The Afterlife

"The Afterlife" is a song by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon from his twelfth studio album, So Beautiful or So What (2011). The song humorously describes a recently deceased individual standing in line to meet with his heavenly creator in Heaven.

The song peaked at number four on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart.

Background

The song concerns a man dying and getting to heaven, where he waits in line to meet with God, where everyone is "filling out forms and waiting in line to catch 'a glimpse of the divine.'"^[1] While in line, he unsuccessfully hits on a woman. When he finally meets God, he is taken aback, and can only spout gibberish.^[2]

Reception

Will Hermes of Rolling Stone gave the song four stars, commenting, "Packed with internal rhymes, Simon's verses flow like butter over supple lines by Cameroonian guitar master Vincent Nguini and Jim Oblon's syncopated grooves."^[2] Margaret Wappler of the Los Angeles Times praised the song as memorable, commending its "zydeco-inflected shuffle" and remarking, "According to Paul Simon, the afterlife is a bureaucratic bummer as bad as the DMV."^[1]

Track listing

All tracks written by Paul Simon.

Digital download
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Afterlife"	3:39

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
scope="row"	US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[3]	4
scope="row"	US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)^[4]	50

References

1 2 Margaret Wappler (April 11, 2011). "Album review: Paul Simon's 'So Beautiful or So What'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
1 2 Will Hermes (February 18, 2011). "Paul Simon "The Afterlife"". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
↑ "Paul Simon – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for Paul Simon. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
↑ "Paul Simon – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Paul Simon. Retrieved September 24, 2014.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Paul Simon songs

Discography

The Paul Simon Songbook	"I Am a Rock"

Paul Simon	"Mother and Child Reunion" "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" "Duncan"

There Goes Rhymin' Simon	"Kodachrome" "Loves Me Like a Rock" "American Tune" "Take Me to the Mardi Gras"

Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin'	"The Sound of Silence"

Still Crazy After All These Years	"Gone at Last" "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" "Still Crazy After All These Years"

Greatest Hits, Etc.	"Slip Slidin' Away"

One-Trick Pony	"Stranded in a Limousine" "Late in the Evening" "One-Trick Pony" "Oh, Marion"

Hearts and Bones	"Allergies" "Think Too Much"

Graceland	"You Can Call Me Al" "Graceland" "The Boy in the Bubble" "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" "Under African Skies"

The Rhythm of the Saints	"The Obvious Child" "Proof" "Born at the Right Time"

You're the One	"Old" "You're the One"

Surprise	"Father and Daughter" "That's Me" "Outrageous"

So Beautiful or So What	"Getting Ready for Christmas Day" "The Afterlife"

Featured singles	"Wonderful World" "The Blues" "The Boxer" "New York Is My Home"

Other songs	"Something So Right" "St. Judy's Comet" "The Late Great Johnny Ace" "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" "Homeless" "Thelma"

Category

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