50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
Encyclopedia
"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon
, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years
. Backing vocals on the single were performed by Patti Austin
, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.
, which became the hook and color for the song. The song was recorded in a small New York City
studio on Broadway
.
on February 7, 1976, and remaining there for three weeks. It was certified gold on March 11, 1976, and remained a best seller for nearly five months. The song also topped the adult contemporary chart
for two weeks. It remains Simon's biggest solo hit.
On the UK Singles Chart
, the song reached position number 23 in January 1976.
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years is the fourth studio album by Paul Simon.Recorded in 1975, the album produced four US Top 40 hits, "Gone at Last" , "My Little Town" , "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" and the title track . It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1976...
. Backing vocals on the single were performed by Patti Austin
Patti Austin
-Life and career:Austin was born in Harlem, New York. She made her debut at the Apollo Theater at age four and had a contract with RCA Records when she was only five. Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington have proclaimed themselves as her godparents....
, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.
Creation
Written after Simon's divorce from first wife Peggy Harper, the song is a mistress's humorous advice to a husband on ways to end a relationship: Just slip out the back, Jack/Make a new plan, Stan. The song is anchored by a "linear" drum pattern performed by studio drummer Steve GaddSteve Gadd
Steve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
, which became the hook and color for the song. The song was recorded in a small New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
studio on Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
.
Chart positions
"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" broke in the U.S. in late December 1975 becoming number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on February 7, 1976, and remaining there for three weeks. It was certified gold on March 11, 1976, and remained a best seller for nearly five months. The song also topped the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
for two weeks. It remains Simon's biggest solo hit.
On the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, the song reached position number 23 in January 1976.
| Chart (1975) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 42 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 18 |
| UK Singles Chart | 23 |
| US Hot 100 Singles Chart | 1 |
Cover Versions
- Kid CudiKid CudiScott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
covered 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover on his 2008 mixtape "A Kid Named Cudi". His version was called "50 Ways to Make a Record". The beat performed by Gadd used is also prevalent on CommonCommonCommon may refer to:* COMMON, the largest association of users of mid-range IBM computers* Common , a British Thoroughbred racehorse* Common , a part of certain Christian liturgy* Commoner, someone does not hold a title of peerage...
's "Forever Begins" from his "Finding Forever" album. - FloydDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
and JaniceDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
performed this song on the Paul Simon episode of The Muppet ShowThe Muppet ShowThe Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
with Rowlf coming on to the stage to ask for Paul Simon if there were 50 ways to love your leaver. - G. LoveG. LoveGarrett Dutton , better known as G. Love, is the frontman for the band G. Love & Special Sauce.-Biography:Dutton, the son of a banking lawyer, was born in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, and began playing guitar at age eight. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the ninth...
covered the song on his album Fixin' To Die (2011) which he recorded with the folk-rock band The Avett BrothersThe Avett BrothersThe Avett Brothers is a folk rock band from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play the banjo and guitar respectively, and Bob Crawford who plays the stand-up bass. Joe Kwon, cello, and Jacob Edwards, drums, are touring members of...
. - An EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
song leaked titled "50 Ways" where the chorus sampled the song. Eminem also sampled this song on the track "Murder, Murder" on The Slim Shady EPThe Slim Shady EPThe Slim Shady EP is a debut EP by American rapper Eminem, released on the Detroit-based record label Web Entertainment in 1997. The Slim Shady EP was released on cassette, vinyl, and CD .Eminem first introduced his "Slim Shady" persona on this EP,...
in 1997 - Platinum Pied PipersPlatinum Pied PipersPlatinum Pied Pipers is a Detroit-based hip hop and R&B group composed of producer Waajeed , and multi-instrumentalist Saadiq . Their music usually features a rotating and varied array of artists.- Background :The two met through rapper Baatin in 1992...
covered 50 Ways to Leave Your Love on their 2005 release of "Triple P" on Ubiquity RecordsUbiquity RecordsUbiquity Records is an American music label that focuses on funk, rare groove, soul, and hip hop and other musical genres. It is located in Costa Mesa, California and has a satellite office based in San Francisco, California...
, featuring Rogiérs of Fibby Music. - The album "Duplex Ride" from 1998 by Sidsel EndresenSidsel EndresenSidsel Endresen is a Norwegian jazz singer.She was part of the Jon Eberson Group from 1981 to 1987, resulting in five CDs and two "Spellemannprisen" awards...
& Bugge WesseltoftBugge WesseltoftJens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft is a Norwegian jazz musician, pianist, composer and producer. He has his own label named Jazzland Records. In the 1990s, Bugge has made a transition from Nordic jazz traditions exemplified by the ECM record label to a style sometimes referred to as "future jazz" or...
features a cover of this song. - A Filipino band called Bamboo (band)Bamboo (band)Bamboo was a Filipino alternative rock supergroup founded in 2002 by Francisco "Bamboo" Mañalac, Ira Cruz, Nathan Azarcon and Vic Mercado.-Band origin:...
also made a cover version of this song. It was in their 3rd studio album called We Stand Alone TogetherWe Stand Alone TogetherWe Stand Alone Together is the third album of the Filipino rock band Bamboo and also their first cover album. The first disc contains 8 tracks plus 1 hidden song, 3 of which are Tagalog songs. The songs "Tatsulok" and "Probinsyana" have been released as singles and have become instant hits on local...
. - A French group Pink Turtle produce a jazzy version of this song in their album "Back Again".
- PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
covered the song for the first time during their first performance at the Hollywood BowlHollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
on August 8th, 2011. - Pigeon JohnPigeon JohnPigeon John is an American hip hop rapper raised in Hawthorne, California and based in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:Pigeon John is a Los Angeles area rapper who has recorded four studio albums as a solo artist, as well as several others as a member of the groups like L.A. Symphony and...
creates his own cover version of this song called "Passion (feat Tapwater)" off of his 2002 album called Is Clueless (2002). - Brad MehldauBrad MehldauBrad Mehldau is an American jazz pianist. Besides leading his own group, the Brad Mehldau Trio, he has performed with many renowned artists, including Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Larry Grenadier, Peter Bernstein, Jeff Ballard, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Kurt...
does an elliptical version on his album "Day is Done".