Homies. Courtesy of When You Awake

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love Paul Simon‰ÛÓhence choosing my column’s name from a phrase in the song “Mrs. Robinson‰Û. In fact, Paul Simon resembles a sort of religious figure for me. Maybe it‰’s because I grew up singing his songs with my dad at the dinner table; or maybe it‰’s because I have a particularly keen ear for old music; or maybe it‰’s simply because I connect to his unique style. Nevertheless, I hold all of Simon‰’s works near and dear to my heart, which makes his newer projects and music very exciting for me.

This past week, late night talk show host Conan O‰’Brien devoted his program to ex-Beatle George Harrison, with an incredible lineup of musicians covering some of Harrison‰’s favorite tunes. Paul Simon, among the few “music superstars‰Û, performed one of Harrison‰’s most famous Beatles hits, “Here Comes The Sun‰Û, on Tuesday night.

In the midst of a nearly five hour-long, solo study session (yay midterms) I came across this performance online and, without exaggeration, took an hour-long break to listen to it on repeat. While there have been mixed responses to Simon‰’s cover, I find it beautifully intimate and somewhat spiritual. Simon and his fellow guitarist begin the song with its well-known melody amidst an array of hanging Bohemian lights, upon a bright red rug. Almost immediately, these aesthetics project a sense of serenity onto Simon’s listeners: a wave of tranquility, if you will.

While Simon sticks closely to the original Beatles arrangement, though only acoustically, he changes the tempo to a slower pace and lags many of his vocal entrances, giving his rendition a more folk-like, less rock n‰’ roll feel. This type of cover should be expected from Simon, for his tone of voice is naturally more delicate and high-pitched than that of Harrison and Paul McCartney, the accompanying vocalist on the original recording. That is not to say that his vocals are any less meaningful or profound than the Beatles duo. In fact, the soothing qualities of Simon‰’s voice, as well as his more articulate singing style, made him even more appropriate to honor Harrison, as they evoke nostalgia and remembrance of the late musician.

O‰’Brien also sat down with Simon to discuss both of their experiences with Harrison. It amazes me how similar Simon‰’s talking and singing voices are to one another: both melodic and lyrical.

It‰’s always a pleasure being able to write about music that I feel played a role in my upbringing. I have fond memories of listening to both Paul Simon and the Beatles as a child back in San Francisco, memories that have contributed to my love and passion for music today.