Paul Simon - Obvious Child (Official Video)

Paul Simon spend two and a half weeks in Johannesburg, South Africa writing music for "Graceland." For those sessions, Simon paid the musicians $196.41 an hour, triple scale wages by American pay rates. And to those musicians who provided key instrumental licks and melodic fragments that were later incorporated into tunes, he also offered writers' royalties. What an awesome human being. He obviously respected the musicians he worked with.

Simon and Olodum, from Bahia, BRAZIL. 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

I was there, in August of 1991 with 7 years old. I played this music with my friends for the next months. I moved from Salvador to Porto Alegre in 1992 and I never returned. I forgot this music since them. Now I just listened, and its in my soul. Gave me a lot of hidden memories. Thank you

Viva o Olodum, a Bahia e o meu Brasil. Parabéns Paul Simon por essa obra de arte!

Those drums - come on. If that doesn’t make you sit up and take notice I don’t know what will. Paul’s melodic voice and lyrics along with that magnificent beat - oh wow. Love it 🎶🎶

I know it wasn't a huge hit but it was one of the most incredibly original tunes I have heard, even to this day. When I remember it like now, it goes on repeat for days! Genius.

Those drums open something up primal and pure in my subconscious.

Has anyone contributed more to music in the last 100 years than Paul Simon? Absolute genius.

Paul Simon was the first foreign artist to record with Olodum. What a sense of music and respect he has...

The first time I heard this I was driving in my car. I had to pull over to listen... THOSE DRUMS ! OMG! Fantastic. Paul Simon is a national treasure. I love how he is so open to bringing music from every corner of the world into his own Thank you, Mr. Simon for all the decades of unbelievable music you've shared with us all. 🌹💗🌹

Flawless. One of the greatest songwritters of all time.

Filmed in Brazil a beautiful poetic truthful song. It’s several songs in one genius using the Brazilian drums.🕊🙏🏽🫶

I think music may be the only think that can link different cultures. We need more music like this.

Meu pai escutava essa música várias vezes quando eu era criança. Nas minhas lembranças eu lembrava somente da bateria e um pouco do ritmo. Passei anos e anos procurando até que em uma manhã o nome do cantor veio em minha mente do nada. Quando achei, até chorei de tanta felicidade.

Nanny just lost her head... Up and got it 😮😮❤❤❤❤

My father always played music in the house growing up. When I started to work and be able to afford things, I bought tickets to see Mr. Simon in Hershey, PA so my Dad could see the guy who's music he played for me for years. I'll always remember this song for that.

"The Obvious Child" I'm accustomed to a smooth ride Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more I don't expect to sleep through the night Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie But I say why Why deny the obvious child? Why deny the obvious child? And in remembering a road sign I am remembering a girl when I was young And we said These songs are true These days are ours These tears are free And hey The cross is in the ballpark The cross is in the ballpark We had a lot of fun We had a lot of money We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny Sonny gets married and moves away Sonny has a baby and bills to pay Sonny gets sunnier Day by day by day by day I've been waking up at sunrise I've been following the light across my room I watch the night receive the room of my day Some people say the sky is just the sky But I say Why deny the obvious child? Why deny the obvious child? Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself How it's strange that some rooms are like cages Sonny's yearbook from high school Is down from the shelf And he idly thumbs through the pages Some have died Some have fled from themselves Or struggled from here to get there Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls Runs his hand through his thinning brown hair Well I'm accustomed to a smoother ride Maybe I'm a dog that's lost his bite I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more I don't expect to sleep the night Some people say a lie is just a lie But I say the cross is in the ballpark Why deny the obvious child?

His music is being passed on to the next generation. My kids are under ten and ask for it. They are fascinated by the percussion.

My dad had this on cd when I was a kid and I played this song on repeat. The drums.... no words.. 🥰

This track slays me. My mom used to bump this album a LOT when i was a very small child and now that i'm a man some thirty years later... this song has become super fucking poignant. Thanks for the upload. Literally brought me to tears.