50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
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| "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Paul Simon | ||||
| from the album Still Crazy After All These Years | ||||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 3:35 | |||
| Label | Columbia Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Paul Simon | |||
| Paul Simon singles chronology | ||||
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"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. Backing vocals on the single were performed by Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.
Contents |
[edit] Creation
Written after Simon's divorce from first wife Peggy Harper, the song is a mistress's humorous advice to a husband on ways to end a relationship: Just slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan. Studio drummer Steve Gadd created the unique drum beat that became the hook and color for the song consisting of an almost military beat. The song was recorded in a small New York City studio on Broadway.
[edit] Chart positions
"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" broke in the U.S. in late December 1975 becoming number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on February 7, 1976, and remaining there for three weeks. It was certified gold on March 11, 1976, and remained a best seller for nearly five months. The song also topped the adult contemporary chart for two weeks. It remains Simon's biggest solo hit.
On the UK Singles Chart, the song reached position number 23 in January 1976.
[edit] Cover versions
The song has been covered several times, including the translations "30 manieres de quitter une fille" by the French singer Michel Delpech and "50 Tips ihn zu verlassen" by the German singer and actress Ulla Meinecke. On July 12, 2006, the Montreal International Jazz Festival played a Tribute to Paul Simon and the song was covered by Jamie Cullum while the Platinum Pied Pipers made a Latin reworking of it. Hedy McDonald, Sandra Bernhard and the King's Singers also created their own versions as did British house music producer Trevor Jackson as Playgroup. The trance music group Plummet covered this song and released it in 2005.
It was included on Rosemary Clooney's 1977 album, Nice to Be Around, released by United Artists Records.
Sage Francis, an independent rap artist, covered the song and renamed it "Rewrite". The original version is featured on the album Sick of Waiting Tables. The Shannon McNally EP Bolder Than Paradise has a version called "50 ways".
Before he signed to Aftermath Records, Eminem released the Slim Shady EP, which featured a remix of Simon's song called "Murder, Murder", that also sampled Tupac Shakur (one of Em's favorite rappers as a child).
The Electric Mayhem of The Muppet Show did a cover where Rowlf the dog asked Sgt. Floyd Pepper if he was sure it wasn't "50 Ways to Love Your Lever" on the Jackson Variety show in 1977.
There is also a mash-up version by DJ Topcat of the song entitled, "50 Ways To Kill Your Lover." The track, which features Simon's backing track and chorus, is mixed in with the Morcheeba and Slick Rick compilation, "Women Lose Weight."
Glam metal band Trixter made two separate versions of this song on their 1994 album Undercovers.
Heather Small made a cover on her 2006 album Close to a Miracle.
Westcoast rapper DJ Quik made a cover for the song called "50 Ways To Keep From Under", off his album Under tha Influence
Filipino rock band Bamboo also made a cover of this song on their 2007 album We Stand Alone Together.
In recent concerts, the song has been performed by Five for Fighting.
Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau performed a cover of this song on his 2005 album Day is Done.
Rapper Common used a sample of the song - specifically the drums - on his 2007 album Finding Forever with the song Forever Begins.
Kid Cudi made a cover of this song entitled "50 Ways To Make A Record" on his 2007 debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi.
For several years, WABC disc jockey Dan Ingram played a re-edited version of the song that he'd titled "50 Ways to Relieve Your Lover". The edits changed the sequence of the verses and rearranged elements of the chorus (e.g. "Slip out the back, Gus", "Drop off the key, Jack").
Children's performer Bill Harley recorded a parody of the song entitled "50 Ways to Fool Your Mother", teaching the listener fifty creative ways to trick their mother to stay home from school.
The beat was also sampled by rap artist Eminem for two songs: his early song Murder Murder, which did not appear on any of his officially released albums, and Like Toy Soldiers, which uses drums track especially.
New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords paid homage to the track in the episode Unnatural Love, where in the song 'Carol Brown', Jemaine lists "50 ways that lovers have left" him.
Rapper 2pac sampled the song in his song "Wonder Why They Called You Bitch"
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Paul Simon biography
- The 45 missing ways to leave your lover from The Morning News
- Steve Gadd - video of him playing the drum part
| Preceded by "Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single February 7, 1976- February 21, 1976 |
Succeeded by "Theme From "S.W.A.T."" by Rhythm Heritage |
