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How much can you do with two voices? You can sing thirds or you can sing fifths or you can do a background harmony.
Paul Simon
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects the potential of collaboration and harmony in music and life.

In this quote, Paul Simon emphasizes the power of combining voices to enhance musical expression. By suggesting the possibilities of singing in thirds, fifths, or harmonizing, he highlights how collaboration can create richer and deeper experiences, not just in music but in various aspects of life where teamwork and connection are essential.

Themes

MusicHarmonyCollaborationVoicesTeamwork

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about teamwork, one might say, 'As Paul Simon said, how much can you do with two voices?'

More from Paul Simon

I don't feel any pressure from fans. But I'm always in some kind of state of emotional turmoil. I would not describe myself as happy-go-lucky. That's not to say that I'm not happy.
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I sort of recognize it, as opposed to shaping it. Oh, that's a good idea, that's a good line. I wonder where I can use that. And when you get into a rhyme group like 'not,' you got a lot of rhymes, you got a lot of choices. The more you do it, the luckier you get.
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I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told, and I have squandered my resistance, for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises. All lies in jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest...la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lala-la-la-la-la...
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Who's gonna love you when your looks are gone?
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I don't believe what the papers are saying They're just out to capture my dime, Exaggerating this, exaggerating that.
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Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.
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