Oh, and one of the lead singers of Harpers Bizarre was Ted Templeman, who was to go on to greater things by producing Little Feat, The Doobie Brothers, Montrose, and a little band called Van Halen, who would have done a killer version.
#Tableedit 59 street bridge song series
As arranged by Leon Russell, this version also had Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye and Jim Gordon on drums - all of whom should have known better - completely overshadowed by a series of woodwinds, fey vocals and an acappella section that was clearly stuck on there because they’d run out of song too soon. The whole song is such a delicate dance that one false step would have sent the thing spiraling into a well of goo, as was evidenced by the version that actually became a hit single in 1967, a baroque horrorshow by the California band Harpers Bizarre. And it’s all over in 1:43, so even if you hate it, it’s gone before you know it. Hell, I’ll even stan for the ending, an overdubbed round of “ba-da-da-da-da” accompanied by, I dunno, a recorder that goes until the fade. Let the morning time drop all its petals on meĪlso, the minibeats of hesitation on the phrasing of “da-ppled and dro-wsy and rea-dy to sleep” is absolutely otherworldly, and kills me every single time. I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep I’ve got no deeds to do, no promises to keep I also love the feeling of - for lack of a better phrase - timelessness in the final verse. I think I had a perfect moment once: I was going for a long run in the fall of 1990, and at some point the Velvet Underground’s 1969 Live version of “What Goes On” came on my Walkman, and about two-thirds the way through the organ solo - Doug Yule weaving and out of Lou Reed’s beyond-awesome rhythm guitar - the music and the endorphins and the beautiful autumn weather kicked in all at the same time and all was right with the world. With Paul Simon’s twinkling acoustic guitar and Dave Brubeck’s rhythm section - Joe Morello (drums) and Eugene Wright (double bass) - giving the whole song an out-of-body, lighter than air feel that plays perfectly with the hippie-dippie bullshit, especially during the weird and druggy second verse. In Swimming to Cambodia, Spaulding Grey talks about the concept of a “perfect moment,” which he had swimming in the Indian Ocean, and I think that’s what “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” is about: a perfect moment.īa da, ba da, ba da, ba da … feelin’ groovy
So I will accept your scorn, and double down on it by saying that this might be the most beautiful song Paul Simon has ever written - it’s definitely on the short list if Prettiest Songs Ever Recorded, Hippie-Dippie Bullshit Department - and I love every single thing about it. Hell, even Paul fucking Simon hates this piece of hippie-dippie bullshit, one of the cheesiest songs ever written.Īnd now I’ve put it in your head. You totally and utterly hate this piece of hippie-dippie bullshit.
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