So which songs describe things that allegedly happened in real life, that totally totally did not happen…
I mean Cecilia by Paul Simon:
“Making love to Cecilia, I got up to wash my face and when I got back to bed someone had taken my place”
I don’t buy it, no matter how dysfunctional and debauched your relationship was, this did not happen as you describe it.
Also The Hold Steady, Chips Ahoy:
“I got a girl and she don’t have to work
She can tell which horse is gonna finish in first”
No you don’t. As well as the obvious logical problem of causality. A girl who is able to tell which horse is finishing first is going to be a billionaire very soon, regardless of her drug problem. She’s not hanging out and placing three figure bets with the lead singer of a moderately successful indie band.
Still don’t buy it. He’s getting up to wash his face. Which implies it’s his actual bathroom, not some rando sex party situation (and the context is he’s upset about it). This did not happen that way.
I always interpreted it as the narrator is a cat. He’s being petted by Cecelia. He decides he’s had enough attention for a while. He goes away to wash his face, as cats do. When he comes back, looking for more attention, Cecelia is with her boyfriend. He feels jealous.
That’s my headcanon, and I’m sticking to it. I don’t care if Paul Simon agrees or not.
Legend has it that you can get anything you want, at Alice’s Restaurant. With one notable exception. But that’s pretty implausible. Anything, that is. The exception makes sense.
The OP seems to struggle with creative exaggeration to make a point, and metaphor in general, in song lyrics. I’ll try to help:
Hotel California - The Eagles There’s no actual hotel of this name where crazy things happen and you can never leave. It’ s a metaphor for the dangers of fame and the excessive SoCal lifestyle of the 70s.
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin There’s no actual stairway to Heaven, no matter how much glittery gold you have to buy one. It’s a metaphor for…well, I’d have to listen to the song again, and that’s not gonna happen soon.
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
A metaphor for working hard toward a goal. Not having the visual organ of a large jungle feline surgically implanted in one’s eye socket.
Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys
A metaphor for a young female who is doing very well personally and / or professionally, not being immolated.
The Stones set Arlo straight a couple years later. Except, you can’t always get what you need, either.
As others have noted, it’s hyperbole and meant to be understood as such. Simon could have written something easier to take literally, such as “We made love in the afternoon, and later that night my friend told me he saw you go into a cheap motel with some other guy.” That’s tough, sure, but the way Simon wrote it conveys more emotional impact and probably better expresses the way a guy would feel.
Same. Jokingly cite songs with possible but deeply improbable situations as conveyed by the singer. Not legitimately worry whether or not Paul Simon is lying to us.
