One of my favorite Paul Simon songs. The lyrics, melody, and the reggae feel make this song a classic. Paul’s songwriting is world class…the structure to his songs are great as well as is his guitar playing. The song peaked at #4 in the Billboard 100 and #5 in the UK in 1972.
Simon wrote this in response to the Jimmy Cliff song “Vietnam,” where a mother receives a letter about her son’s death on the battlefield. Simon recorded “Mother and Child Reunion” in Jamaica using Cliff’s musicians, hence the very authentic sound. Simon said of the song that it “became the first reggae hit by a non-Jamaican white guy outside Jamaica.”
From Songfacts
Simon came up with the title after seeing a chicken and egg dish called “Mother and Child Reunion” on the menu at 456 Restaurant in Chinatown, New York.
This was Simon’s first single as a solo artist.
Paul Simon was ahead of the trend when he released this reggae-infused song: Johnny Nash went to #1 US later in 1972 with “I Can See Clearly Now,” and Eric Clapton topped the chart with “I Shot The Sheriff” (a Bob Marley cover) in 1974.
Mother and Child Reunion
No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine
I can’t for the life of me
Remember a sadder day
I know they say let it be
But it just don’t work out that way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine
I just can’t believe it’s so
Though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
But I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a moment away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a moment away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a moment away
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Classic sound, I could never get enough of these guys. I particularly liked “Duncan”, but I think I’m in the minority. It seems that one never got much air play.
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The songs are timeless…they stick with you. I like Duncan also.
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Those two could tell a story in song, like very few others.
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Brilliant song. Love it. I am probably in minority opinion but (And I stress I DO like Simon & Garfunkel a lot) I think Simon’s early solo work, say ’72 through ’75 was best stuff he ever did with or without Art G.
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I think it was more mature…and more complex arrangements also.
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He tried a reggae song on the last Simon and Garfunkel album too, but this one is way better.
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There is something twerpy about Paul Simon that I don’t like. That said, he has made a lot of good music; as Dave said, “with or without Art G”.
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Well a He-Man he is not….at 5.3 I believe…a little nerdy looking… but a great songwriter. Some of his guitars look bigger than him.
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The backstory made me laugh…chicken and eggs…haha
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The lyrics confused me when I was younger…but I liked them all the same.
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