Paul Simon reveals he lost the hearing in his left ear while completing his new album

Paul Simon reveals he lost the hearing in his left ear while completing his new album “Seven Psalms.” Paul Simon has revealed that he has lost most of the hearing in his left ear. The San Diego Union-Tribune described it as a seven-song collection that “revels in melancholic understatement and gentle nuances” exploring “themes of mortality and spirituality, joy and dread, the past and present, the unknown future, and a clock that — for this 81-year-old music legend in the autumn of his years — ticks louder each day.” Simon said that losing his hearing initially left him frustrated and annoyed, but not angry “because I thought it would pass, it would repair itself.” But that hasn’t happened, which means he may have to rule out live performances. He mentioned the passing of folk legend Gordon Lightfoot and Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck, saying “My generation’s time is up.” “Seven Psalms” deals with aging and mortality as well. In the album’s final song, “Wait,” Simon includes the lines “Wait, I’m not ready, I’m just packing my gear” and “Heaven is beautiful, it’s almost like home.