Your Forgiveness

Album: Seven Psalms (2023)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Paul Simon's 15th solo studio album, Seven Psalms, is an unusual, introspective work released in May 2023. The record is a single continuous piece divided into seven movements, or "psalms." This structure reflects the inspiration drawn from the biblical Book of Psalms.
  • The lyrics of Seven Psalms grapple with themes of mortality, spirituality, and the meaning of life, likely influenced by Simon's age - he was 81 when it was released.

    "Your Forgiveness" is the fourth of the seven "psalms." It finds Simon exploring the search for forgiveness, both human and divine.
  • Seven Psalms features several exotic instruments, including the theorbo, a large plucked-string instrument that originated in Italy during the late 16th century. It belongs to the lute family and is distinguished by its elongated neck and double set of strings.

    "There is a touch of theorbo on a couple of tracks," Simon told Uncut magazine. "I was really attracted to the instrument; it came from some Renaissance music I was listening to. I booked a whole session with Renaissance musicians from London and initially nothing came from its, but you can hear it on the bit called 'Your Forgiveness,' which features an English Renaissance octet, Voces8."

    "There are also these cloud bowls, an instrument invented by the composer Harry Partch," he added. "If you could imagine a giant wine glass held upside down, two or three feet in diameter, placed above four feet of the floor, well the opening of that glass is the cloud bowl."

    Simon previously played Partch's cloud-chamber bowls on the Stranger to Strange track "Insomniac's Lullaby."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Subversive Songs Used To Sell

Subversive Songs Used To SellSong Writing

Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.