Paul Simon has strong feelings about “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)”

Photo: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

Paul Simon appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday, March 14, and revealed there’s one Simon & Garfunkel tune he doesn’t particularly care for.

Colbert brought up “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy),” from the pair’s 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, and discussed how much people love it, but Simon said he doesn’t. In fact, he said, “I loathe that song.”

“Sometimes in shows, if a made an error in some other song, I would sing that song as punishment,” he said. “No, here’s what it is. I come up to the line and I just don’t want to sing, ‘Life, I love you. All is groovy.’” 

Simon, however, certainly does love plenty of his songs. Colbert asked him which of his songs he’d pick if he had to do a five-song set of tracks he himself wants to play, and he had a hard time sticking to just five. 

At first, he mentioned “Graceland,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “Late in the Evening” and “Mother and Child Reunion,” before adding a few ballads, including, “The Sound Of Silence,” “The Boxer” and “Still Crazy After All These Years.”

Simon also performed on the episode, treating the audience to “Your Forgiveness” from his latest album, Seven Psalms, which was released in May. 

Simon stopped by Colbert to promote his upcoming two-part Alex Gibney-directed docuseries, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, which premieres March 17 and 24 on MGM+. The series follows Simon’s career journey and goes into the studio with him as he records Seven Psalms.


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