"I Am a Rock" is a song written and performed by Paul Simon and released on his 1966 album "The Paul Simon Songbook." The song has become one of Simon's most popular and enduring works, with its themes of isolation and emotional detachment resonating with listeners for over 50 years.
In "I Am a Rock," Simon sings of feeling disconnected and isolated from the world around him. He compares himself to a rock, an inanimate object that is immune to the emotions and pain that afflict human beings. The lyrics express a sense of despair and hopelessness, as the narrator feels unable to connect with others and finds solace only in his own solitude.
Despite its bleak themes, "I Am a Rock" has remained popular for decades, possibly because it speaks to a universal feeling of loneliness and isolation that many people experience at some point in their lives. The song's catchy melody and poignant lyrics have made it a staple of Simon's live performances and a fan favorite.
Overall, "I Am a Rock" is a powerful and enduring song that captures the human experience of feeling alone and disconnected in a world that can sometimes be overwhelming and unfeeling. Its themes of isolation and emotional detachment continue to resonate with listeners of all ages, making it one of Paul Simon's most enduring and beloved works.
Simon & Garfunkel
He admitted to a reporter that he isn't good with talking with large groups of people. He tried to love and once had friends but was rejected for being different. They stay in their fortress, like a turtle drawn into its armored shell. I believe Paul said that at the time he wrote this,he was sick. Then, in the third line of this stanza, he says 'I have no need of friendship - friendship causes pain, It's laughter and loving I disdain. There are some here that I would not write today. A winter's day In a deep and dark December I am alone Gazing from my window To the streets below On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow I am a rock I am an island I've built walls A fortress steep and mighty That none may penetrate I have no need of friendship Friendship causes pain It's laughter and it's loving I disdain I am a rock I am an island Don't talk of love Well I've heard the word before It's sleeping in my memory I won't disturb the slumber Of feelings that have died If I never loved, I never would have cried I am a rock I am an island I have my books And my poetry to protect me I am shielded in my armor Hiding in my room Safe within my womb I touch no one, and no one touches me I am a rock I am an island And a rock feels no pain And an island never cries.
It is a promise of unconditional love, loyalty, and trust. This song is about a recluse locking himself away from the world. Now he pretends that he does not care, that he is too strong and too hard to care, but he is terribly hurt. The fact remains that true accuracy necessitates a thorough understanding of all aspects of the procedure. It's simple, and poignant. It is discomforting, almost painful, to look back over something someone else created and realize that someone else was you.
It's hard not to suspect that Simon is aloof and, to a large extent, alienated. Written by Paul Simon before he hit it big as a musician, the song was offered to the duo Chad and Jeremy, who turned it down. He learned sign language when he was too young to talk and used it to speak. Perhaps Simon thought he was just having a bit of fun with his antithetical response to "no man is an island" and accidentally revealed a significant feature of his true nature. The meaning is about Simon shutting himself away to write. But you find other things to compensate.
According to the lines, he has reached the point where he has had enough of love and relationships and wishes to focus on books and poetry rather than fall into the trap of falling in love again. While others can and will hurt us, that's better than the alternative Jun 18th 2017 This song is about a recluse locking himself away from the world. . I don't regret the loss. I can well relate to what Paul Simon writes. I have my place with all my comforts to protect me, what more do I need? My grandson is a genius, taught himself to read at 2 years old. I choose to come out of my room at the risk of pain in order that I might also know joy.
First, as a promotion, it was released on red vinyl to radio stations, with a mono mix on one side and a stereo version on the other. . There's no silly 'key changes' nor 'middle-eights' to break up the monotony, because there isn't any. The use of the word "rock" is interesting in that Simon considered himself a folk singer, and didn't associate himself with rock music. The use of the word "rock" is interesting in that Simon considered himself a folk singer, and didn't associate himself with rock music. First stanza of "Mi Ultimo Adiós", by Jose Rizal,.
I learned to read at four, but mom taught me. . The best way to keep from being hurt is to put up walls around yourself. A person can choose to build a fortress where he can be safe from attack, safe from pain, and hence never need shed any tears. What is the tone of the poem and why? Feel left out of everything.
. I also like the intro and the ending, basically the same, with the ending closing with a nice fade. The Words and Music of Paul Simon. A lonely person makes the decision to withdraw from friends and family in this poem. It is perfectly clear to me that the songs I write today will not be mine tomorrow.
He doesn't feel victimizes, he feels like a hero. But at the end, there is a bit of sadness, when he says "a rock feels no pain", and an island never cries" This means that he was hurt very badly in the past, so has decided to cut himself off from the world. I am a rock, I am an island. I don't believe in them as I once did. Yes, he's speaking about being a rock but he surely knows it's only a substitute for real human attitude and feelings in times of distress and lonelyness.
These copies are somewhat difficult to locate for collectors. He has become infatuated with a girl who goes to his school. Mar 13th 2012 This is the same person who mentioned that Garfunkle might have been an Asperger, and is also a responce to the person who brought up Asperger's Syndrome and Autism: You wrote: " 1 in 110 kids have and autism specrum disorder. How I take it is "A Rock Feels no Pain, and an island never cries". The song was very popular there in 1966, but the chart position suffered because the sales of the single were diluted by multiple releases. I've built walls, A fortress deep and mighty, That none may penetrate. Are we to sympathise with these feelings or are these the words of an anipathic, Holden Caufield kind of person whom we should despise or mock rather than identify with.
