Surprise Lyrics—Sure Don't Feel Like Love

icon-sized Surprise cover, baby with water covering the top half of its forehead

CrackingTheSimonCode
Lyrics Annotated

Paul Simon says he writes songs "backward," beginning with drums and bass to work out a rhythm, then finding harmonies and melody, finally adding lyrics. You can watch Simon discuss this on video, here or listen to him discuss this in an NPR interview. This song certainly shows the result of that procedure.

The rhythm has been described as "Bo Didley" (from that performer's "Hey, Bo Diddley" song). It is also correctly called "rumba" (or "rhumba"). Music can be on the beat, as in

1 2 3 4 1 2 ...

or it can emphasize the "backbeat", as in

1 2 3 4 1 2 ...

The bar can be split into eight notes, this way:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and ...

With eigths, more complex patterns can be used. The rumba is:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 ...

The bar can also be divided into sixteenth notes. The rhythm here uses the rumba pattern in the first half of a sixteen-note bar.

Sure Don't Feel Like Love

Opens with 10 bars of what Simon calls "the track"—drums and bass. This will carry through the rest of the song. (I loved this song's rhythm back when I had no idea what it was about.)

I registered to vote today.
Felt like a fool.
Had to do it anyway.
Down at the high school.
Thing about the second line.
You know, felt like a fool?
People say it all the time.
Even when it's true.
Compelling track continues. Key is G. Key and track continue. No chord changes.

So, who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe?
Who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe?
Cause it sure don't feel like love.

Flatted sevenths (blues) in vocal.

A tear drop consists of electrolytes and salt.
The chemistry of crying is not concerned with blame or fault.
Same key, rhythm, but vocals dramatically slower.

So, who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe?
Who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe?
Cause it sure don't feel like love.

Paul Simon vocal trio.

How does it feel? Feels like a threat.
A voice in your head that you'd rather forget.
Melody built on G, B and D.

No joke, no joke. You get sick from that unspoken.
Sure don't feel like love.
No joke, no joke. Some chicken and a corn muffin
Well that feels more like love. Some of the Bs drop to A#. Very bluesy.

Yay!
Boo!
Yay!
Boo!

Four bars with each "Yay!" and "Boo!" on the third and fourth notes of the bar.

Wrong again.
Wrong again. Maybe I'm wrong again.
Wrong again. Maybe I'm wrong again.
Wrong again. I could be wrong again.
I remember once in August 1993,
I was wrong, and I could be wrong again.
I remember one of my best friends turned enemy.
So, I was wrong, and I could be wrong again.
I remember once in a load-out, down in Birmingham.

First "Wrong again." is in the 5th bar of 6 otherwise instrumental bars.

Yeah, but that didn't feel like love.
Simon interrupts himself.

Sure don't feel like,
Sure don't feel like,
Sure don't feel like love.
Sure don't feel like,
Sure don't feel like,
Sure don't feel like love.
The track (drums, bass) ends at the end of this section.

It sure. Don't feel.
Like love.
Slow, acappella, multi-track singing.

"Sure Don't Feel Like Love"

annotated

Surprise:

Sure Don't Feel Like Love
	Opens with 10 bars of what Simon calls "the track"—drums and bass. This will carry through the rest of the song. (I loved this song's rhythm back when I had no idea what it was about.)
I registered to vote today. Felt like a fool. Had to do it anyway. Down at the high school. Thing about the second line. You know, felt like a fool? People say it all the time. Even when it's true.	Compelling track continues. Key is G. Key and track continue. No chord changes.
So, who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe? Who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe? Cause it sure don't feel like love.	Flatted sevenths (blues) in vocal.
A tear drop consists of electrolytes and salt. The chemistry of crying is not concerned with blame or fault.	Same key, rhythm, but vocals dramatically slower.
So, who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe? Who's that conscience sticking on the sole of my shoe? Cause it sure don't feel like love.	Paul Simon vocal trio.
How does it feel? Feels like a threat. A voice in your head that you'd rather forget.	Melody built on G, B and D.
No joke, no joke. You get sick from that unspoken. Sure don't feel like love. No joke, no joke. Some chicken and a corn muffin Well that feels more like love.	Some of the Bs drop to A#. Very bluesy.
Yay! Boo! Yay! Boo!	Four bars with each "Yay!" and "Boo!" on the third and fourth notes of the bar.
Wrong again. Wrong again. Maybe I'm wrong again. Wrong again. Maybe I'm wrong again. Wrong again. I could be wrong again. I remember once in August 1993, I was wrong, and I could be wrong again. I remember one of my best friends turned enemy. So, I was wrong, and I could be wrong again. I remember once in a load-out, down in Birmingham.	First "Wrong again." is in the 5th bar of 6 otherwise instrumental bars.
Yeah, but that didn't feel like love.	Simon interrupts himself.
Sure don't feel like, Sure don't feel like, Sure don't feel like love. Sure don't feel like, Sure don't feel like, Sure don't feel like love.	The track (drums, bass) ends at the end of this section.
It sure. Don't feel. Like love.	Slow, acappella, multi-track singing.