There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, in Israel
A suggested setlist
May 04, 2011
Paul Simon (L) and his longtime partner Tzipi Livni (R).(Ye Olde Tablet Magazine Photoshoppe)
Paul Simon will likely play Ramat Gan Stadium outside Tel Aviv this summer. As with Bob Dylan, he gets an Israel-themed setlist.
“Homeward Bound”: For Israel.
“The Sound of Silence”: For the Israeli left.
“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”: For the myriad failures of the peace process.
“Loves Me Like a Rock”: That there may one day be peace at the Temple Mount.
“Mrs. Robinson”: For Mary Robinson, Israel’s favorite U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“Old Friends”: For Fatah and Hamas, apparently.
“I Am A Rock”: For Israel’s strength and the fact that it is an island of democracy in a sea of dictatorships (or, if you prefer, for Israel’s immobility and international isolation).
“One Man’s Ceiling Is Another’ Man’s Floor”: For Ehud Barak (get it, cause he’s short?).
“Keep the Customer Satisfied”: For ex-prime minister Ehud Olmert, who at least always did this in his real estate schemes.
ENCORE:
“Still Crazy After All These Years”: For Bibi.
“Me and Julio Down by the School Yard”: For Juliano Mer-Khamis (lyrics adjusted accordingly).
“Graceland”: For the Messiah.
Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.
