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Paul Simon — Late In The Evening
Album: One Trick Pony
Avg rating:
7.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2519









Released: 1980
Length: 3:53
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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First thing I remember, I was lying in my bed
Couldn't have been no more than one or two
And I remember there was a radio
Coming from the room next door
And my mother laughed the way some ladies do
Well it's late in the evening
And the music's seeping through

The next thing I remember, I am walking down the street
I'm feeling all right, I'm with my boys, I'm with my troops, yeah
And down along the avenue some guys are shootin' pool
And I heard the sound of acapella grooves, yeah
Singin' late in the evening
And all the girls out on the stoops, yeah

Then I learned to play some lead guitar
I was underage in this funky bar
And I stepped outside and smoked myself a J
And when I come back to the room everybody just seemed to move
And I turned my amp up loud and I began to play
And it was late in the evening
And I blew that room away

The first thing I remember when you came into my life
I said, "I'm gonna get that girl no matter what I do"
Well I guess I've been in love before
Once or twice I've been on the floor
But I never loved no one the way that I love you
And it was late in the evening
And all the music seeping through.
Comments (286)add comment
There are a very few songs that, when they come on, I have no choice but to drop everything that I'm doing and sing along and chair dance to them. This is one of them.
Posted 2 years ago by twp    [ Reply ]
 BCarn wrote:

Can't an artiste have a little fun with their craft?


I kind of felt the same way until I listened to each of them individually not considering comparison to when they were a duo.  Siman had some great Solo Songs, "Duncan, Something so right, slip-sliding away"; comparable to when he was together with Art. And Art had two excellent Solo albums Watermark and Breakaway.
Posted 2 years ago by Fugee-yama    [ Reply ]
I'm 52. I have a 19 your old kid. I turned him on to this song at least a decade ago. He loves it. He and I have a contest to see who can whistle along to the horn section. It's exhausting for me. He wins every time. 
Posted 2 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
Thankfully, he's not a one trick pony
Posted 2 years ago by smartn1    [ Reply ]
Great track, such energy and the most fantastic Steve Gadd drumming - love it!
Posted 2 years ago by jtcedinburgh    [ Reply ]
 ekimedual wrote:

I have immense respect for Paul Simon. I just don't like his music that much. I seem to hear this song every other day or so... can we maybe move it to once a month just to appease his fans?



It's only twice a month currently - I'm sure that you can cope.
Posted 3 years ago by pktinkler2984    [ Reply ]
I have immense respect for Paul Simon. I just don't like his music that much. I seem to hear this song every other day or so... can we maybe move it to once a month just to appease his fans?
Posted 3 years ago by ekimedual    [ Reply ]
"Yes, yes, yes. God love you, man. You're a one-horse pony," Biden
replied as he made his way offstage. "I promise you my Justice
Department will be totally on its own, making its judgments about how
they should proceed."
Posted 3 years ago by MayBaby    [ Reply ]
 jambo wrote:


i'd say it's advanced judging from comments that almost all very well informed. you need some life experience to offer musical knowledge from decades of listening. 

RP listeners also strike me as very well educated.

it's about Quality. just ask robert persig.

RP IS Quality.
 
Hell yea on a Persig reference! And yes, RP definitely meets his super cool definition of Quality.
Posted 4 years ago by bluematrix    [ Reply ]
 BCarn wrote:

Can't an artiste have a little fun with their craft?
 
Agreed.
I like the fact that Paul tries on different genres of music.
Otherwise we would never have gotten the amazing Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints albums.
Posted 4 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
I can't imagine a time when I don't like this song.
Posted 4 years ago by Atombender    [ Reply ]
I wish we were unable to pause, fast-forward and would then be forced to listen to the same song all at once. Did you know there was energy, measured, as some collective conscious when 911 happened. Some measuring device of some sort measured it as such, and I'm not talking about the seismic (or lack there of) measurements of covid 19 lizardking wrote:

I'll agree with you, jambo!  And accept the compliment as well ;-) 

For me it's not just the fact RP is a musical oasis in the desert of commercial backed programming, the very fact that this is listener supported means that we're a family of sorts, spread about the world (and yes, folks almost everywhere are logged on to RP which is amazing) and often bopping to the same tunes from one time-zone to another.  I think we all admire BnR's "station" and the thought put into the "playlists" is artistic in itself.  And I say "LONG LIVE RP!!"
 

Posted 4 years ago by layson921    [ Reply ]
  Dancing at my desk!!!
Posted 5 years ago by diannemck56    [ Reply ]
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm 62, so I was around in the Simon and Garfunkel days, and I did like them a lot....but I just have never understood the Paul Simon worship since his solo days.....The songs are just goofy and inane.....I guess kind of like some of the Beatles songs....Me and Julio , 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Late in the Evening, bleh, bleh, bleh. I put them in the same class as Octopuses Garden and Rocky Racoon I guess......even though I love the Beatles.....but I just don't understand why anyone would purposely listen to those particular types of songs and dig them.
 
Can't an artiste have a little fun with their craft?
Posted 5 years ago by BCarn    [ Reply ]
Rating to me only 7
Posted 5 years ago by Tomasni    [ Reply ]
 jambo wrote:


i'd say it's advanced judging from comments that almost all very well informed. you need some life experience to offer musical knowledge from decades of listening. 

RP listeners also strike me as very well educated.

it's about Quality. just ask robert persig.

RP IS Quality.
 
I'll agree with you, jambo!  And accept the compliment as well ;-) 

For me it's not just the fact RP is a musical oasis in the desert of commercial backed programming, the very fact that this is listener supported means that we're a family of sorts, spread about the world (and yes, folks almost everywhere are logged on to RP which is amazing) and often bopping to the same tunes from one time-zone to another.  I think we all admire BnR's "station" and the thought put into the "playlists" is artistic in itself.  And I say "LONG LIVE RP!!"
Posted 5 years ago by lizardking    [ Reply ]
 jmkate wrote:
Not sure if its possible to sit still to this....
 
Might be. With some serious restraints! {#Bananajam}
Posted 5 years ago by Egctheow    [ Reply ]
Whenever I hear this song I remember a night I was out with my friends and one of them asked me to pick a song for him for karaoke. I picked this one and he didn't know how it went so he messed up the lyrics and the crowd booed him. Then during the instrumental break he started salsa dancing and they all loved him again.
Posted 6 years ago by linden    [ Reply ]
blech
Posted 6 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
 PopKombo wrote:
Goofy or not ya got ta love the drumming, percussion and horn sections on this

 
Not sure if I remember well, but somehow I am under the impression that I have heard Adrian Belew saying that he was the guitar player behind the horns and brass section of this song... you might want to check it out...
Posted 6 years ago by tupicetti    [ Reply ]
 Skydog wrote:

i wonder what the average age of RP listeners are

 

i'd say it's advanced judging from comments that almost all very well informed. you need some life experience to offer musical knowledge from decades of listening. 

RP listeners also strike me as very well educated.

it's about Quality. just ask robert persig.

RP IS Quality.
Posted 6 years ago by jambo    [ Reply ]
this one will be my walking around track for the rest of the day, maybe tomorrow too.{#Cool}
Posted 6 years ago by sjmorrison2    [ Reply ]
 jmkate wrote:
Not sure if its possible to sit still to this....
 
Excellent suggestion!  Moving quickly to PSD
Posted 6 years ago by pinto    [ Reply ]
Not sure if its possible to sit still to this....
Posted 6 years ago by jmkate    [ Reply ]
A nice tune, especially in the context of the film, about being able to do only one thing - play music. Even as the B-52s and Devo begin to overshadow song craft. In the film he wonders what his place is in the world if he is just a One Trick Pony. Nice idea.
Posted 6 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
{#Bananasplit}{#Bananapiano}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana_2}
Love love love this song.  I've got some serious chair dancing going on over here.
Posted 6 years ago by membeth    [ Reply ]
This song is great!  And so is the movie....while Paul might not be the best actor, I think he did a great job in "One Trick Pony" - in fact it's one of those lost gems from the 80s.  Several great musicians acted in it...including Steve Gadd who is an EXCELLENT drummer.  Lou Reed was in it too!  The song gets a 10 from me!
Posted 7 years ago by lizardking    [ Reply ]
 Skydog wrote:

i wonder what the average age of RP listeners are

 
I am younger by a 7 years to the 62 stated in the quote above this.  If I were to hazard a guess I would put average in the mid to late 40's.
Posted 7 years ago by xtalman    [ Reply ]
 PopKombo wrote:
Goofy or not ya got ta love the drumming, percussion and horn sections on this

 
{#Clap}
Posted 8 years ago by ChrisVIII    [ Reply ]
When Paul Simon writes a song, that song knows it was written by Paul Simon. A fine ass piece of art, that is.
 
Posted 8 years ago by Wilfrue    [ Reply ]
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm 62, 

 
i wonder what the average age of RP listeners are
Posted 8 years ago by Skydog    [ Reply ]
Really feeling it tonight.  8 >>> 9!
Posted 8 years ago by skooba    [ Reply ]
The song may be goofy, but its from the movie One Trick Pony and relates to the context of the movie.
Posted 8 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
George Harrison called those kinds of Beatles songs "Paul's fruity songs". I can see that. But I don't think of Paul Simon's songs that way at all. They just don't cross that line as that goofy. 50 Ways feels pretty dark to me. The others are fun, but not silly. It's a fine line.

I'm 62, so I was around in the Simon and Garfunkel days, and I did like them a lot....but I just have never understood the Paul Simon worship since his solo days.....The songs are just goofy and inane.....I guess kind of like some of the Beatles songs....Me and Julio , 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Late in the Evening, bleh, bleh, bleh. I put them in the same class as Octopuses Garden and Rocky Racoon I guess......even though I love the Beatles.....but I just don't understand why anyone would purposely listen to those particular types of songs and dig them.

 


Posted 8 years ago by jnhashmi    [ Reply ]
Goofy or not ya got ta love the drumming, percussion and horn sections on this
Posted 8 years ago by PopKombo    [ Reply ]
Goofy song.
Posted 9 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]

i love this song


Posted 9 years ago by blkstd    [ Reply ]
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm 62, so I was around in the Simon and Garfunkel days, and I did like them a lot....but I just have never understood the Paul Simon worship since his solo days.....The songs are just goofy and inane.....I guess kind of like some of the Beatles songs....Me and Julio , 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Late in the Evening, bleh, bleh, bleh. I put them in the same class as Octopuses Garden and Rocky Racoon I guess......even though I love the Beatles.....but I just don't understand why anyone would purposely listen to those particular types of songs and dig them.

 
but if music can convey feelings, then why not humour, drama, and comedy?
Posted 9 years ago by stunix    [ Reply ]
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm 62, so I was around in the Simon and Garfunkel days, and I did like them a lot....but I just have never understood the Paul Simon worship since his solo days.....The songs are just goofy and inane.....I guess kind of like some of the Beatles songs....Me and Julio , 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Late in the Evening, bleh, bleh, bleh. I put them in the same class as Octopuses Garden and Rocky Racoon I guess......even though I love the Beatles.....but I just don't understand why anyone would purposely listen to those particular types of songs and dig them.

 
I rarely ever come on here and post anything critical - but boy, you sure summed up the way I feel about this PS song and the others you mentioned. 
Posted 9 years ago by Propayne    [ Reply ]
 unclehud wrote:
Once upon a time in high school, probably around 1904, my friends and I decided there should be a musical category called "tennis shoe music." 

This song fits squarely in that category.

 
LOL!
.
Tennis.  I describe a friend that cannot keep up when it comes to trekking through the bush as someone who spent the formative years playing tennis and drinking Martinis.   
Posted 9 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
I'm 62, so I was around in the Simon and Garfunkel days, and I did like them a lot....but I just have never understood the Paul Simon worship since his solo days.....The songs are just goofy and inane.....I guess kind of like some of the Beatles songs....Me and Julio , 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Late in the Evening, bleh, bleh, bleh. I put them in the same class as Octopuses Garden and Rocky Racoon I guess......even though I love the Beatles.....but I just don't understand why anyone would purposely listen to those particular types of songs and dig them.
Posted 9 years ago by dragon1952    [ Reply ]
 CanyonMan wrote:
When I listen to the beginning of this song, I've always wondered: Where did his childhood go?  Based on the lyrics, he didn't remember anything between the age of "one or two" and being a bar-hopping, stoned, horny, guitar player....  What the heck happened in between? {#Stupid}

 
t&j
Posted 9 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this classic song...  we be dancing cross-eyed and buck naked like Willy Shakes...
Posted 10 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
When I listen to the beginning of this song, I've always wondered: Where did his childhood go?  Based on the lyrics, he didn't remember anything between the age of "one or two" and being a bar-hopping, stoned, horny, guitar player....  What the heck happened in between? {#Stupid}
Posted 10 years ago by CanyonMan    [ Reply ]
 rpdevotee wrote:

     great rhythm section


...yes, and really tight brass section!

 

You both said it all.
Posted 10 years ago by CoYoT51    [ Reply ]
My all time PS song...have been needing to hear this.  Thanks Bill.
Posted 10 years ago by agd3    [ Reply ]
 PopKombo wrote:
great rhythm section

 
...yes, and really tight brass section!
Posted 10 years ago by rpdevotee    [ Reply ]
Paul Simon is sheer class, his lyrics are interesting and the backing music top notch, absolutely a high rating. Never smoked a "J" but he makes it sound its the sort of thing you do.
Posted 10 years ago by bexhillos    [ Reply ]
{#Yell} "Outstanding"
Posted 10 years ago by Peter_Bradshaw    [ Reply ]
great rhythm section
Posted 10 years ago by PopKombo    [ Reply ]
 Hippostar wrote:
OMG!  I love smoking J's too!  This guy totally gets me.  He's so awesome because he talks about getting stoned in song.
 
(chuckle, chuckle.)  Yeah, in 1980.  It was scandalous.  Really, it was.
Posted 10 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
1980, really?  Wow!  History says those were tough years, but I was having a ball.  And we beat the Russian and won a Gold Medal too.  And the congress never shut down.  And Dems and Repubs actually spoke to one and other.  
Posted 11 years ago by teleskialaska    [ Reply ]
 linden wrote:

Yup. It works in reverse, too -- actors generally don't do well as rock stars. Unless your name is Bowie.

 

guess you havn't caught Bruce Willis......{#Fire}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
OMG!  I love smoking J's too!  This guy totally gets me.  He's so awesome because he talks about getting stoned in song.
Posted 11 years ago by Hippostar    [ Reply ]
 capandjudy wrote:

I was thinking the same. For the most part when musicians decide that they want to act the outcome is not good. 

 
Yup. It works in reverse, too -- actors generally don't do well as rock stars. Unless your name is Bowie.
Posted 11 years ago by linden    [ Reply ]
Great song, but I like better live versions from the park, especially 1991. So much energy...
Posted 11 years ago by MA    [ Reply ]

Everybody in my church be dancing...  love this song...
 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
Horrible movie, great album!{#Clap}
 
I was thinking the same. For the most part when musicians decide that they want to act the outcome is not good. 
Posted 11 years ago by capandjudy    [ Reply ]

I stepped outside and smoked myself a J.


Posted 12 years ago by d-don    [ Reply ]
This song brings back some great memories!
Posted 12 years ago by drsteevo    [ Reply ]
 Keef wrote:
makes me want to go outside and smoke myself a J...
 

you gonna go back in and blow that room away?
Posted 12 years ago by dpvest    [ Reply ]
makes me want to go outside and smoke myself a J...
Posted 12 years ago by Keef    [ Reply ]
 DoctorHooey wrote:
I wish I could live in this song
 
I got to do just that.  The film of the same name was being filmed here in Cleveland.  I was still driving a catering truck back then and actually went to the factory that was used in the film, Marsh Allen, which made those fold up TV dinner trays we all used to have.  Its still there but nothing more than an empty ivy covered brick building slowly falling into decay. 

I also stopped at a GE facility that was right next door to the old Cleveland Agora parked in the alley between the two.  More than a couple of times, I was able to go in the side door and watch Simon fiddling around on the stage there in the afternoon when they were between things.  The Agora is where the concert footage was filmed.  Wonderful memories.
Posted 12 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
 romeotuma wrote:


marvelous...  love it...

 
 
{#Bananajumprope} ...and cheers to your room!
Posted 12 years ago by NeuroGeek    [ Reply ]
I wish I could live in this song
Posted 12 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
 romeotuma wrote:


This classic is the story of my life...  love it...

 
 
Dance with me Romeotuna! It's snowing in Bonn and I need to keep warm. And this song does it! {#Dancingbanana}

Posted 12 years ago by Jahgal    [ Reply ]
      "and I blew that room away"   Great lyric.. and very cool it was done with a Gibson or Martin
     and not a Mac 9, Uzi, or Gtar  (grenade launcher)  S&G were a class act with songs that will be 
     played for centuries to come...{#Cheers} (and here's to you Mrs. Robinson) 
Posted 12 years ago by That_SOB    [ Reply ]
Let's hear the brass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 12 years ago by jimmpypowder    [ Reply ]
I just wanna drink when I hear this tune!

Posted 12 years ago by jimmpypowder    [ Reply ]
This is some real good shite from Paul.
 
Posted 12 years ago by gemtag    [ Reply ]
Once upon a time in high school, probably around 1904, my friends and I decided there should be a musical category called "tennis shoe music." 

This song fits squarely in that category.
Posted 12 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
I wish this song had five more verses. It's such an fantastic groove.
Posted 12 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
I bet you have one wild party going on. Pretty crowded in there, dancing cheek to cheek... {#Group-hug}{#Bananasplit}{#Wave}

 romeotuma wrote:

Everybody in my hotel room loves this song...
 
 


Posted 12 years ago by haretic    [ Reply ]
 Johnny_Wave wrote:
This is OK.     4
 
Oh, jeez.


Posted 13 years ago by iam_overlord    [ Reply ]
songwriter has  got some range
Posted 13 years ago by Pharlap    [ Reply ]
The recording from the  Concert in the Park is better..  but this will do....  {#Dancingbanana_2}
Posted 13 years ago by eswiley2    [ Reply ]
 Businessgypsy wrote:
You might be amused to learn that sex, fast cars and dangerous adventures were enjoyed by people you now view as harmless drones. See the old guy on the bench there sleeping in the sun? Killed fifteen Nazis with his bare hands and ran a brothel in the South Pacific. Done any awesome things with your life so far? There's still time!
 
Awesome!

Every generation pictures itself as bad-asses, when the generation before has already been there and done that, they just don't need to prove their sh*t anymore. 
Posted 13 years ago by iTuner    [ Reply ]
This is OK.     4
Posted 13 years ago by Johnny_Wave    [ Reply ]
This song's pretty good! I normally overlook Paul Simon because Simon & Garfunkel bores me to tears. Perhaps I gave Simon short shrift.
Posted 13 years ago by vnprc    [ Reply ]
Now THAT is a tight horn section!
Posted 13 years ago by Peace_tode    [ Reply ]
 weez wrote:
My body is uncontrollably going into a David Byrne-esque samba dance.
 
Me too! And I'm at work!

Posted 13 years ago by Krispian    [ Reply ]
EXCELLENT SONG. AN ALL TIME FAVORITE
Posted 13 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
 bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
 
hell yes.
I saw Simon and Garfunkle in Central Park and people were just handing it out. I think the whole lawn was stoned.
That said
{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Drummer} 
Posted 13 years ago by dogpound    [ Reply ]
"... and my mother laughed the way some ladies do ..."
Posted 13 years ago by HearsayDave    [ Reply ]
Horrible movie, great album!{#Clap}
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Groovy near-perfection.
Posted 13 years ago by GuiltyFeat    [ Reply ]
 Businessgypsy wrote:
You might be amused to learn that sex, fast cars and dangerous adventures were enjoyed by people you now view as harmless drones. See the old guy on the bench there sleeping in the sun? Killed fifteen Nazis with his bare hands and ran a brothel in the South Pacific. Done any awesome things with your life so far? There's still time!

 
Fear and Loathing @ RP! Who'da thunk it?  {#Cowboy}
Posted 13 years ago by LowPhreak    [ Reply ]
one of my favorites. love the percussion and brass section.
Posted 13 years ago by mapman    [ Reply ]
bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"
Was Paul really that cool?
There was a great SNL skit (yeah, they were great at one time) with Simon entering an elevator which closed and would never reopen. Trapped by Satan into listening to Muzak versions of his hits for eternity.

You might be amused to learn that sex, fast cars and dangerous adventures were enjoyed by people you now view as harmless drones. See the old guy on the bench there sleeping in the sun? Killed fifteen Nazis with his bare hands and ran a brothel in the South Pacific. Done any awesome things with your life so far? There's still time!

Posted 13 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
 PA1749 wrote:
Any music that make ME physically move MY body is GODLIKE!
Yours Truely,
Couch Potato
 
Dear Mr Potato,
Shake and bake you old tuber, you're full of carbohydrates!
Yours sincerely,
Rotten Apple

Posted 13 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Any music that makes ME physically move MY body is GODLIKE!
Yours Truely,
Couch Potato

Posted 13 years ago by PA1749    [ Reply ]
 martinc wrote:
This was a movie that I really enjoyed the concert footage in. Paul Simon moved up the scale for me after watching him play in the movie. No oscar but good tunes
 
I thought it was a good movie. Wonder why it didn't get more coverage? Music was awesome from it. It's one of my favorites from PS.
Posted 14 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
This was a movie that I really enjoyed the concert footage in. Paul Simon moved up the scale for me after watching him play in the movie. No oscar but good tunes
Posted 14 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:

Depends. He might have been smoking a J Cloth :o)

I'll get me coat...
 
...say good night Fred.
Posted 14 years ago by jim1964    [ Reply ]
 bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
 
Depends. He might have been smoking a J Cloth :o)

I'll get me coat...

Posted 14 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 splooge wrote:
Steve God
 
Amen to that. I don't think there's anyone, anywhere who can play a ride cymbal quite like him. Amazing senses of touch, timing, rhythm, pacing, musicality. "Aja" is his masterpiece. This one's right up there.
Posted 14 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
My body is uncontrollably going into a David Byrne-esque samba dance.
Posted 14 years ago by weez    [ Reply ]
IMO, one of his best albums. Fantastic movie also if you get the chance to catch it. And yes, Paul Simon is/was THAT cool! A 10 for sure!
Posted 14 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
 bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
 
Years ago, if you bought a guitar in NYC, it came with a bag of pot in the case.

Not really, but it may as well have.  {#Sunny}

Posted 14 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
 
REALLY??
YOU HAVE TO ASK???
damn I'm getting old 
Posted 14 years ago by DanFHiggins    [ Reply ]
I'm pretty sure the dancing banana was made for this song.
{#Dancingbanana}{#Bananajam} 
Posted 14 years ago by dogpound    [ Reply ]
Boppin' away here with Rhymin' Simon. Love it.
Posted 14 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
 Smoove_D wrote:
I don't know about Paul Simon. I just don't know.
 
Stay tuned!  {#Biggrin}
Posted 14 years ago by macadavy    [ Reply ]
 DrLex wrote:

I think expecting Radio Paradise to have a playlist of 8 billion songs, or even 8 million songs, is quite a bit of lack of perspective. Do you ever come out in the real world? Even in my country where FM radio doesn't suck as hard as in the US, you'll hear the same song multiple times a day unless you'd go working, shopping and dining while wearing industrial ear protection. Because you seem to like numbers, here's some mathematics. Suppose a station has a playlist of 10000 songs. I have no idea how many songs the active playlist of RP has, but this seems reasonable, especially in the light of the following assumption. Suppose this station is run by DJ Random, who gives every song a number between 1 to 10000 and uses a perfect random number generator to pick the next song. Suppose you listen to 120 songs this way (at an average of 4 minutes per song, that would take 8 hours). The birthday paradox says that in this case (see simulation below), there's a 50% chance that you'll hear the same song twice in this time span!

For a playlist of 50000 songs, the 50% chance of repetition is already reached at approx. 250 picks, not the expected 600. Of course, while many radio streams work this way, on RP this is not how it's done — luckily. First of all, Bill avoids the horrible transitions that DJ Random would produce, by combining songs that actually belong together. This reduces the amount of randomness, but of course Bill has a memory and will try to avoid repeating the same song often. To minimize repetition, he would need to create an ideal sequence of all songs once, and repeat this eternally. But that would become boring too, so as a compromise and to keep managing RP tractable, Bill recycles 'stretches' of playlist, slowly mutating them and discarding them after a while. And Bill is only human, so he'll play the songs that he likes a little bit more often than others. I wasted some of my time telling this story to show that things can be a whole lot worse, and I believe RP comes damn close to an ideal radio station. You just have to accept the fact that ideality doesn't exist and that some of the songs you don't like will be played, and repeated after a while.
 
I don't think I would like it if it was constantly great—-I'm glad I don't like everything on here.  Gives me time so I can have some breathing space...and not be in damned musical ecstasy all day long.

Posted 14 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]

And I turned my amp up loud and began to play
It was late in the evening, and I blew that room away

yaa id id
Posted 14 years ago by coy    [ Reply ]
It's all about the syllables, he once said. Whatever it is, it frickin' well works brilliantly {#Dancingbanana}
Posted 14 years ago by Welly    [ Reply ]
 bchartier wrote:
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
 
I went to see him at Montclair State College in NJ in 1976.  I was 14 at the time.  He kept forgetting lyrics and messing up while playing.  Looking back, I'm pretty sure he was stoned.

Posted 14 years ago by justlistening    [ Reply ]
Makes me happy!

{#Dance}

...And the percussion stuff STILL has little surprises after all these years.


Posted 14 years ago by conglif    [ Reply ]
"smoked myself a J"

Was Paul really that cool?
Posted 14 years ago by bchartier    [ Reply ]
 DrLex wrote:

I think expecting Radio Paradise to have a playlist of 8 billion songs, or even 8 million songs, is quite a bit of lack of perspective. Do you ever come out in the real world? Even in my country where FM radio doesn't suck as hard as in the US, you'll hear the same song multiple times a day unless you'd go working, shopping and dining while wearing industrial ear protection. Because you seem to like numbers, here's some mathematics. Suppose a station has a playlist of 10000 songs. I have no idea how many songs the active playlist of RP has, but this seems reasonable, especially in the light of the following assumption. Suppose this station is run by DJ Random, who gives every song a number between 1 to 10000 and uses a perfect random number generator to pick the next song. Suppose you listen to 120 songs this way (at an average of 4 minutes per song, that would take 8 hours). The birthday paradox says that in this case (see simulation below), there's a 50% chance that you'll hear the same song twice in this time span!

For a playlist of 50000 songs, the 50% chance of repetition is already reached at approx. 250 picks, not the expected 600. Of course, while many radio streams work this way, on RP this is not how it's done — luckily. First of all, Bill avoids the horrible transitions that DJ Random would produce, by combining songs that actually belong together. This reduces the amount of randomness, but of course Bill has a memory and will try to avoid repeating the same song often. To minimize repetition, he would need to create an ideal sequence of all songs once, and repeat this eternally. But that would become boring too, so as a compromise and to keep managing RP tractable, Bill recycles 'stretches' of playlist, slowly mutating them and discarding them after a while. And Bill is only human, so he'll play the songs that he likes a little bit more often than others. I wasted some of my time telling this story to show that things can be a whole lot worse, and I believe RP comes damn close to an ideal radio station. You just have to accept the fact that ideality doesn't exist and that some of the songs you don't like will be played, and repeated after a while.
 
bump to the top, looks like someone didn't want to work that day...

Posted 15 years ago by Decoy    [ Reply ]
Mutatis mutandis

 Gartholamundi wrote:

"living Nostalgiacolor" is now part of my vocabamundo. woot woot! thanks mucho!{#Daisy}
 


Posted 15 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
Not the greatest fan of PS personally, but man, the guy is a flippin' genius.
Posted 15 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
 splooge wrote:
Steve God
 
Yeah. Too freakin' cool. Saw this band in Calgary years ago. Couldn't take my eyes off the kit.


Posted 15 years ago by birdland    [ Reply ]
Nice version1
Posted 15 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
I don't know about Paul Simon. I just don't know.
Posted 15 years ago by Smoove_D    [ Reply ]
I LOVE this song and always have! Would love to hear one trick pony..

Posted 15 years ago by cindylouwho2    [ Reply ]
I even liked the movie! Many moons ago but I remember the music performance bits were great
Posted 15 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
Dr. Lex!  Fantastic - EVERYONE should be required to read this post when joining RP!
Posted 15 years ago by casey1024    [ Reply ]
 Ollerich wrote:

I totally agree! :-)

 
Me 2! {#Dancingbanana} {#Dancingbanana}
Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Overplayed pop schmaltz.
Posted 15 years ago by steve_san_carlos    [ Reply ]