Paul Simon: "Crazy Love, Vol. II"

Kelly Clarkson has fumbled her opportunity; everyone is ready to love a divorce album, but the Times says Clarkson has really failed to go mining for gold.

One of my favorite divorce songs is "Crazy Love," by Paul Simon; it seems to be about post-Carrie Fisher wreckage.

Fat Charlie the Archangel sloped into the room...

He said, "Well, I have no opinion about this...."

And: "I have no opinion about that...."

Sad as a lonely little wrinkled balloon.

He said, "Well, I don't claim to be happy about this, boys..."

And: "I don't claim to be happy about that...."

Simon mocks himself, and it's charming. He is like Bartleby, the Scrivener, turning away from the world. Calling himself "Fat Charlie the Archangel," he seems to be making a reference to his delusions of grandeur. At the same time, he is laughing about his own weight.

She says she knows about jokes;

This time the joke is on me.

Well, I have no opinion about that.

And I have no opinion about me...

Somebody could walk into this room and say....

"Your life is on fire."

It's all over the evening news....

All about the fire in your life, on the evening news...

Simon suggests that Carrie Fisher is just a little bit childish--and, in his stagy neutral reaction, Simon is also being a child. In his tantrum, Simon can't even be bothered to notice if he is a topic of interest on the evening news. You can sense actual sadness in Simon's voice, but Simon also recognizes the ridiculousness underneath his sadness. He can step aside and notice something comical in his own personal trainwreck.

Fat Charlie the Archangel files for divorce....

He says, "Well, this will eat up another year of my life."

And then: "There's all that weight to be lost...."

So inspiring to see someone turning himself into "a character." This is a tier-one breakup song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeY4s_nLvtM

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