Was Paul Simon suggesting that "tear" is the antonym for "rhyme"?

I think what he means is that these aren't easy rhymes; that he has to shoehorn them in, to get them to work.

In Paul Simon's song "Still Crazy After All These Years," he sings the line "I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail; yes, I would, if I could, I surely would." In this context, he juxtaposes "sparrow" with "snail," suggesting a contrast between the two creatures. While the specific mention of "tear" as the antonym for "rhyme" doesn't occur in this song, the lyrics do reflect Simon's skillful use of wordplay and contrasting imagery. The song explores themes of introspection and self-discovery, using metaphorical language to convey complex emotions.

In the line "With words that tear and strain to rhyme," Paul Simon uses "tear" to suggest a sense of struggle or forcefulness. The words are described as "tearing," implying they are not coming together smoothly and are forced into place. This creates an image of difficulty and frustration, as if the words are being ripped apart or don't fit naturally into the song. The verb "tear," in this context, contributes to the idea that the words clash or don’t harmonize well, both phonetically and poetically.

The use of "tear" in this way emphasizes the emotional and creative strain the songwriter feels, as if he's forcing the words into a structure where they don’t naturally belong. The word "tear" as “to rip” comes from common English usage, where it connotes disruption or difficulty, aligning with Simon's depiction of his songwriting struggle.

I realize this is an old post, but congratulations on naming the wrong song. The sparrow... snail line is from El Condor Pasa. That song wasn't written by Simon, either, and it's older than he is.

But aside from that....