This song is actually inspired by a single photograph. The photo is an old, small, black and white image of surrealist painter Rene Margritte with his wife Georgette and their dog. The caption hand written on the back of the photo reads, "Rene and Georgette Margritte with their dog after the war." If you Google Image Search you can be looking at this obscure and innocuous photo in a matter of seconds. You can also look at the paintings of Rene Margritte, which are exceeded in their strangeness only by that other more-famous surrealist, Salvadore Dali. Why Paul Simon would write this song is anyone's money, and to debate the meaning would be like arguing about the meaning of a Margritte painting. I personally believe Paul Simon is romanticizing the love between two people that survives world wars and poverty....and success.
This song is actually inspired by a single photograph. The photo is an old, small, black and white image of surrealist painter Rene Margritte with his wife Georgette and their dog. The caption hand written on the back of the photo reads, "Rene and Georgette Margritte with their dog after the war." If you Google Image Search you can be looking at this obscure and innocuous photo in a matter of seconds. You can also look at the paintings of Rene Margritte, which are exceeded in their strangeness only by that other more-famous surrealist, Salvadore Dali. Why Paul Simon would write this song is anyone's money, and to debate the meaning would be like arguing about the meaning of a Margritte painting. I personally believe Paul Simon is romanticizing the love between two people that survives world wars and poverty....and success.
Just want to add that the image is by Lothar Wolleh and was taken in 1967.
Just want to add that the image is by Lothar Wolleh and was taken in 1967.