The Coast

i love the line "summer skies and stars are falling all along the injured coast."

for me, that really illustrates the conflict between natural beauty and man-made destruction.

this entire cd is amazing...i think this song is about spirituality...finding it and not wanting human weaknesses to blind you to a greatness...also about rising above the hardships of life?? just a guess...

I havent really taken the time to figure out what this song means (not that I could if I tried), but all I know this is my favorite Paul Simon song.

How are there so few comments on this song?

The line "to praise the souls returning to the Earth" makes me think of the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos.

"Summer skies, the stars are falling" -- some of the most spectacular meteor showers happen in the summer. The "injured coast", though, speaks to an element of human disruption and/or delusion.

I love the comment about Dia de los Muertos.

There is a lot of G-d imagery here, too. If I have weaknesses, don't let them blind me now (to the truth that I can find here)

Leaving the shadow of the valley behind me now (Psalm 23, walking through the valley of the shadow of death)

I think, basically, the song is about how we are each on our own journey through life. We only get one, we should try to lighten each other's sorrow.

musicians on tour in third world countries

Cecelia is the patron saint of musicians. The Rose of Jericho is a plant that symbolizes transformation, renewal and prosperity. Bouganvillea is a plant that represents welcoming visitors and encouraging free trade two entities. So it seems that the song is about a group of musicians taking pause under the guidance of St Cecelia and hoping for transformation and renewal. The musicians are traveling (as he was during the making of Rhythm of the Saints) in search of inspiration. However, some guilt sets in when the author thinks about using the hardships of others as artistic inspiration and potentially the source of his own income.

its about a harbor for loved ones. and how one is taking advantage of making money out of family ties. which is walt disney!