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.

This article is about the 2011 Paul Simon song. For other uses, see Afterlife (disambiguation).
"The Afterlife"
Single by Paul Simon
from the album So Beautiful or So What
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2011
Recorded2010
GenreFolk rock, afropop
Length3:39
LabelHear Music
Songwriter(s)Paul Simon
Producer(s)Phil Ramone, Paul Simon
Paul Simon singles chronology
"Getting Ready for Christmas Day"
(2010)		 "The Afterlife"
(2011)		 "'Wristband"
(2016)

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 are written by Paul Simon.

Digital download
No.TitleLength
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 & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[4] 50
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References
  1. Margaret Wappler (April 11, 2011). "Album review: Paul Simon's 'So Beautiful or So What'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  2. Will Hermes (February 18, 2011). "Paul Simon "The Afterlife"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  3. "Paul Simon Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  4. "Paul Simon Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
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