Summary
- Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher had a complicated relationship.
- Fisher's book Wishful Drinking provides insight into their relationship.
- Despite their divorce, Fisher and Simon remained on interesting terms.
Music icon Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher had one of the most complicated relationships in Hollywood. Despite dating, marrying, and breaking up over more than a decade, there was evident love between the pair. There were also obvious problems. When they finally quit each other for good, they were believed to not stay in touch.
"It was very painful to not be able to make it work," Fisher told The New York Times of her ex-husband. "We had a good time together when we did. We had a similar sense of humor, and our fights were sometimes hilarious."
But did their relationship change following Fisher's death? Did the former couple end on good terms, or was there problems between them? These are questions that some fans will have because their relationship served as such a large part of their life: inspiring work, books, and much more.
How Long Were Paul Simon And Carrie Fisher Together For?
Paul Simon and iconic actress Carrie Fisher had a passionate but complicated relationship. The pair met in 1977, and the connection was instant. "Once they saw each other, no one else mattered to either of them. Carrie added velocity to [Paul's] life, a kind of wild energy that often set him alight and sometimes made him scream," Peter Ames Carlin wrote of their meeting (via SmoothRadio).
Despite their evident love for each other, the couple had their problems and broke up multiple times throughout their relationship (Fisher had several interesting relationships). In 1983, they decided to make a more permanent declaration of love with marriage. The star-studded celebration included Randy Newman, Charles Grodin, George Lucas, Christie Brinkley, and Billy Joel (via People). The next day, Fisher joined Simon on tour.
But it was not long before the cracks in the relationship began to show. Fisher reflected on the relationship in her book Wishful Drinking (via NickiSwift). "Not only do I not like you, I don't like you personally!" she remembered telling her spouse." We tried to keep the argument going after that, but we were laughing too hard." But it was not to be, and 11 months later, the couple would divorce.
There have been reports that Fisher had an ectopic pregnancy in 1984, which caused an issue with the couple. This was alleged by biographer Sheila Weller in her book, A Life on the Edge (via NickiSwift).
"Paul was very cold to her during this time," she wrote. "He seemed distracted and not thinking of her. She considered what she'd had as a 'near-death experience.' She said Paul was not only unmoved by [what she went through]; he actually appeared to be angry with her about it."
In an interview with The Washington Post in 1987, Fisher acknowledged problems in the relationship. "We partly did it {the marriage} to save the relationship," she said. "It was a relationship based on a great conversation. It probably should have stayed a conversation."
Again, the divorce was not the end of their chapter. "Paul and I dated for six years, married for two, divorced for one, and then we had good memories of each other, so what do you think we did?" Fisher wrote in her book. "We dated again."
What Did Carrie Fisher Say About Paul Simon?
It was clear from their relationship and how they could not say goodbye to each other that the couple had a lot of love. But they also had problems. Carrie Fisher has given insight into her time with Paul Simon in her book Wishful Drinking.
"Years ago, there were tribes that roamed the earth, and every tribe had a magic person," she wrote. "Well, now, as you know, all the tribes have dispersed, but every so often you meet a magic person, and every so often, you meet someone from your tribe. Which is how I felt when I met Paul Simon."
She also gave a telling interview to Rolling Stone. "I'm not good at relationships," she said. "I'm not cooperative enough. I couldn't give him the peace that he needed. Also, it's interesting when you're with another celebrity. The issue of celebrity becomes neutralized, and you can get onto your bigger problems. We both had very interesting fights. It's all a shame because he and I were very good together in the ways that we were good. But like I said, I don't supply someone with a really peaceful home."
At the time, she revealed that they did not remain in contact. "I miss him, but I have the best of him in his music," she added.
Simon has also spoken about his time with Fisher. "We still care very much for each other. There is nobody else like Carrie. She's got one of the fastest, funniest minds I know. She is absolutely unique," he told People (via InStyle). "There is no animosity."
Did Paul Simon And Carrie Fisher's Relationship Change?
In 2016, Carrie Fisher had reportedly died following a heart attack. She was 60. At the time of her death, a family spokesperson released a statement to People. "It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning," the statement read.
Throughout Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher's time together, their relationship inspired several songs. Simon is believed to have penned "Hearts and Bones" about Fisher in 1983. He also penned the 1986 track "Graceland" and 1990 song "She Moves On" – the lyrics did not paint a loving image.
A verse reads: "Then I fall to my knees/ Shake a rattle at the skies/ And I'm afraid that I'll be taken/ Abandoned, forsaken/ In her cold coffee eyes."
That said, there does not appear to have been animosity between them at the time of Fisher's death. "Yesterday was a horrible day. Carrie was a special, wonderful girl. It's too soon," Simon wrote on Twitter at the time (via NME).
