Paul Simon's Song "Father And Daughter"

[JuniperEccles]

What does Paul Simon mean by the following:

I'm gonna
Stand guard
Like the postcard
Of the golden retriever

[jno]

well, umm...

http://paulsimonsongs.blogspot.com/2013/03/father-and-daughter.html

[Hopkirk]

I don't know, but I suspect that there was a well known postcard of this dog at the time.

[Buenchico]

Even Paul Simon often doesn't know what his songs are about!
https://www.musicianwithadayjob.com/paul-simon-songwriting/

[Ellipsis]

Picture the postcard of the beloved golden retriever on the mantelpiece. Standing guard because it is literally standing looking out into the room. The singer's subject is going to stand guard in a similar way - there to be looked at lovingly, apparently standing guard, but absolutely useless in a guard capacity if called upon.

Something like that, anyway ... :-D

[lankeela]

The lyrics actually say 'like a postcard' rather than 'the' postcard so its unlikely to mean any particular picture.

[weecalf]

Rhymed with guard maybe

[Hopkirk]

Oddly Google finds sites that say the postcard and a postcard.

The paulsimon.com says a postcard, so that's probably correct.

[Hopkirk]

I've just watched him on YouTube. Lankeela is right
A postcard of a golden retriever.

[JuniperEccles]

On one of the Paul Simon sites he says he goes in for "poetic verbiage" so I might settle for it being that!!

[Hopkirk]

I love David Bowie, but I don't understand the lyrics to most of his songs at all.