I was perusing Twitter and found a thread where someone asked what the best Paul Simon lyrics are of all time. There were so many great lines! It got me thinking about my own favorite lyrics, even though I can’t remember all of them right at the moment because so many just sit back in the back of my mind until something pushes them out (like that Paul Simon Twitter thread). I am definitely not thinking right now about my current favorite songs – I’m thinking back to things that really stuck out at me at important times in my life.

Lauryn Hill is one of my favorites: “Don’t be a hard rock/When you really are a gem/Baby girl, respect is just a minimum..” That line jumps out at me every time.

Dar Williams is another favorite: “It’s like getting the answers/When I don’t need them anymore/and I’m finding the pictures/and I finally know what I kept them for.” Another: “The whole truth/is liked the story of a wave unfurled.” Actually, the whole song “After All” is just beautiful and sad.

I love Ani DiFranco, too, and have since high school. “I live in New York, New York/the city that never shuts up/In the daylight every thing is so gory/you can hear snatches of strangers’ sorry stories/and I moved there from Buffalo/But that’s nothing/Trico plant moved to Mexico/Left my uncle standing out in the cold/Said here’s your last paycheck/have fun growing old.” Another: “Life is a sleazy stranger/who looks vaguely familiar/flirting with a bimbo named disaster/at the end of the bar.” – that was a great rage song, “The Million That You Never Made”

I feel like there are so many more I could name, but it’s late and I need to sleep. As far as Paul Simon lyrics? There are so many great songs to choose from: “The Boxer,” “Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “American Tune,” “America,” “Slip Slidin’ Away,” the whole Graceland album. I think it might be “losing love is like a window in your heart/everybody sees you blown apart/everybody feels the wind blow” or “These are the days of miracle and wonder” or “Still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”

Put your favorite lyrics in the comments?