Lyr Req: Richard Cory (Paul Simon)

11 Sep 99 - 06:39 PM (#113480)
Subject: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: RAFRJF

I need the lyrics to this song, "Richard Cory" by Simon and Garfunkle. If you don not have them, please give me a website to where I could. Thanks

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11 Sep 99 - 06:50 PM (#113485)
Subject: Lyr Add: RICHARD CORY + A MOST PECULIAR MAN (Simon
From: Joe Offer

I think these two belong together:

RICHARD CORY (P. Simon, 1966)

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,
With political connections to spread his wealth around.
Born into society, a banker's only child,
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:
Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show.
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got.

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,
And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head."

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

A MOST PECULIAR MAN (P. Simon, 1965)

He was a most peculiar man.
That's what Mrs. Riordan said and she should know;
She lived upstairs from him
She said he was a most peculiar man.

He was a most peculiar man.
He lived all alone within a house,
Within a room, within himself,
A most peculiar man.

He had no friends, he seldom spoke
And no one in turn ever spoke to him,
'Cause he wasn't friendly and he didn't care
And he wasn't like them.
Oh, no! he was a most peculiar man.

He died last Saturday.
He turned on the gas and he went to sleep
With the windows closed so he'd never wake up
To his silent world and his tiny room;
And Mrs. Riordan says he has a brother somewhere
Who should be notified soon.
And all the people said, "What a shame that he's dead,
But wasn't he a most peculiar man?"

JRO

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11 Sep 99 - 07:11 PM (#113489)
Subject: RE: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: Joe Offer

I've always wondered how many have heard Paul Simon's "Richard Cory" with no knowledge of the original Richard Cory, by Edwin Arlington Robinson (click here). In my opinion, the original is better - but I can't fit a tune to it. Another of my favorites is Robinson's "Miniver Cheevy."
-Joe Offer-

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12 Sep 99 - 07:51 PM (#113716)
Subject: RE: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: Mark Roffe

Strange but true: My mother recited the E.A. Robinson poem loudly and repeatedly as she was giving birth to me. (I don't remember this as I was very young at the time, but she's told me the story several times.) I expect that she wanted her child to have the positive traits of Richard Corey (whenever he went downtown, all the people looked up at him). I do not identify with the character (except for the part about being "imperially slim"; I do not own a factory; I do not plan to ever "put a bullet through my head," as a very believable gypsy fortune teller once told me that I was destined to die on the gallows. - Mark Roffe

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12 Sep 99 - 09:17 PM (#113739)
Subject: RE: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: Jeri

Joe, I read the poem and a tune jumped out at me. Unfortunately, it's presently a 988 KB .wav file, and I don't know if it's any good anyway.

It's got the same sort of rhythm as "The Easter Tree" as recorded by June Tabor, only with fewer measures and lines, if that makes any sense.

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12 Sep 99 - 11:49 PM (#113780)
Subject: RE: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: Charlie Baum

Foo! the link didn't work! John Evereldown is at:
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/resource/bookshelf/chnit10/poem12.html

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13 Sep 99 - 04:45 PM (#113948)
Subject: RE: Lyrics:'Richard Cory': Simon/Garfunkle
From: dick greenhaus

Joe- Did you ever encounter this parody of Miniver Cheevy? I haven't thought of it in years, and I don't know who wrote it, but I love it!

Miniver Cheevy Junior, child,
Of Robinson's reknowned creation
Also lamented and reviled
His generation.

Miniver gave no hoot in hell
For Camelot or proud Troy's pillage;
Miniver rather wished to dwell
In Greenwich Village.

....(and here I forget some two stanzas)

Miniver Cheevy Junior swore
Drank till his health was quite imperiled
Miniver sighed, and read some more
F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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