Cecilia (song)

Single infobox
Name = Cecilia
Writer = Paul Simon


Artist = Simon and Garfunkel
from Album = Bridge over Troubled Water
B-side = "The Only Living Boy in New York"
Released = April, 1970
Format = 7" Vinyl
Recorded = 1969
Genre = Rock
Length = 2:54
Label = Columbia Records
Producer = Roy Halee, Paul Simon, Art GarfunkelExtra tracklisting
Album = Bridge over Troubled Water
Type = Studio
prev_track = "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Cecilia"
track_no = 3
next_track = "Keep The Customer Satisfied"
next_no = 4Single infobox
Name = Cecilia
Writer = Paul Simon


Artist = Suggs featuring Louchie Lou & Michie One
from Album = The Lone Ranger
B-side =
Released = 1996
Format = 7" Vinyl
Recorded = 1995
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:08
Label = WEA
Producer = Sly & Robbie
Chronology = Suggs
Last single = "The Tune"
(1995)
This single = "Cecilia"
(1996)
Next single = "No More Alcohol"
(1996)

"Cecilia" is a song by Paul Simon, from the Simon and Garfunkel 1970 album "Bridge Over Troubled Water". When released as a single, it reached #4 in the US charts. The song begins "Cecilia, you're breaking my heart / You're shaking my confidence daily..." then ends with "Jubilation! / She loves me again..."

The single did not chart in the UK, despite being released as the follow-up to Simon and Garfunkel's number one hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

The "Cecilia" of the title is generally interpreted as being a capricious lover, causing both anguish and jubilation to the singer. However, another interpretation is that Cecilia might refer to St. Cecilia, patron saint of music in the Catholic tradition, and thus the song might refer to the frustration of fleeting inspiration in songwriting. St. Cecilia is mentioned in another Paul Simon song, "The Coast" (from his 1990 album The Rhythm of the Saints): "A family of musicians took shelter for the night in the little harbor church of St. Cecilia."

When the original album was released on vinyl, the song included sounds out of the human hearing range. This has led to rumors that "Cecilia" was actually written about Simon's black lab, Cecilia. When being transferred to CD in 1996, producers removed the ultrasonic sounds in order to lower the file size,Fact|date=August 2008 allowing them to fit a 14th song on the "best of" album. When interviewed, Simon refused to comment. Garfunkel was quoted as saying that Simon had never dated anyone named Cecilia and the song was probably about the dog.

Legacy, other versions, and instances in popular culture

French-speaking American musician Joe Dassin sang a French version of this song in 1970, while in February 1971 a version was released in England by the New Wave Band (a group that comprised three members of the band that would soon become 10cc) and Herman's Hermits guitarist Derek Leckenby. It did not chart.

A cover version by California-based dance duo Times Two was released in 1988; it did not chart. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfexq95ldje]

Another cover version by Suggs (the lead singer of UK pop band Madness) that appeared on his 1995 debut solo album "The Lone Ranger", became his most successful single, reaching #4 in the UK, and selling more than 500,000 copies. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/entertainment/questionofpop/interview_suggs.shtml Suggs interview] at "Question of Pop", BBC]

The first bar of this song is sampled repeatedly in the song "Midlife Crisis" by Faith No More, from their fourth studio album "Angel Dust". The song was released as the first single from said album and reached number 10 in the UK charts in 1992.

In 1998, Swedish pop band Ace of Base released a Motown track titled "Cecilia" from their album "Flowers", which continues the story of the Paul Simon's character. Jenny Berggren, lead vocalist for the band, sings, "This is a song about a well known girl", then tells of Cecilia's continuous bouncing back and forth between lovers.

In 2004 Latvian rock outfit The Hobos also did a cover of "Cecilia" on their studio album "Radio Jah Jah".

A short parody of this song is featured at the end of the "Clay Porn" segment of "Damn! Show" called "Necrophilia"; "Necrophilia; the body's still warm..."

In the final episode of "The Sopranos", Paulie Walnuts has a techno version of the song as his ringtone.

William Fitzsimmons and Joshua Radin performed "Cecilia" at the Henry Fonda Music Box during the Hotel Cafe Tour on April 12, 2008.

External Links

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egXvVodDVTQ Fan-Made Montage using the song]

Notes