Paul Simon is 75 today.

His most recent album, Stranger to Stranger, his thirteenth solo album, was released in June to excellent reviews and he has spent 2016 touring on its behalf (he is in Europe at present). It is excellent and has moments of rhythmic experimentation: he uses instruments built by the music theorist and general eccentric Harry Partch on several tracks.

He remains a figure of some controversy in the music business, usually the controversies are over matters concerning the business part of the phrase music business. As a music fan though he is on my personal Mount Rushmore of songwriters.

From his new album, the song “Wristband,” which surprises with its rhythms and sneaky social commentary:

 
From 2000’s You’re the One, “Darling Lorraine”:

 
From 2000’s You’re the One, “Old”:

 
“American Tune,” sung last year:

 
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In the seventh game of the 1960 World Series, played on this date that year, second baseman Bill Mazeroski of the Pittsburgh Pirates hit the only Game 7, bottom-of-the-ninth, game-ending, game-winning, World Series-winning, season-ending home run. The Pirates defeated the New York Yankees.

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All About Eve, starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter, was released on this date in 1950.

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Lenny Bruce was born on this date in 1925. “Blah Blah Blah”:

 
Margaret Thatcher was born on this date in 1925.

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Nana Mouskouri is 82. Pamela Tiffin is 74. Mike Barnicle is 73. Karen Akers is 71. Demond Wilson is 70. Sammy Hagar is 69. Marie Osmond is 57. Kelly Preston is 54. Jerry Rice is 54. Rob Schneider is 53. Serena Altschul is 46. Sacha Baron Cohen is 45. Billy Bush is 45.

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