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The Schoolyard by Paul Simon - Me And Julio Down

The Schoolyard by Paul Simon - Me And Julio Down Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Paul Simon
Released: 1972

Me And Julio Down Lyrics

When the mama pajama rolled out a bed
She ran to the police station
When the papa found out he began to shout

And he started the investigation
It's against the law
It was against the law
What the mama saw
It was against the law

The mama look down and spit on the ground
Every time my name gets mentioned
The papa said, "Oy, if I get that boy,
I'm gonna stick him the house of detention"
Well I'm on my way
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie the queen of Corona
See you, me and Julio
Down by the school yard
Me And Julio Down by the school yard

In a couple of days they come and
Take me away
But the press let the story leak
And when the radical priest
Come to get me released
We was all on the cover of Newsweek

Yeah I'm on my way now
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way now, I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie the queen of Corona
See you, me and Julio
Down by the school yard
See you me and Julio
Down by the school yard
See you me and Julio
Down by the school yard

Writer/s: SIMON, PAUL
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Me And Julio Down

When asked what "Mama Pajama" saw that made her so distraught in this song, Paul Simon has said that he's not exactly sure, but he assumed it was something sexual. Simon made up a crazy little story for the song, and named the main character Julio because it sounded like a typical New York neighborhood kid (Simon grew up in Queens). What Paul didn't realize until years later was the impact the song had on Spanish-speaking listeners who were thrilled to hear a song coming out of America with a Latin name in the title.

The title is not proper grammar. "Julio and I down by the schoolyard" would be correct, but wouldn't capture the youthful innocence that made the song so popular.

Paul Simon was Simon's first solo album after he broke up with Art Garfunkel.

Simon made a video for this song in 1988 that showed him playing basketball with some school kids on a playground. The video had a rap intro by Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane, and a cameo by baseball legend Mickey Mantle, who lip-synchs the chorus. At the end of the video, NFL Hall-of-Famer John Madden is shown giving tips to the young players. (thanks, Alex - small town, IL)

The BBC refused to play this song because of the reference to Newsweek, which is an American magazine. The BBC had a strict policy against product mentions in the songs they played.

Simon played this song on a Season 8 Sesame Street appearance where he sings it on a stoop as a small group of children watch. One of the kids interjects her own lyrics from time to time, clearly having fun with it. Simon was one of the first big-name musical acts to appear on the show, which was filmed in his New York City stomping grounds. Once a generation of musicians who grew up watching Sesame Street came of age, the show had no trouble getting famous acts to appear.