![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Harper-Simon-Photo-by-Autumn-DeWilde-608x600.jpg\" "\\"Harper")
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It can’t be easy making one’s way in the musical world when you are the spawn of Paul Simon, one of America’s all-time great songwriters.\u00a0 Hence Harper Simon’s handicap (and advantage) in that world.\u00a0 Harper released his self-titled album to some acclaim in 2009.\u00a0 In addition to some stalwart back-up players on the album (Al Perkins, Marc Ribot, Lloyd Green, Steve Gadd, etc.), it can’t be a coincidence that he enlisted the support of other musical-star progeny:\u00a0 Inara George (Lowell George’s daughter), Petra Haden (Charlie Haden’s daughter), and Sean Lennon (really?).<\/p>\n
There are some great songs on the album, including Berkeley Girl<\/em><\/strong> and Shooting Star<\/strong>,<\/em> and a few composed with his father and mother, but our favorite is Wishes and Stars<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree on this song.\u00a0 With the help of the uncredited Art Garfunkel<\/strong>, Harper manages to conjure and pay tribute to the sweet sound of Simon and Garfunkel<\/strong>.\u00a0 And maybe, just maybe, he has come to grips with the fact that he was born under a good sign and, though there are “more wishes than stars,” you have to accept when “your whole life’s been blessed.”<\/strong><\/p>\n Listen to the song below (lyrics included below), and then check out the video of Harper’s rendering of the song live at Largo with America’s most soulful guitar player, David Rawlings<\/strong> (while you’re at it, listen to Harper’s vocals and see if you don’t hear the echoes of another Largo favorite, Tom Brosseau). <\/strong>And then below that are a couple of our favorite Paul Simon songs from his early solo albums (just in case you are amongst the few that aren’t familiar with the phenomenal early solo Simon songs).<\/p>\n Harper Simon–Wishes and Stars<\/em> [audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/04-Wishes-And-Stars.mp3|titles=04 Wishes And Stars]<\/strong><\/p>\n “<\/strong>Everyone seems so certain Except me ’cause I’m a fool Every guest Everyone’s been on a holiday in the sun I’m not too certain about many things I’m slow like the trees when they grow There are more wishes than stars http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y9lbxR5Hcdw<\/p>\n Paul Simon–Peace Like a River<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n One of our all-time favorites from stem to stern.\u00a0 What many don’t know is how great a guitar player Paul Simon was\/is.\u00a0 Check out his great acoustic playing on this song.<\/p>\n [audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Simon-Peace-Like-A-River.mp3|titles=Paul Simon -Peace Like A River]<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Paul Simon–<\/strong>Rene And Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Check out the stunning vocals and dynamics on this song.<\/p>\n [audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Simon-Rene-and-Georgette-Magritte-With-Their-Dog-After-the-War-+-lyrics.mp3|titles=Paul Simon – Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War + lyrics] Paul Simon–<\/strong>Hearts and Bones<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Here’s a love song for the ages.<\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/12-Hearts-And-Bones.mp3|titles=12 Hearts And Bones]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Photo:\u00a0 Autumn Dewilde It can’t be easy making one’s way in the musical world when you are the spawn of Paul Simon, one of America’s all-time great songwriters.\u00a0 Hence Harper Simon’s handicap (and advantage) in that world.\u00a0 Harper released his self-titled album to some acclaim in 2009.\u00a0 In addition to some stalwart back-up players on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4763"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4763\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nEveryone knows who they are
\nEveryone’s got a mother and a father
\nThey all seem so sure they’re going far
\nThey all got more friends than they can use<\/p>\n
\nI’m as simple as a bee
\nAs a melody in C
\nBut it don’t matter
\nThere are more wishes than stars<\/p>\n
\nSo pleased with themselves
\nThey’re brimming with success
\nTheir whole life’s been blessed
\nBut it don’t matter<\/p>\n
\nOr they just got back from one
\nAll they do is just have fun
\nThey all got more friends than they can use<\/p>\n
\nI’m not too sure who I am
\nI ain’t got no mother and I ain’t got no father
\nI ain’t got no girlfriend to hold my hand<\/p>\n
\nI’m sluggish like the ocean when it moves
\nI’m plain like water or like rain
\nBut I shouldn’t complain cause it don’t matter<\/p>\n
\nMore wishes than stars”<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n