Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

Background

"Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" begins with "mama pajama" visiting the police station after seeing something that was "against the law". In a July 20, 1972, interview for Rolling Stone, Jon Landau asked Paul Simon: "What is it that the mama saw? The whole world wants to know." Simon replied "I have no idea what it is... Something sexual is what I imagine, but when I say 'something', I never bothered to figure out what it was. Didn't make any difference to me."

Airto Moreira played a cuica on the recording after Simon asked him to find an instrument that resembled a human voice.

In an October 2010 interview, Simon described the song as "a bit of inscrutable doggerel". The song's mention of a "radical priest" has been interpreted as a reference to Daniel Berrigan; Berrigan had been featured on the cover of Time on January 25, 1971, near when the song was written. The song mentions "Rosie, the queen of Corona"; Corona is a neighborhood in Queens near where Simon grew up.

Critical reception

Record World said that the "effervescent tune tells of growing up absurd in Queens" and called the song "a sheer delight". Cashbox selected "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" as one of their "Picks of the Week" in the April 1, 1972 edition of the publication.

Music video

In 1988, Simon released a music video for the song to promote his greatest hits compilation Negotiations and Love Songs. The video was filmed at Mathews-Palmer Park in Hell's Kitchen, which was standing in for Halsey Junior High School in Forest Hills, Queens, the neighborhood in which Simon grew up and met Art Garfunkel in high school. Many of the children featured in the video were from that same school; Kia Jeffries, who sang on Simon's The Rhythm of the Saints album and cast the video, had attended as well.

It features an introduction by hip-hop MC's (and then-fellow Warner Bros. Records label mates) Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie. Main Source member Large Professor also makes a cameo towards the end. The video depicts adults interacting with the youth of an inner-city schoolyard. It shows Simon playing basketball and stickball with the children, and it also features basketball player Spud Webb, baseball player Mickey Mantle, and football coach-commentator John Madden giving tips to young athletes.

Personnel

• Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar, whistling
• David Spinozza – acoustic guitar
• Airto Moreira – percussion
• Russell George – bass guitar

Cover versions

German singer Peter Rainford covered the song in 1973, releasing the single entitled as "Lady Pyjama" in Germany and The Netherlands. It was translated into German and arranged by Uli Roever. American ska punk band Streetlight Manifesto covered it on their album 99 Songs of Revolution: Vol. 1.

In popular culture

The song appears in a montage in the 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums directed by filmmaker Wes Anderson and on the 2002 re-release edition of the soundtrack. It also appears in the 2004 film A Home at the End of the World, over the opening credits of the 2002 film Maid in Manhattan, in 2011's The Simpsons episode "Holidays of Future Passed", in the 2011 film The Muppets, and in the trailer for the 2019 film Missing Link.Multiple sources:

Simon performed the song with Stephen Colbert on the September 11, 2015, episode of The Late Show.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Notes

References

Sources

References

1. Patton, Alli. (April 17, 2023). "The Meaning Behind Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"".
2. (July 20, 1972). "Paul Simon: The Rolling Stone Interview".
3. (1998). "The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil". Temple University Press.
4. Paul Simon, "Isn't It Rich", ''The New York Times Book Review'', October 31, 2010, p. 10.
5. Gibson, David. (April 1, 2016). "Daniel Berrigan, anti-war priest, dies at 94".
6. Lewis, Daniel. (April 30, 2016). "Daniel J. Berrigan, Defiant Priest Who Preached Pacifism, Dies at 94".
7. (April 1, 2016). "Daniel Berrigan, leading Catholic pacifist, dead at 94".
8. (January 25, 1971). "Rebel Priests: The Curious Case of the Berrigans".
9. (September 22, 2020). "The King Of Corona: Paul Simon Says Goodbye At Flushing Meadows".
10. (April 1, 1972). "Hits of the Week".
11. (April 1, 1972). "Picks of the Week".
12. "SEE, HEAR: Paul Simon ft. Biz Markie & Big Daddy Kane — "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" Music Video (1988).". egotripland.com.
13. "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl".
14. (November 26, 1973). "Pete Rainford – Lady Pyjama (1973, Vinyl)".
15. Rosenbaum, Marty. (September 14, 2015). ["Stephen Colbert Brings Paul Simon "Tribute" Band Troubled Waters To Late Show Watch] « WXRT".
16. Kent, David. (1993). "[[Kent Music Report". Australian Chart Book.
17. [Flavour of New Zealand, July 24, 1972]
18. Roberts, David. (2006). "[[British Hit Singles & Albums]]". Guinness World Records Limited.
19. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 20, 1972".
20. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. ''Zimbabwe: albums chart book''. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
21. Whitburn, Joel. (1999). "Pop Annual". Record Research Inc..