paul Simon himself, but there was never a final conclusion. So when my mother passed away tragically, I was 100% certain that I knew what Paul Simon intended.
Every listener will make their own decisions, of course.
roentare
you are amazing... I would not have known what Jamaican reggae in American music was, had I not been a mad Simon and Garfunkel fan in the late 1960s .
It's pleasing that the song helped you in your time of need Hels.
I rather like Paul Simon.
Fun60
very wise. The next generation will have no idea which music spoke to you, unless you have explained its meaning to your young mind. I think I would ask for Leonard Cohen for my memorial function.. although my children may have never heard of him.
Margaret
apart from loving Paul Simon's Mother and Child Reunion, and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah,
I also thought Bob Dylan's 1973 song Knocking on Heaven's Door was very meaningful. The 3 of them were men of my generation, my religion and my emotions.
It's cruel to anounce parents of the death of their son by letter or by phone call.
In our place, these terrible news are handled by a team of three (one , a medical person). They knock on the door first, and there's a whole 'folklore' about this horific knock.
I like the song is has always moved me
That's a great song. And it's an interesting story behind it. Thanks for sharing.
DUTA
I agree with you. But is this what happened to Paul Simon when his mum passed away?
Erika
Yes! Very often we remember at least the chorus of a song, many years after it reached its peak popularity. But it's not often that we are still moved by the song's emotions decades later.
Jo-Anne
Thank you for saying that. It makes me feel more normal :)
They are such sad lyrics. Like you I read the song in the same way. The next time I hear it, I will think about it and be reminded of you.
Andrew
Losing a loved one has to be the hardest thing in our personal worlds. Did you find any consolation in literature, art, music, wine, friendships or anything else?
Partnerships don't last forever but Simon and Garfunkel were so good together, it was a shame they broke up. What happened?
What a moving song and lyrics!
When I experienced the first death in the family,
my father from cancer (he passed away within three months at the age of 63)
I thought everything changed (and it did) and my space and time seemed smaller!
Fortunately time is a healer and I believe that at some point in some way there will be a reunion!
I can't imagine your pain, courage!
Thank you.
Joe
the two lads were partners in the middle 1950s but they may have been too immature to make the partnership overcome disagreements. I know nothing about that very early era.
They got together again in the middle 1960s, this time hopefully more mature. They became famous, rich and successful, and although there were ongoing personal and professional tensions, the partnership seemed to continue well. However after the 1993 shows, the two again split for 10 years and only got together for the 2003-2004 Old Friends Tour in Madison Square Gardens. It too did not last.
Katerina
Does time really heal the pain from loss of a loved one? or does it just get us into doing all the other important things we are obligated to continue with? I hope you found comfort after your father died at such an early age.
When my beloved son died at 51, I threw myself into the family and charity issues that he loved, plus I remember all pleasure he gained from his very successful travel agency. Not easily done, but he would be happy if he was looking down at me.
But the last 4 weeks of my beloved mum's life were filled with a hateful relative asking for euthanasia, police, lawyers and her old age home under guard. I can only hope that mum can hear Paul Simon's Mother and Child Reunion and she forgives me for allowing the relative's euthanasia plan.
I just listened to this tune, as I've never heard of it before.
It's a happy mournful song.
Liam
I agree. It gives hope to the son at a horrible time.
This is a very touching song about mom! All mothers in the world are beautiful! I also once had a mother, but she died in 2001.
Irina
I loved my father, and miss him too. But there is something special about having a loved mother that never fades. Paul Simon understood that, clearly.
I've never liked that song. Nor wars either.
A touching and memorable song. Interesting that this was one of his first songs without Garfunkel. I saw him perform here in Israel back in 2011. It was a good concert but he was already past his heyday.
River
War is horrendous. I was born after dad came back from WW2, but he purposely never talked about it to us, the children. So the first war I was personally acutely aware of was Vietnam.
Although I didn't know any Australian soldier who was killed, or any Australian soldier who slaughtered Vietnamese citizens, it was a terrible time. People made plans to get their sons and brothers out, if they were conscripted, or broke their toes so as to fail the medical test. I went to all the protest marches, but nobody trusted the authorities back then. Mental health was put at risk for years, even though no guns were fired in Australia.
Lisa
I believe their best years together were from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. But because they were also my best years, I wonder if I simply didn't pay enough attention to them later on. But you are right...2011 was totally another generation of audience.
It broke my heart when the two men separated and went ahead with their own careers.
A touching post.
diane
everyone has pain and loss in their lives, I have known that for a very long time.
But we are not all fortunate enough to find, even accidentally, some comfort in those difficult times. So I must ring my friends and thank them for their close support.
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