
Peak
1
Weeks
17
Score
3,530
Chart Year
1976
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In a 1975 interview published in Rock Lives: Profiles and Interviews, Simon told the story of this song: "I woke up one morning in my apartment on Central Park and the opening words just popped into my mind: 'The problem is all inside your head, she said to me...' That was the first thing I thought of. So I just started building on that line. It was the last song I wrote for the album, and I wrote it with a Rhythm Ace, one of those electronic drum machines so maybe that's how it got that sing-song 'make a new plan Stan, don't need to be coy Roy' quality. It's basically a nonsense song." According to Simon's younger brother Eddie (from the same interview), Paul made this song up while teaching his son how to rhyme. Even though he didn't take the lyrics too seriously, it's an interesting song, particularly for those who feel trapped in bad relationships. >> Paul Simon may have sung that there were 50 ways to leave your lover, but he listed only five, which are: 1) Slip out the back, Jack 2) Make a new plan, Stan 3) You don't need to be coy, Roy, just set yourself free 4) Hop on the bus, Gus 5) Drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free We still await the other 45! He left plenty of room for a sequel, but never followed up. Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow sang backup on this track. The instrumentation is: Acoustic Guitar: Paul Simon Electric Guitar: John Tropea, Joe Beck Organ: Ken Asher Bass: Tony Levin Drums: Steve Gadd Carl Palmer cites Gadd's drumming on this track as some of the best he's heard. The German soul group Tok Tok Tok covered this on their first album in 1999, which they titled 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover. Their version featured mouth-drums by the band's instrumentalist Morten Klein. It worked so well that the group used Klein's mouth-drums on many of their future recordings. When Paul Simon was a guest on The Muppet Show in 1980, he didn't play this song but Floyd and Janice of the Electric Mayhem (the Muppet house band) did.
"The problem is all inside your head", she said to me "The answer is easy if you take it logically I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free There must be fifty ways to leave your lover" She said, "It's really not my habit to intrude Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude There must be fifty ways to leave your lover Fifty ways to leave your lover" You just slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don't need to be coy, Roy Just get yourself free Hop on the bus, Gus You don't need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee And get yourself free Ooh, slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don't need to be coy, Roy You just listen to me Hop on the bus, Gus You don't need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee And get yourself free She said, "It grieves me so to see you in such pain I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again" I said, "I appreciate that and would you please explain About the fifty ways?" She said, "Why don't we both just sleep on it tonight? And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light" And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right There must be fifty ways to leave your lover Fifty ways to leave your lover You just slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don't need to be coy, Roy Just get yourself free Oh, you hop on the bus, Gus You don't need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee And get yourself free Slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don't need to be coy, Roy You just listen to me Hop on the bus, Gus You don't need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee And get yourself free
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 20, 1975 | 74 | 52 |
| 2 | Dec 27, 1975 | 50 | 76 |
| 3 | Jan 3, 1976 | 34 | 92 |
| 4 | Jan 10, 1976 | 17 | 109 |
| 5 | Jan 17, 1976 | 15 | 111 |
| 6 | Jan 24, 1976 | 14 | 112 |
| 7 | Jan 31, 1976 | 10 | 116 |
| 8 | Feb 7, 1976 | 1 | 125 |
| 9 | Feb 14, 1976 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | Feb 21, 1976 | 1 | 125 |
| 11 | Feb 28, 1976 | 2 | 124 |
| 12 | Mar 6, 1976 | 8 | 118 |
| 13 | Mar 13, 1976 | 11 | 115 |
| 14 | Mar 20, 1976 | 29 | 97 |
| 15 | Mar 27, 1976 | 29 | 97 |
| 16 | Apr 3, 1976 | 58 | 68 |
| 17 | Apr 10, 1976 | 77 | 49 |