The Concert in Central Park (1982 TV Special)

Paul Simon: Self

Quotes 

• Paul Simon : Well it's great to do a neighborhood concert. I hope everyone can hear us. I hope that the sound is good. I hope we are blasting Central Park West and Fifth Avenue pretty much away. I just want to thank the police department and the fire department and the parks commissioner, and Ed Koch.

  [Audience boos, Garfunkel laughs] 

  Paul Simon : And particularly, you know, people that never get recognized for doing good things for the city, a group of people that have donated half of the proceeds that they're making tonight, the guys who are selling loose joints are giving the city half of their income tonight.

  [Simon laughs, starts to play "America"] 

• Paul Simon : Well, you know we wanted to have fireworks tonight, but ah, they wouldn't let us have that, so we'll make our own fireworks here.

• Paul Simon : [Before he plays "The Late Great Johnny Ace"]  Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't mind. I'd like to perform a new song.

  [the crowd roars its approval] 

  Paul Simon : I just wrote this song, and I've never played it live before, so this is the first time.