Photo Credit: Mark Seliger

Late-night television personality Stephen Colbert celebrated his 60th birthday on the airwaves last night, Monday evening, May 13. To mark the occasion, the revered comedian recruited veteran artist Paul Simon to serve as the musical guest on The Late Show. Simon received the invitation as an opportunity to tap into the 1977 classic, “Slip Slidin’ Away.”

With just an acoustic guitar, Simon started out his appearance with simple strums, creating a framework to deliver the melancholy lyrics that first rose to prominence on the late-70s compilation album Greatest Hits, Etc. The simplified presentation allowed the artist to slow down the tempo and run through the number on his own terms, stretching words where he saw fit and lingering through the acclaimed lines. 

Last night’s The Late Show slot represented Simon’s second time on the televised talk show, following a March 2024 visit that saw the 82-year-old musician pull from his latest studio effort, a seven-part piece of acoustic music released in May 2023, where he gave an intimate solo delivery of movement, “Your Forgiveness.” 

Scroll down to watch Simon’s reprise of the concert classic and fan favorite, “Slip Slidin’ Away.”