Though the song briefly reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., it was a bigger hit on the magazine's Easy Listening chart, where it peaked at number four.

[2] The song features the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section: Barry Beckett (Rhodes piano), David Hood (bass guitar) and Roger Hawkins (drums), arranged by Bob James.

[7] He praises the "poignancy and openness" of the first verse and Brecker's passionate sax solo, and the fact that the song demonstrates "the fierceness of [Simon's] will.

"[8] Cash Box called the song "a moving, tender ballad" with "flawless" production and a "perfectly constructed" melody.

In 1979 Paul Simon suggested to Karen Carpenter that she should include a version of the song on her solo album, then in preparation which was also being produced by Phil Ramone.