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Paul Simon — One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor
Album: There Goes Rhymin' Simon
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 997









Released: 1973
Length: 3:37
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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There's been some hard feelings here
About some words that were said
There's been some hard feelings here
And what is more
There's been a bloody purple nose
And some bloody purple clothes
That were messing up the lobby floor
It's just apartment house rules
So all you 'partment fools
Remember: one man's ceiling
Is another man's floor
Remember: one man's ceiling
Is another man's floor

There's been some strange goin's on
And some folks have come and gone
And the elevator man don't work no more
I heard a racket in the hall
And I thought I heard a fall
But I never opened up my door
It's just apartment house sense
It's like apartment rents
Remember: one man's ceiling
Is another man's floor
Remember: one man's ceiling
Is another man's floor

And there's an alley
In the back of my building
Where some people congregate in shame
I was walking with my dog
And the night was black with smog
When I thought I heard somebody
Call my name
Comments (102)add comment
boring simon..... skip
Posted 7 months ago by jjbix37    [ Reply ]
 Zep wrote:

Derivative of ... Simon and Garfunkel? Can one be derivative of one's own work?


Ask John Fogerty.
Posted 1 year ago by Queue    [ Reply ]
 haresfur wrote:

Well, this is a real dog's breakfast of musical styles. —> 3




Bit of a muddle, I admit. But still better than most tripe produced today.
Posted 1 year ago by itsme_bygolly    [ Reply ]
 firefly6 wrote:


Milton Glaser designed the cover. 
That's his "New York Magazine" aesthetic of the time. 

Glaser's thing he did for Dylan in '66 caught on a bit more...

Somebody once wrote, and I quote:

When viewing art, the most important thing is to ask yourself if you
like the work. Do this before reading the plaques about the art or
having someone else say their opinion. Take your time and look at the
piece longer than one minute. This will allow you to discover elements
of the painting that cannot be detected by looking for thirty seconds.
Doing so will let you be able to understand your likes and dislikes
about art, and be able to articulate your opinion more than just stating
a work is good or bad. Then when you discuss the work with someone
else, that conversation will be more engaging and thought provoking. It
is important to keep your mind open and let yourself change your opinion
over time. Also, just because a collective likes an artist or a piece
of art, does not mean that you should automatically like that work. You have the autonomy to disagree and voice your opinion.
That said, that album cover is still fugly ;)
Posted 2 years ago by maxvonevil    [ Reply ]
 maxvonevil wrote:
Love the track, but man that album cover was an eyesore! 
but hey - it was the 70's...


Milton Glaser designed the cover. 
That's his "New York Magazine" aesthetic of the time. 

Glaser's thing he did for Dylan in '66 caught on a bit more...
Posted 2 years ago by firefly6    [ Reply ]
The album cover may have been the cause of my only using that kind of paper to write on.
Posted 2 years ago by ArrayMac    [ Reply ]
 HarrO wrote:

Didn't Dr. John, or maybe Jimmie C Newman, anyway one of those Cajun guys, do a ripping version of this?



I was thinking Randy Newman!
Posted 3 years ago by GChevy410    [ Reply ]
Love the track, but man that album cover was an eyesore! 
but hey - it was the 70's...
Posted 3 years ago by maxvonevil    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
Simon lost me on this post Garfunkel derivative schtick
 

I'm sure Paul will be devastated.
Posted 3 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
 LuvWilloughby wrote:

Is that Leon Russell playing piano and singing back-up?
 
It's Barry Beckett on piano.
Posted 3 years ago by Edweirdo    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
Simon lost me on this post Garfunkel derivative schtick

 
Derivative of ... Simon and Garfunkel? Can one be derivative of one's own work?
Posted 6 years ago by Zep    [ Reply ]
 LuvWilloughby wrote:

Is that Leon Russell playing piano and singing back-up?

 
Nice thought, but seemingly it was Barry Beckett on piano.
Posted 6 years ago by BoFiS    [ Reply ]
Clash said it much better:

"I heard the people who lived on the ceiling"
Posted 7 years ago by stevesaw    [ Reply ]
 thewiseking wrote:
Simon lost me on this post Garfunkel derivative schtick

 
No worse than Randy Newman, so hey...what's the prob?
Posted 7 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Simon lost me on this post Garfunkel derivative schtick
Posted 8 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
 best part of the song in my opinion BBoyes wrote:
That piano intro is instantly recognizable. Interesting how with so many tunes out there something can still be so unique.

 


Posted 8 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
 haresfur wrote:
Well, this is a real dog's breakfast of musical styles. —> 3

 
Our dog has the same thing every day for breakfast, so I'm missing the meaning... unfamiliar with this expression.

Urban Dictionary to the rescue:

 "Dog's breakfast" has been British slang for "a complete mess" since at least the 1930s. While no one took the time to write down the exact origin of the phrase, the allusion involved seems to be to a failed culinary effort, perhaps a burned or botched omelet, fit only for consumption by the mouth of last resort, Fido. As a vivid figure of speech meaning something so fouled up as to be utterly useless, "dog's breakfast" can cover anything from a play plagued by collapsing scenery to a space mission ruined by a mathematical error. "Dog's dinner," which seems to have appeared around the same time, means exactly the same sort of disaster, but has the advantage of being attractively alliterative. Both phrases are heard occasionally in the U.S., but are more common in the U.K. and Commonwealth countries.
Posted 8 years ago by BBoyes    [ Reply ]
That piano intro is instantly recognizable. Interesting how with so many tunes out there something can still be so unique.
Posted 8 years ago by BBoyes    [ Reply ]
 haresfur wrote:
Well, this is a real dog's breakfast of musical styles. —> 3

 
I agree, too much experts a-la Band on The Run. 4.
Posted 9 years ago by whomhow    [ Reply ]
Well, this is a real dog's breakfast of musical styles. —> 3
Posted 9 years ago by haresfur    [ Reply ]
 Lazarus wrote:
Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all across the holy moly world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners and B.F. Skinner...  love this splendiferous song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
hope life is grand for you right this minute On_The_Beach...
 
Splendiferous, indeed!
Posted 10 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Don't forget, all you crazy dancers, one man's floor is another man's ceiling!  ; )
 
Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all across the holy moly world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners and B.F. Skinner...  love this splendiferous song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...

hope life is grand for you right this minute On_The_Beach...
Posted 10 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
 1wolfy wrote:
I love the subtle piano ...I keep wanting to hear Elton's voice though


 
Is that Leon Russell playing piano and singing back-up?
Posted 10 years ago by LuvWilloughby    [ Reply ]

{#Music}   {#Yes}   


Posted 10 years ago by ginniet    [ Reply ]
There's one piano part which exactly sounds like one of the iPhone ringtones!
Posted 10 years ago by Ghiaap    [ Reply ]
Yuk is a laugh, Yuck is unpalatable. This song is both.


 j2e1n9 wrote:
Yuck
  
I believe the correct spelling is "Yuk!"
Posted 10 years ago by Nuance    [ Reply ]
The first lp I ever bought!
 
Posted 10 years ago by jules44    [ Reply ]
I respect the attempt and this band cooks, but Paul in not a blues man....{#Bananapiano}{#Cheers}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
 HearsayDave wrote:

Better if it was sung in Swedish.  6
  Swedish is one of those rare languages in which there can be no singing... extraordinary!
Posted 11 years ago by misterbearbaby    [ Reply ]
A favorite quote of mine
Posted 12 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
 romeotuma wrote:
Everybody in my hotel room be dancing...  love it...
 
Don't forget, all you crazy dancers, one man's floor is another man's ceiling!  ; )
Posted 12 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Remember this when you stay in a hotel room above me, okay?
Posted 13 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
 slippery wrote:
Do anybody know if Paul ever payed credit to one of the most famous of swedish poets, Nils Ferlin, for using his words as a lyrical centerpiece in this song?

Excerpt from the well-known Ferlins poem "Infall", 1933:
"...
Då slår det mig plötsligt att taket,
mitt tak, är en annans golv.

Which translates into somehing like this:
"...
Then it suddenly hits me that the roof,
my roof, is another mans floor."
 
Better if it was sung in Swedish.  6
Posted 13 years ago by HearsayDave    [ Reply ]
viva la rasa!
Posted 13 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Do anybody know if Paul ever payed credit to one of the most famous of swedish poets, Nils Ferlin, for using his words as a lyrical centerpiece in this song?

Excerpt from the well-known Ferlins poem "Infall", 1933:
"...
Då slår det mig plötsligt att taket,
mitt tak, är en annans golv.

Which translates into somehing like this:
"...
Then it suddenly hits me that the roof,
my roof, is another mans floor."

Posted 13 years ago by slippery    [ Reply ]
 vandal wrote:
boring
 
Granted, not the best song on the album, but a very good album nonetheless.

Posted 13 years ago by philbertr    [ Reply ]
 j2e1n9 wrote:
Yuck
 
I believe the correct spelling is "Yuk!"

Posted 13 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
I wonder if he ever regrets naming the album.
Posted 14 years ago by ZedLeppelin    [ Reply ]
I like the way he stole the piano rif from the Beatles "Hey Bulldog"
Posted 14 years ago by DaveInSaoMiguel    [ Reply ]
Yuck
Posted 14 years ago by j2e1n9    [ Reply ]
Stingray wrote:
Music for elevators...
A beautifully written album, recorded in part at Allen Toussaint's Sea Saint studio in New Orleans with a wildly inventive and wide ranging group of contributors. Cover art by Milton Glaser/Pushpin Studios. Firmly established the post S&G Simon as an independent writer and performer.

Going up?

Posted 14 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
 Stingray wrote:
Music for elevators...

 
Fancy ones {#Dance}
Posted 14 years ago by Felix_The_Cat    [ Reply ]
Music for elevators...

Posted 14 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
Oh, man, working construction at Atlantic Beach NC and sharing a radio with a crew that had equal parts country boys, black dudes, and hippies. But for some reason we all liked this song.
Posted 14 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
 katjazuu wrote:
One of his very best albums - ever!
 
I think his very best. Underrepresented in the RP library - it would be great if Bill played "An American Tune," at the very least.

Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]

".....one man's ceiling is another man's floor...(god damn)....one man's ceiling is another man's floor..."


Posted 15 years ago by Monkeysdad    [ Reply ]
 Stefen wrote:
It's special when a song lyric becomes part of the common vernacular.
 
Well, okay, but I believe the vernacular predates the lyric substantially.

Posted 15 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
I wonder if Fats Domino listened to this when he was 'Walking To New Orleans'  ??
Posted 15 years ago by Toke    [ Reply ]
One of his very best albums - ever!{#Bananapiano}
Posted 15 years ago by katjazuu    [ Reply ]
Brilliant....
Posted 15 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
It's special when a song lyric becomes part of the common vernacular.
Posted 15 years ago by Stefen    [ Reply ]
My fave pre-"World Music" Paul Simon album.
Love the piano outro on this tune.

Posted 15 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Thanks, Bill. My old vinyl copy skips. First time I've heard it all the way through in quite some time.
Posted 15 years ago by Panama_Floyd    [ Reply ]
ah...driving around Austin in the 70's; VW bug and a cassette player
Posted 15 years ago by Randomax    [ Reply ]
 HarrO wrote:
Didn't Dr. John, or maybe Jimmie C Newman, anyway one of those Cajun guys, do a ripping version of this?
 
The only cover I could find was Robben Ford....

Posted 15 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
The piano work on this song is genius. Actually, the whole song is genius.

Posted 15 years ago by starfishNcoffee    [ Reply ]
Didn't Dr. John, or maybe Jimmie C Newman, anyway one of those Cajun guys, do a ripping version of this?
Posted 15 years ago by HarrO    [ Reply ]
UGH! the piano reminds me of that blasted vienna teng song!
Posted 15 years ago by daveesh    [ Reply ]
 ThePoose wrote:


Where have you been? Mozambique?
 

Close... but no cigar (or strange looking leaves rolled in newspaper)
Posted 16 years ago by Limpopoking    [ Reply ]
this man's ceiling is not. . . luckily. Tis a weak roof over mine hovel.
Posted 16 years ago by jpfueler    [ Reply ]
Ain't that the truth!!!

Good album, too bad his latest doesn't even come close.
Posted 16 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
One man's sealing is another man's protest march.
Posted 16 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Limpopoking wrote:
great... never heard this before. Thanx
Where have you been? Mozambique?
Posted 16 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
This is awful...do they use this in Guantanamo ?..I'd confess to anything !
Posted 16 years ago by EssexTex    [ Reply ]
paul simon sings the blues! kinda. also has a weird tom waits vibe (before tom waits?). 9.
Posted 16 years ago by bluedot    [ Reply ]
passsion8 wrote:
I was "house sitting" a 4th floor apartment in NYC in the mid-90's just having broken up from a 10 year relationship that could go no further. I was living out of a packpack and was wallowing in self-pity and doubt. The owner had this huge cache of records & a tape deck, so I set forth creating a mix tape to douse my doldrums. I had never heard this track before. This song ended up in the middle and became the title of the tape. It still brings back memories of the worst/best year of my life.
Great story :-)
Posted 16 years ago by d00kie    [ Reply ]
I was "house sitting" a 4th floor apartment in NYC in the mid-90's just having broken up from a 10 year relationship that could go no further. I was living out of a packpack and was wallowing in self-pity and doubt. The owner had this huge cache of records & a tape deck, so I set forth creating a mix tape to douse my doldrums. I had never heard this track before. This song ended up in the middle and became the title of the tape. It still brings back memories of the worst/best year of my life.
Posted 16 years ago by passsion8    [ Reply ]
great... never heard this before. Thanx
Posted 17 years ago by Limpopoking    [ Reply ]
Haven't heard this in ages! Thanks RP
Posted 17 years ago by starfishNcoffee    [ Reply ]
So many diverse changes in this song make me want to hear more of it. Good song. TGIF
Posted 17 years ago by kindermanltd    [ Reply ]
It's all in the songwriting, eh?
Posted 17 years ago by Zep    [ Reply ]
I've never heard this before! Very nice. More please.
Posted 17 years ago by Bad_Art    [ Reply ]
First time I've heard from this album on RP, keep it up, Bill! Great stuff on here!! (Would love to hear Kodachrome and Loves Me Like a Rock. And not to forget American Tune.)
Posted 17 years ago by philbertr    [ Reply ]
WOW. This brings back memories. I was learning guitar and bought the music to this album. Went to see him in concert at Montclair State College in NJ. He was stoned and kept on forgetting the words. I was a naive 12 year old and didn't realize until later that was why. Still a great memory though.
Posted 17 years ago by justlistening    [ Reply ]
hippiechick wrote:
Flashback alert! I have quoted this song title many, many times.
Quoteworthy indeed!
Posted 17 years ago by Monkeysdad    [ Reply ]
Flashback alert! I have quoted this song title many, many times.
Posted 17 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
Dynamite! My music appreciation teacher brought this in and played it for the 7th grade class at Oslo American School waaaayyy back in \'73. This one passes the test of time!
Posted 17 years ago by Monkeysdad    [ Reply ]
This when a 9 year old found out her Mama and her Uncle Bill really knew how to dance, slow jive. Bought her every Paul Simon release evry Christmas after that!
Posted 17 years ago by patreezia    [ Reply ]
WonderLizard wrote:
Amazing how young he sounds in this recording.
He was 32 and he's now 66.
Posted 17 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
That\'s a great album. First listened to it on eight-track. :)
Posted 17 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
Clif wrote:
This is one of the best songs from my favorite Paul Simon album. I played this album so much on vinyl it is amazing I did not wear it out. This album does not have a bad song on it.
Agree with you.
Posted 17 years ago by renlat    [ Reply ]
I always loved this album!!
Posted 17 years ago by Antigone    [ Reply ]
This is one of the best songs from my favorite Paul Simon album. I played this album so much on vinyl it is amazing I did not wear it out. This album does not have a bad song on it.
Posted 17 years ago by Clif    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by Zep    [ Reply ]
wally42 wrote:
This album is absolute classic!
Yep. My fave early PS album. "Rythm of the Saints" my fave "recent" PS CD.
Posted 17 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
For about a year I lived on various couches in Manhattan, taking care of apartments while the owners vacationed. I made tapes of tracks from albums that I found at each place. This worked nicely in the middle of one of my best.
Posted 17 years ago by passsion8    [ Reply ]
he's never done anything for me except for the sounds of silence era this tune is at least a different sound but for me that piano riff kills the intensity of the rest of the groove - I guess they slipped this tune in when the producer was out getting another coffee
Posted 17 years ago by pret-a-porter    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by musikalia    [ Reply ]
I didn't know Paul Simon had it in him!
Posted 17 years ago by LizDeines    [ Reply ]
Ahead of its time...
Posted 17 years ago by squidish    [ Reply ]
An absolutely great song from an absolutely great album. Paul Simon at his very best.
Posted 17 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
This album is absolute classic!
Posted 17 years ago by wally42    [ Reply ]
Amazing how young he sounds in this recording.
Posted 17 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Hey. I like the 'Hey Bulldog' piano riff at the end.
Posted 18 years ago by algrif    [ Reply ]
Nice blend of flavors.
Posted 18 years ago by themotion    [ Reply ]
What a cool song! Jazz, orchestral, folk, fun!
Posted 18 years ago by MrsAustin    [ Reply ]
I don't know anything about the rest of the album, but nope - this cut does nothing for me
Posted 18 years ago by DoofusGeezer    [ Reply ]
Bill, please feel free to play this album into the ground....
Posted 18 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
Ecellent album. I wore mine out!
Posted 18 years ago by ruthless    [ Reply ]