Today a song stood out to me so strongly, I had to listen to it several times. I had been enamored with songs on the album like "Dazzling Blue," "Rewrite," and "Questions for the Angels," that I had missed hearing the precision of the lyrics of this song, "Love in Hard Times."
It seems to reflect so much of what I see going on around me. Many are struggling through hard times, be it financial or loss of a loved one or dreams gone awry.
I found this video of Simon performing this song solo at a Barnes and Noble in New York, shortly after writing it. I have posted the lyrics below.
What I love about this song most is the ending. It is the most tender, the most revealing, the deepest and most meaningful line for any of us who have experienced the marathon of long-lasting love, which many times feels new and immediate and surprising.
Enjoy your Sunday song.
"Love And Hard Times" by Paul Simon
God and his only son
Paid a courtesy call on Earth one Sunday morning
Orange blossoms opened their fragrant lips
Songbirds sang from the tips of cottonwoods
Old folks wept
For his love in these hard times
'Well, we better be going,'
Said the the restless lord to his son
'There are galaxies yet to be born
Creation is never done
Anyway these people are slobs here
If we stay it's bound to be a mob scene'
Disappeared
And it's just like love in hard times
I loved her the first time I saw her
I know that's an old songwriting cliche
Paid a courtesy call on Earth one Sunday morning
Orange blossoms opened their fragrant lips
Songbirds sang from the tips of cottonwoods
Old folks wept
For his love in these hard times
'Well, we better be going,'
Said the the restless lord to his son
'There are galaxies yet to be born
Creation is never done
Anyway these people are slobs here
If we stay it's bound to be a mob scene'
Disappeared
And it's just like love in hard times
I loved her the first time I saw her
I know that's an old songwriting cliche
I loved her the first time I saw her
Can't describe it any other way
The light of her beauty was warm as a summer day
Clouds of antelopes roll by
No hint of rain
in the prairie sky
Just love, love, love, love, love
But the rains came
The tears burned
The windows rattled
The locks turned
It's easy to be generous when you're on a roll
It's hard to be grateful
When you're out of control
And love is gone
The light at the edge of the curtain is a quiet dawn
The bedroom weaves in clicks and clacks
Uneasy heartbeat, can't relax
When your hand takes mine
Thank God I found you in time
Can't describe it any other way
The light of her beauty was warm as a summer day
Clouds of antelopes roll by
No hint of rain
in the prairie sky
Just love, love, love, love, love
But the rains came
The tears burned
The windows rattled
The locks turned
It's easy to be generous when you're on a roll
It's hard to be grateful
When you're out of control
And love is gone
The light at the edge of the curtain is a quiet dawn
The bedroom weaves in clicks and clacks
Uneasy heartbeat, can't relax
When your hand takes mine
Thank God I found you in time
Thank God I found in time
Thank God I found you
Thank God I found you
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