Track Listing

1. Mother and Child Reunion
2. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
3. Something So Right
4. St. Judy's Comet
5. Loves Me Like a Rock
6. Kodachrome
7. Have a Good Time
8. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
9. Still Crazy After All These Years
10. Late in the Evening
11. Slip Slidin' Away
12. Hearts and Bones
13. Train in the Distance
14. Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
15. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
16. You Can Call Me Al

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8891 in Music
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
This two-record set on one CD collects 16 Paul Simon hits from his solo career after Simon & Garfunkel without much rhyme or reason. The selections are not in chronological order and several of the cuts are oddly chosen. Those minor points aside, there are some landmark works presented on these discs. "Hearts and Bones" is a brilliant depiction of a crumbling love affair, while "Slip Slidin' Away" uncovers the hurt of divorce and middle age with a groove that's pure mid-'70s decadent. Simon's infatuation with rhythm is all over the place, from the reggae of "Mother and Child Reunion" to the South African bounce of "You Can Call Me Al." --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Good overview that is in need of revamping
This replaced Paul Simon's Greatest Hits, etc. Sadly that does not make for an improvement. That album covered less ground with more tracks. Hence this replacement suffers not only from omissions, but Paul's odd selections.

Where are An American Tune, Take Me To The Mardi Gras, Duncan, and Gone At Last? Second, why is Have A Good Time on this?

Lastly, the CD is an abridged version of the album, resulting in the dropping of one of Paul's biggest hits, and his favorite recording--Graceland.

When the CD first appeared, the maximum length was less than 70 minutes. Now, CDs can fit over 79 minutes of music. Why hasn't Warner Brothers remastered this and restored the song?

Finally, Paul likes to edit his works. Mother and Child Reunion and Loves Me Like A Rock lose 20 seconds each.

Warner Brothers has yet to remaster any of their artists catalogs. Make Paul Simon your first, and give this best-of a needed facelift!

A great CD the whole way through
Paul Simon is a much revered member of the music community and has been for a long, long time. "Negotiations & Love Songs" is a great example of WHY he deserves the praise that he has showered upon him. The 16 tracks on this CD showcase not only Simon's immense talent, but also his versitility. Be it the soft beauty of "Something So Right" or the upbeat synthesizer from "You Can Call Me Al" Simon shows he knows how to write a catchy pop song. Simon's beautiful lyrics can range from moving ("Slip Slidin' Away") to hilarious and rowdy ("Late In The Evening"). I reccomend this CD to anyone who loves great pop music, and for Simon fans it is a must.

Wow, I'm surprised nobody here really 'got' it
Many people have wondered here at the strange selection of the songs on this album. I've listened to it for years and always thought the theme was obvious: Simon has put together a little biography of his life, from songs written at the time. From his childhood through his years w/Garfunkle, joys of fatherhood and the arc of his relationship/marriage/divorce with Carrie Fischer, it's all here in a tidy little package. The chronicle mostly concentrates on his Fischer years; I'm not sure why he finishes up with Diamonds & Al, other than the fact that they were hits around the time the album was released and served to give it a little momentum in the stores.

Back in those days, Simon was incapable of writing a bad song. You can't go wrong buying this one, but don't treat it as a greatest hits CD -- accept it as a little story of Simon's life, which is what his songs have always been about anyway.