{"id":20019,"date":"2017-12-20T01:26:18","date_gmt":"2017-12-20T09:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/?p=20019"},"modified":"2018-03-18T16:09:32","modified_gmt":"2018-03-18T23:09:32","slug":"copywriting-tip-paul-simon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/copywriting-tip-paul-simon\/","title":{"rendered":"(Copy)Writing Tip from Paul Simon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Paul-Simon-Jerry-Landis\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

A few days ago on Facebook I shared this rediscovered treasure from somewhere in my garage, asking who could tell me the record’s significance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It didn’t take long before someone accurately answered, “Jerry Landis” actually was Paul Simon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a><\/p>\n

“Jerry” also appeared as 1\/2 of “Tom and Jerry.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Tom” was “Tom Graph” aka<\/em> Art Garfunkel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom and Jerry’s “Hey Schoolgirl” actually charted in 1957.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, “Tom and Jerry,” both 15 years old at the time, performed the song on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\""Tom<\/a>

I have no idea what the genius who took this photo was thinking by having Garfunkel stand on a riser.<\/p><\/div>\n

So How Is This A (Copy)Writing Tip?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

In Simon’s pre-“Graceland” songs, often he began with the literal truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first sentence of the song was an accurate representation of the moment when it was written.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, he began with the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Examples<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Homeward Bound<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

“I’m sittin’ in the railway station\/got a ticket for my destination”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I Am A Rock<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

“A winter’s day\/in a deep and dark December”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Kathy’s Song<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

“I hear the drizzle of the rain”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Kodachrome<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school\/<\/span>It’s a wonder I can think at all”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Still Crazy After All These Years<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

“I met my old lover on the street last night\/She seemed so glad to see my I just smiled”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The Sound Of Silence<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

“Hello darkness,my old friend\/I’ve come to talk with you again.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Wait, coming to talk to the darkness again?<\/span><\/p>\n

When Simon was younger, he’d sing and compose songs in the bathroom of his family’s house, in the dark, enjoying the acoustical reverberation of the tiled room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the song was begun on a literal note, Simon would apply his artistry to follow the opening line wherever it led him. <\/span><\/p>\n

“All the crap I learned in high school” led to a reflection on the superiority of the full rich color of the imagination over the “black & white” of what you might call the real world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again: So How Is This A (Copy)Writing Tip?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

When you begin writing a radio commercial, after you’ve identified the one action you want the targeted listener to take, begin with the truth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Let the one literally true line lead you to the story your spot will tell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you’ve written the spot, the original “literally true” line might not have survived your editing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although that original line may no longer be in your commercial script, it led you to the story which ultimately and naturally led to the Call to Action.<\/span><\/p>\n

This piece began with a reference to the record by “Jerry Landis…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Which led to “Tom and Jerry.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Which leads to the story I wanted really wanted to share with you.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Only Living Boy In New York<\/em> is a song from the “Bridge over Troubled Water” album.<\/span><\/p>\n

The opening lines:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Tom get your plane right on time\/I know your part will go fine\/<\/span>Fly down to Mexico…”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

If you ever wondered what that song was about, here’s a hint: <\/span><\/p>\n

Simon began with the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Art Garfunkel inexplicably had been cast by Mike Nichols in the movie, Catch-22,<\/em> which was filming in Mexico.<\/span><\/p>\n

Garfunkel \u2014 formerly known as Tom \u2014 was flying to Mexico for “the part” that Simon was sure would go fine.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s the truth upon which this entire piece is based. I just wanted to share that story with you.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few days ago on Facebook I shared this rediscovered treasure from somewhere in my garage, asking who could tell me the record’s significance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20019","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"yoast_head":"\n(Copy)Writing Tip from Paul Simon<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you begin writing a radio commercial, begin with the truth. Let the one literally true line lead you to the story your spot will tell. 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