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In Episode 221 of Anecdotally Speaking, discover the story behind the creation of one of Paul Simon’s most iconic songs and explore the lessons in collaboration and adaptability that emerged.

In Episode 221 of Anecdotally Speaking, Shawn shares a story about Paul Simon from the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel, focusing on the creation of the iconic song “Mrs. Robinson” for the film The Graduate.

This episode highlights the power of collaboration and adaptability in the creative process. In a business context, the story serves as a reminder of the value of teamwork, the importance of letting go of perfectionism, and the benefits of openly sharing your work.

Mark complements the discussion with his own insights, emphasising that creativity thrives on adaptability and practice rather than perfection. He connects these lessons to the art of storytelling, showing how embracing imperfection can lead to more compelling and authentic narratives.

The full story can be found in the documentary In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon

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Tags: Creativity, Collaboration, Authenticity, Adaptability

This story starts at: 0:43

In the Paul Simon documentary, one fascinating story revolves around the creation of the soundtrack for the movie The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. Directed by Mike Nichols, the film’s soundtrack prominently features Simon & Garfunkel’s music. Nichols, a huge fan of their work, initially requested that Paul Simon compose entirely original songs for the film.

By the time Simon joined the project, the movie was already well into production, and editors had already cut in some of Simon & Garfunkel’s existing hits, such as “The Sound of Silence” and “Scarborough Fair.” When the producers saw this version, they loved the way the familiar songs enhanced the film and decided that a completely original soundtrack was unnecessary. However, they still wanted at least one new piece: what would become the iconic “Mrs. Robinson.”

Paul Simon, who had not yet written “Mrs. Robinson,” began experimenting with guitar riffs and melodies. Surrounded by others during this creative process, he started to piece together the song, humming along as he worked out the tune. Though he assured Nichols that lyrics would follow, Nichols was enamoured with the music just as it was—humming and all. This led to the film featuring the song in its original, unfinished form, with only a chorus and humming.