If you put a gun to my head and asked me to name the best song on Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, I would first wonder why somebody would do something quite so perverse. Then I’d pick ‘American Tune.’
But coming in a very close second would be ‘Something So Right,’ one of those songs that feels like it must have been written in the 40s by Cole Porter or some other urbane songwriting genius. It’s another modern standard, a feat Simon has pulled off again and again.
‘Something So Right’ is a gift that keeps on giving, a melodic cornucopia. If the verses and chorus aren’t enough gorgeous ear candy for you, just wait for that sublime bridge (“Some people never say the words ‘I love you'”). He takes a perfect song and makes it better.
My ranking of Simon’s best albums would likely contain There Goes Rhymin’ Simon in the top five. If the perverse gunman gave me the much harder task of ranking my favorite Paul Simon songs, this one may well crack the top ten.
When the fever runs high
You’ve got the look of lovelight in your eyes
And I was in crazy motion
’til you calmed me down
It took a little time
But you calmed me down
When something goes wrong
I’m the first to admit it
I’m the first to admit it
And the last one to know
when something goes right
Well it’s likely to lose me, mm
It’s apt to confuse me
It’s such an unusual sight
Oh, I can’t, I can’t get used to something so right
Something so right
They’ve got a wall in China
It’s a thousand miles long
To keep out the foreigners they made it strong
And I’ve got a wall around me
That you can’t even see
It took a little time
To get next to me
When something goes wrong
I’m the first to admit it
I’m the first to admit it
And the last one to know
when something goes right
Well it’s likely to lose me, mm
It’s apt to confuse me
because it’s such an unusual sight
Oh, I swear, I can’t get used to something so right
Something so right
Some people never say the words “I love you”
It’s not their style
to be so bold
Some people never say those words “I love you”
But like a child they’re longing to be told, mm
When something goes wrong
I’m the first to admit it
I’m the first to admit it
And the last one to know
when something goes right
Well it’s likely to lose me, mm
It’s apt to confuse me
because it’s such an unusual sight
I swear, I can’t, I can’t get used to something so right
Something so right
Meet Me In Montauk 
The idea of a perverse gunman whose sole aim is to force you to pick your favorite song from a particular Paul Simon album is a truly hilarious concept.
If he forced all of us into a lineup, would he spare your life when you proclaimed “American Tune,” only then to shoot Amy dead when she opted for “Something So Right?” “Wrong! You must die now (bang!).”
Then he comes to me, and the first thought crossing my mind is, “Why wouldn’t Amy say “American Tune,” particularly after seeing Clay’s life spared with that answer?”
My second thought would be, “Do I say “American Tune” to spare my life?” (and also give my honest response though he may punish me if he thinks I am merely trying to survive with that answer since this gunmen is, after all, perverse)
Or do I chivalrously die along side my not-so-smart wife by blurting out “Kodachrome?”
Or do I bravely say, “I refuse to be intimidated by this insane game of musical roulette Mr. Perverse Gunman. I will not choose!”
Oh, let’s face it, I would just sheepishly tell him its “American Tune” and live my life mourning my fallen choice challenged wife who told a perverse gunman the wrong answer.
Anyway, today’s SOTD is certainly a top ten (or at least top 20) contender among Simon’s songs. And, as Amy and I have apparently been saying since you posted “American Tune” a year ago, we must own and listen to this album in its entirety.
What if I told the perverse gunman that my favorite song was the Barbra Streisand version of “Something So Right”? Maybe he would be so confused by this response that he would turn the gun on himself and spare us all. 😉
(I wouldn’t say either of those things, of course. I would smartly follow Clay’s lead and claim “American Tune” as the best song on the album)
Still, I adore this song. And it once again demonstrates my observation that the best songs are great no matter who sings them. I bet you can find countless You Tube covers of this song (I know; I’ve looked) – each more interesting and charming than the next.
I too adore this song; and I would torture and kill any perverse gunman who threatened my beloved family.
This may be the most fascinating one of all! 🙂
who is it?
Just some random YouTube poster. He covers a ton of stuff, but he never reveals his face. Guess he wants his fans to focus on the music.