50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

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"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years.

Creation

It was written after Simon's divorce from first wife Peggy Harper and takes a humorous look at ways to end a relationship: "Just slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan." Studio drummer Steve Gadd created the unique drum beat that became the hook and colour for the song consisting of an almost military beat. The song was recorded in a small New York City studio in the heart of Broadway.

Cover Versions

The song has been covered several times, including the translations "30 manieres de quitter une fille" by the French singer Michel Delpech and "50 Tips ihn zu verlassen" by the German singer and actress Ulla Meineke. On July 12 2006 the Montreal International Jazz Festival played a Tribute to Paul Simon and the song was covered by Jamie Cullum while the Platinum Pied Pipers made a Latin reworking of it. Hedy McDonald, Sandra Bernhard and the King's Singers also created their own versions as did British house music producer Trevor Jackson as Playgroup. The trance group Plummet covered this song and released it in 2005.

It was included on Rosemary Clooney's 1977 album, Nice to Be Around, released by United Artists Records.

DJ Quik, interpolated elements from the song on his song "50 Ways" on the album Under tha Influence.

Sage Francis, an independent rap artist, covered the song and renamed it "50 Ways to Dis Your Ex-Lover." The Shannon McNally EP Bolder Than Paradise has a version called "50 ways".

Hip-Hop poet Eligh (Living Legends) sampled the song in his own song "Born to Pay for the Past" on his album Poltergeist (2002).

The Electric Mayhem of The Muppet Show did a cover where Rowlf the dog asked Sgt. Floyd Pepper if he was sure it wasn't "50 Ways to Love Your Leaver" on the Jackson Variety show in 1977.

The song was referenced in "I Can't Touch You Anymore" by The Magnetic Fields, in which the singer asserts "you wanna tell me 50 ways you've left your lovers".

This song, along with several others, is referenced in "Plus Ones" by Okkervil River: "The 51st way to leave your lover, admittedly, doesn't seem to be as gentle or as clean as all the others, leaving its scars."

There is also a popular mash-up version by DJ Topcat of the song entitled, "50 Ways To Kill Your Lover." The track, which features Simon's backing track and chorus, is mixed in with the Morcheeba and Slick Rick compilation, "Women Lose Weight."

Glam metal band Trixter made two separate versions of this song on their 1994 album Undercovers. Filipino rock band Bamboo also made a cover of this song on their 2007 album We Stand Alone Together.

In recent concerts, the song has been performed by Five for Fighting.

Kanye West chose to sample 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover when producing "Forever Begins" on the 2007 album Finding Forever by Common.

The song Paper Aeroplane by Angus and Julia Stone uses a similar drum beat, probably inspired by Paul Simon's original.

The beat of this song was used in Eminem's "Murder, Murder" featuring Tupac. It appeared on the Next Friday soundtrack in 2000.

Chart Positions

"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" broke in the US in late December 1975 becoming number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on February 7 1976 and remaining there for three weeks. It was certified gold on March 11, and remained a best-seller for nearly five months. It remains Simon's biggest ever solo hit.

In the UK Top 40, the song reached position number 23 in January 1976.

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Creation

Cover Versions

Chart Positions

See also