Paul Simon Performs ‘April Come She Will’ Solo For 1st Time Since 1965

Paul Simon performed “April Come She Will” during his A Quiet Celebration Tour stop Thursday night at Royal Albert Hall in London. The song’s appearance was purportedly Simon’s first solo performance since 1965.

Simon opened Thursday Royal Albert Hall show with a full performance of his 2023 album Seven Psalms, playing all seven tracks of the suite for the first set. Edie Brickell joined him for “The Sacred Harp” and “Wait” during that portion of the concert.

Set two drew from throughout Simon’s catalog, including “Graceland,” “Slip Slidin’ Away” and “St. Judy’s Comet,” with Brickell returning for “Under African Skies” and the closing song of the set, “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.” Simon also performed Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” during the second set. An encore brought “Something So Right,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and a performance of “The Boxer.”

Simon then returned for a second encore, delivering the unexpected “April Come She Will” before closing with “The Sound of Silence.” Simon introduced “April Come She Will” as a song from his first solo album that he had not sung “in a long time.”

The 84-year-old singer-songwriter originally recorded “April Come She Will” for his 1965 debut solo album, The Paul Simon Songbook, and subsequently recorded a version for Simon & Garfunkel’s 1966 album Sounds Of Silence. Simon last played the rarity with Art Garfunkel in 1993.

Watch Paul Simon perform “April Come She Will” solo for the first time in over six decades last night in London: