Paul Simon and Chris Rice on Worldviews

Music As An Expression of Worldview
Music has become the common man’s art museum. Indeed, in its popular radio-oriented form it is accessible, catchy, and enjoyable. Not only this, but artists love to make music because it is a perfect vehicle for communicating ideas in brief, easy-to-remember ways. Music is the universal language, gripping people, motivating them for action, or simply helping them relax on the drive home from work.

As for me I love music and always have, from country to classical and everything in between. I especially like music that makes you think. And most music does. Even the shallow and undying, “Who Let the Dogs Out,” has an innate mechanism that makes us question: “Who in the world are the dogs and why were they set free?”

There is no escaping the fact that built into the fabric of every song (indeed, every work of art) is an underlying worldview. To be clear, not every song is written specifically to espouse a person’s worldview, but every song is written and performed by people who have certain worldview structures and just as one cannot easily cover up an accent when he speaks, so he cannot cover up his worldview in his art form, though it may be more or less noticeable from song to song.

The Simon-Rice Project
With this in mind, I have undertaken a worldview project involving two premiere artists. The first has mounted a body of original work dating back to the early 50’s, having been recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of our era - Paul Simon. He is the one who brought us iconic hits like “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “You Can Call Me Al.” The other artist is much lesser known, but has much in common with Simon. Chris Rice has quietly made a name for himself, especially within Christian circles, as a tremendously talented musician, singer, and songwriter. Though his body of music is much less than that of Simon, still Rice has recorded 9 popular albums, mostly consisting of original material. Those familiar with his work will recognize songs like, “Clumsy,” “Deep Enough to Dream,” and the recently released “When Did You Fall.”

The project I have undertaken examines with critical eyes the original music of these two men with the hope of accessing their worldviews and contrasting them with each other. In the next several blogs, I'd like to share some of the results with you.

The Purpose of the Simon-Rice Project
There are many reasons to conduct the Simon-Rice Project. First, a study like this can show the major differences a worldview makes on a person’s life. This I hope will be helpful for people who hold to a variety of worldviews. Paul Simon and Chris Rice have many similarities stylistically. They both write original music, they both use symbolism and poetry to make their points, they both are very thoughtful with word choice, they both thrive musically in the studio environment, they both write laid back music using the same basic instruments, and they both write about similar themes like love, life, happiness, struggles, and the significance of life. But Simon and Rice have two very different worldview structures. Rice is a conservative Christian who believes the Bible is God’s Word and has built his worldview from that perspective. Simon, on the other hand, has evolved religiously into a sort of New Age mystic who seems to embrace an existential lifestyle (read this and this - particularly the part about Danny Paradise). His worldview seems to be more in flux than Rice as he searches for his place in the world. The point is this, a close examination of the lives and art of these two similarly styled musicians will reveal the way our worldview shapes our lives.

A second purpose to undertake this study is to move people to more readily think about their own worldview structure. Sometimes it helps to see what, how, and why other people think what they think in order to motivate us to examine what we think. Your worldview can usually be determined by your answers to the big questions of life (Read Sire for more on these questions).

1) What is really real or prime reality? Is it matter or energy or God?
2) What is the nature of the world around us? Was it created by God or did it evolve into its present state via natural processes?
3) How do we know? How do we come to hold certain beliefs and why?
4) What is a human being? A natural highly-evolved animal or a special creation of God bearing His image?
5) What is the difference between good and evil? Are these absolute?
6) What is the purpose of human history? Is there any significance to our lives? Are we going anywhere?
7) Is there life after death? Speaks for itself.

So if this study gets people asking these questions and seeking real answers, it will be a success.

A final purpose for this study is to help people enjoy and examine art with wisdom. Simon and Rice are only samples and I focus on them in order to have a controlled study. But all of art, not just music, should be examined and enjoyed with care. When you watch a movie, you should enjoy it with discriminating eyes. That is, you should be able to catch the worldview of the movie makers and be able to discuss it. When you walk through an art museum you should be able to do the same. In my opinion, though surely many might disagree, this wisdom in examining art does not remove the joy and pleasure derived from the art. In fact, it enhances the process.

Qualifications for Examining Art
I should be clear at this point that there are some dangers to beginning with art in order to deduce an artist’s worldview. Art is not the same as an artist, though it does reflect the artist. Here are a few guidelines I have attempted to carefully follow in the Simon-Rice Project, in order to be fair to both of them and in order to find the truth, not my mere opinions of what I think they meant in their songs.

Be Careful – It Can be Esoteric
Not every song a person writes is easily understood. In many cases, the author of a song deliberately writes esoterically, or with a meaning only he understands. Thus, an esoteric song might be coded. It might have a catchy chorus (like “If you’ll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal. I can call me Betty and Betty when you call me you can call me Al”), but the basic meaning just is not apparent on the surface. In the case of songs like this, care must be taken not to read into the lyrics what is not there. In some cases, interviews have been conducted with both Paul Simon and Chris Rice in which they actually revealed what they meant with certain lyrics. In those cases, the lyrics can be used to get a clearer picture of the worldview of the artist.

Be Careful – It Might be about Someone Else
Sometimes when we hear a song we assume it is autobiographical. This is not always the case. Upon purchasing Chris Rice’s newest album Amusing, I heard his song, “When Did You Fall.” It is a song about some person being unaware that another person has a crush on him. When the “news” gets out, he asks the question of the song: “When did you fall in love with me?” When I heard the song it was clear to me that Chris Rice had fallen in love with a girl. However, as it turns out, he is still single. The song, he says, is an innocent love song that people can relate to. The point is lucid, when examining songs for worldview content, it cannot be assumed that the song is autobiographical. That said, I think you will see that both Simon and Rice often write about their own life experiences.

Be Careful – It Might have Been a Phase
Just because a songwriter says something in a song, and it appears he truly believes that way, does not mean he still believes that way. People and their views change and mature (and sometimes mutate). In a study such as this one, that must be kept in mind.

Be Careful – To Deduce Worldview Observe Both Biography and Body of Work
In order to truly get at the truth of the artist’s worldview, I will be trying to draw inferences from the entire body of their work and placing these inferences against the backdrop of their personal biography as a cross reference. Both Simon and Rice have conducted many interviews in which they discuss their worldviews. Not only this, but both have chosen certain actions within their lives that also reveal their worldviews (like religious choices, marriage choices, record company choices, friendship choices, political choices, and so on). I will be working to observe the total package of work and life in order to avoid the error of deducing a worldview out of context.

If you are interested in reading biographical information, go here for Paul Simon and here for Chris Rice.

Be Careful – Noting the Benefits of a Worldview Does not Necessarily Make it Correct
As you will see, the benefits of Chris Rice’s Christian worldview seem to far outweigh the benefits of Paul Simon’s worldview. For example, Rice has an anchor for joy, deep purpose in life, and sure hope for the future even beyond death. But as I conduct this study I want to be sure to emphasize that simply noting the benefits of Rice’s worldview does not automatically make it the correct worldview. I say this so that someone reading will not adopt Christianity simply because it appears to be a better way of life. It certainly can be argued that it is. It can also be argued that it is not (Simon might make that argument for example). The point is, truth is truth whether it is beneficial or not. The question is not, “Which worldview is more beneficial for my life?” The question is “Which worldview is true?”

Now, having explained the Simon-Rice Project, the rational behind it, and the guidelines for the study, lets get to it!

The Search for Significance
Here we are asking the vital questions, “What is the point of my life?” and “Would the world be any different if I were not here?” Most people have pondered these questions, but few have put their meditations into poetic songs. Let's look at a few of Paul Simon's lyrics and see what he says about this issue.

In my little town I never meant nothin'
I was just my father's son
Saving my money, dreaming of glory
Twitching like a finger on the trigger of a gun
Leaving nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town
(“My Little Town” 1975)

The song “My Little Town,” seems to be a sadistic ode to a small community that stifled the person whom the song is about. He “never meant nothin’” there. This means his life, at least at that stage, was meaningless to those around him. Now Simon did not grow up in a small town (Queens, New York) and no doubt the song is about someone else. Also it is clear that the main character of the song seems to find significance in life elsewhere. He leaves behind his insignificant life in the little town for bigger and better things.

You're going to break down and cry
We're not important; we should be grateful
And if you're wondering why – Love (“Love,” 2000)

In this more recent song, Paul expresses what seems to be a clear declaration of the importance and value of love. He states up front, “We’re not important.” But on the other hand there is something to be grateful about. It is the power of love. It is clear in the body of Simon’s work, that significance and meaning in life is wound up with the power of love.

And I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
But it's alright,
It's alright for we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong
I can't help it, I wonder what has gone wrong
(“American Tune,” 1973)

This verse seems to really express how Paul feels about meaning in life. In spite of the difficulty of life, nonetheless, “It’s alright, it’s alright for we lived so well so long.” He also expresses here that in his mind something is wrong with the way the world is. He wonders about what it might be that went wrong. So without jumping to far logically, we could say that Simon has spent much time contemplating why life is not as it should be.

Now lets compare Simon's perspective with that of Chris Rice. In Rice's case, he has a song that addresses this issue directly called "Life Means so Much."

Every day is a journal page, every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in,
All we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse or will today bring the blessing
Fill the page with rhyming verse or some random sketching
Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways that somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much, Life means so much, Life means so much.
(“Life Means so Much,” 2000)

This song really depicts Rice’s view of the significance of life very clearly. He states that each day is important and should be counted and activities we perform during those days should mean something. It is significant that the chorus is written as a prayer to God. It is a request that God might help us understand just how purposeful and wonderful it is to be alive.

Grass is always greener on the other side
The search is never over in the pastures of my mind
Is the meaning of happiness drowning in smiles
Or that dreadful world I left behind?
O Lord grant the grace to accept who I am
Who I am, that You have designed. (“Sam’s Song,” 1997)

In this song, Rice asks a question regarding the “meaning of happiness.” Is it found in fake smiles or in the world left behind – a reference to the evil in the world? No, the meaning of happiness is found in being exactly what the Lord designed. Notice the connection here between meaning and being designed. In Rice’s Christian worldview, significance in life is wrapped up in being a special creation of God.

You're all I have, You're all I know
Your breath is breathing in my soul
Still I am gasping, aching, askingWhere are you now
(“Smile,” 2002)

Here is another song written in prayer format in which Rice points out to God that God is “all I have” and “all I know.” These lines make it clear that, again, significance in life for Chris Rice is wrapped up in the knowledge of and relationship with God. Now this is not to say that Rice thinks that everything else in life is insignificant however. It is clear from other songs, that Chris Rice finds meaning in many areas of life, such as friendships, exploring nature, and the like, but the value of those other things are only elevated as they relate to his relationship to God.

Conclusion
One thing that Simon and Rice have in common when it comes to their views of the significance of life, is that love is central. For Paul Simon, it is love of others. For Chris Rice it is the love God has for us, demonstrated in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to forgive sinners, that spills out into love for others.

Just a note - this blog is much longer than the next ones will be on the Simon-Rice Project because of all the introductory material. Next time we will look into Simon's and Rice's songs in order to find out their understanding of who God is, what He is like, and what kinds of things He does. See you then.