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| Headline | Widnes myth |
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| Author | Comment |
BingFrisby
Oct-22-2004, 20:21 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
 | Simon couldn´t possibly have written Homeward Bound in Widnes.It seems one of the people with whom he stayed in the North West of England on his tour heard what sounded like the bare bones of Homeward bound as Paul played guitar in his room.So it was possibly started OUTSIDE of Widnes.Then after his stay in the Liverpool area he was apparently dropped off at Widnes railway station and almost immediately caught his train, giving him no time at all to sit and write a song.I wonder how this myth came to be?How could it be that Widnes became so attatched to this particular song?The part of England that he writes about is certainly a very accurate observation.The most vivid line in the song to relate it to the North of England is "the movies and the factories"...The movies are the cinemas that were in every major town and all looked alike and the factories are the mills that were all over the place and would have been in Paul´s sight for almost all of the train journey that he made from one town to the next.The factories had tall chimney stacks that would have made them prominent on the landscape. So it could be it was written,in part,in his mind as he sat travelling.He even said in an interview that he couldn´t remember exactly where he wrote the song and that "home" in the lyrics is London where he was living at the time.So the time frame has got to be between Liverpool and London, but not specifically Widnes.There was even a "wishful thinker" in England in one of the items written about this period who claimed to have had a conversation with Simon on Widnes station, but the account can be dismissed as Paul was not there for long enough and was seen onto the train by his hosts.It makes me wonder how the name of Widnes would be remembered at all,as it would have had to be recounted by Paul himself or the people who drove him to the station.Has anyone any idea when the first mention of Widnes in relation to this song first appeared anywhere in print or on radio/television etc?How come it wasn´t credited to Liverpool or any of the many other stations he would have passed through on this now famous journey? |
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BingFrisby
Oct-22-2004, 20:25 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| Sorry about the double posting.;) |
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Julie
Oct-22-2004, 22:09 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| I´ve removed it...Oh the power !! |
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BingFrisby
Oct-23-2004, 12:27 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| Not as powerful as the Manchester soundboard recording!! |
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Julie
Oct-23-2004, 13:44 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| You have it ?? |
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Bodo
Oct-23-2004, 14:13 GMT
IP:
Austria
 | LOL ;-) thanks Julie |
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BingFrisby
Dec-05-2004, 13:07 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| Julie, "It´s great to perform in one of the great cultural music cities of the world..." |
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Julie
Dec-05-2004, 14:14 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| ????? |
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Brandy
Dec-06-2004, 21:30 GMT
IP:
Canada
 | I´m afraid I don´t quite understand. Paul said he wrote it in the railway station at Widnes, perhaps not the MUSIC to it (he´s waiting for a train . . . I don´t think he´d whip out his guitar in such a noisy place, trying to find good chords) and plus, the British even put a plaque up there saying "In 1964 In Widnes Station, Paul Simon wrote "Homeward Bound".
Perhaps someone did overhear Paul playing the chords . . . but I think he must´ve thought up the lyrics in the station and scribbled them down, and then came up with the chords later. Does that sound logical? |
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BingFrisby
Dec-06-2004, 21:48 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| Yes, Brandy. It is just strange that it it Widnes that is quoted in relation to this song. |
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BingFrisby
Dec-06-2004, 21:49 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| Julie, you will remember Simon saying this at the Manchester concert. |
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Julie
Dec-06-2004, 21:58 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| I do....I just can´t understand you quoting it at this particular time |
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BingFrisby
Dec-07-2004, 00:37 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom
| You can´t? |
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lost
Dec-07-2004, 05:08 GMT
IP:
Canada
| You know, you should teach everyone of us, "the history of Paul Simon". Then you would open an academy. And turn everyone into NERDS.
HAHAHAHAHAHA
YES NERDS
HAHAHAHAHAHA
YES NERDS
HAHAHAHAHAHA
OUCH, My hurt my finger
ow, the pain of playing sports
OUCH, OUCH,
Must need books...to have power... |
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Forum guest
Oct-29-2009, 16:01 GMT
United Kingdom
| Nick Form Widnes England Writes:
In reference to the Homeward Bound Debate was it actually written in Widnes yes or No.
The simple answer is its about the whole area that Paul visited in 1965. Paul Simon actualy came to Widnes and performed at a local folk club ran by Mr Geoff Speed.
As Paul Simon had no base camp Geoff Speed said he could stay at his parents home in Corroners Lane not far from Widnes Railway Station. Whilst in the area Paul used Mr Speeds House and even played guitar there.
I used to run a guitar fellowship on behalf of Fender UK and invited Geoff Speed to come along and talk about his time hosting Paul Simon´s vist.
During the talk Geoff confirmed that they were running late for the train at Widnes Station, so Paul did not have time to stop to play any music on the actual sation platform.
The fact is Geoff had a spanish guitar and asked Paul to try it. Paul played Angie by Davey Graham on it. When Geoff and his wife had a baby daughter they named her after the track Angie.
Geoff told our Fender Fellowship that Paul was coming up with idewas for the song that would eventualy be called Homeward Bound.
Yes I can acknowlege that the song is credited as being written in Widnes Station whilst waiting for the next train out of the town.
The Harp Brewery sponsored a number of placques to be placed at famous sites where importnat rock and roll events took place and came to Widnes to present the station with its own one in memory of the song Homeward Bound. Sadly the placque was stollen twice (in replacement copy).
As Paul stayed at Mr Speeds Parents home about a week we got the credit for the railway station here in Widnes.
I have infact posted reports in other sections of the Forum regards Paul and Widnes.
I know that Paul did not play guitar on the Station but ehy can we not celebrate the song and its conection to my home town.
Paul Simon has admitted he was basing the song on the area not just one particular spot. He even appeared on his Birthday on UK BBC Children´s Televison show called Going Live talking about the song and even mentioned he had heard they put a plaque up in Widnes, sponsored by a beer company.
I am proud of the fact Paul came to Widnes and the conection to the song and am pleased its mentioned in several biographies on Simon and Garfunkel.
So please excuse me for sticking up for Widnes and cthe song being credited to My Little Town. |
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