User:Rickedmo/Rickedmo Kathy Chitty

Kathy Chitty

Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Chitty (born 1947) was a girlfriend and muse of singer-songwriter Paul Simon when he lived in England in 1964 and 1965.^[1] She is referred to directly or indirectly in at least four of his songs.

Background

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel’s first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. was recorded in early 1964 and included the original acoustic version of "The Sound of Silence". After the recording, Simon moved to England without Garfunkel. At this time folk music was becoming popular in England and Simon started working around the English folk clubs and coffee houses.

Simon met Kathy Chitty on 12 April 1964 at the very first English folk club he played, the Railway Inn Folk Club in Brentwood, Essex, where Chitty was working part-time selling tickets. She was 17, he was 22 and they fell in love.^{[citation needed]} Later that year they visited the US together, touring around mainly by bus.^[2] Kathy returned to England on her own with Simon returning to her some weeks later. When he was back in London he recorded the album The Paul Simon Songbook that included "Kathy’s Song", and had a photo of Simon and Kathy on the cover.

Although Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. was initially a flop, the version of "The Sound of Silence" on that album began to receive limited airplay, so the producer, Tom Wilson, without consulting Simon or Garfunkel, overdubbed the recording with electric guitar and bass, and drums. This new version entered the US charts in September 1965. By the end of 1965 and for the first few weeks of 1966 it was at No. 1 in the US pop charts.

In September 1965, when Simon learned of the growing success of "The Sound of Silence" he felt the need to immediately return to the US to continue his career. Kathy was quite shy^[3] and wanted no part of the success and fame that awaited Simon.^{[citation needed]} They split up.^[4]

References to Kathy in Paul Simon's songs

During the separation after Kathy returned home from the American trip, Paul Simon wrote "America" that mentions Chitty by name:^[5]

"'Kathy,' I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh

"'Michigan seems like a dream to me now'"

&

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping

"I'm empty and aching and I don't know why"

During their separation he also wrote "Kathy's Song":^[6]^[7]

I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets

To England where my heart lies.

My mind's distracted and diffused

My thoughts are many miles away

They lie with you when you're asleep

And kiss you when you start your day.

Simon wrote "Homeward Bound" on the railway station at Widnes. It is also widely believed that this song is also about Chitty:^[8]^[9]

I wish I was homeward bound

Home, where my thoughts escaping

Home, where my music's playing

Home, where my love lies waiting

Silently for me.

In 1981 Simon included a nostalgic song called "The Late Great Johnny Ace" on his Hearts and Bones album that included a reference to Chitty:

It was 1964. I was living in London with the girl from the summer before.

References

^ Jackson, pp.52, 65-80
^ Jackson, p.65
^ Jackson, p.58
^ Jackson, p.95
^ Benninghof, pp.35-36
^ Jackson, p.74
^ Benninghof, pp.15-16
^ Jackson, p.83
^ Benninghof, p.25

Sources

James Bennighof, The Words and Music of Paul Simon (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007), ISBN 9780275991630. Excerpts available at Google Books.
Laura Jackson, Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography (Citadel Press, 2004), ISBN 9780806525396. Excerpts available at Google Books.

Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Artists' muses Category:People from Brentwood, Essex

[1] Jackson, pp.52, 65-80

[2] Jackson, p.65

[3] Jackson, p.58

[4] Jackson, p.95

[5] Benninghof, pp.35-36

[6] Jackson, p.74

[7] Benninghof, pp.15-16

[8] Jackson, p.83

[9] Benninghof, p.25

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