Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel
- Years Active -
1956-1958 ... 1963-1970 ... 1972 ... 1975-1977 ... 1981-1984 ... 1990 ... 1993 ... 2003-2005 ... 2007 ... 2010
- Genres Considered -
Pop, Folk, Rock, Folk Rock
- Most Noted Recordings -
"The Sound of Silence," "Mrs. Robinson," "Bridge over Troubled Water"
(All No. 1 in the U.S. ... Latter two winning Grammy Record of the Year)
- Discography -
- History -
Early years, Early recordings
Simon in England, Garfunkel in college
- Mainstream Breakthrough & Success -
"The Sound of Silence" - Especially popular with college audiences on the East Coast ... No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 ... Over one million copies sold by January 1966 ... Simon reunited with Garfunkel at this time
Sounds of Silence - Rush-released in mid-January 1966 ("to capitalize on their sudden success") ... No. 21 on Billboard Top LPs ... Nationwide tour with headline act at the University of Massachusetts Boston
Point of intrigue - Despite the success of Sounds of Silence, some critics felt the duo were an "imitation of folk music."
Point of artistic intrigue - Simon experienced writer's block, which halted progress on a new album for 1967. Contemporaries were expected to record and release two or more albums a year.
In 1967, director Mike Nichols approached Columbia Records chairman Clive Davis to license Simon & Garfunkel music for a film in production - The Graduate. All agreed. After initial pass on Simon's songs, "Punky's Dilemma" and "Overs," Nichols strongly approved of what would become "Mrs. Robinson."
Bookends - Halts and starts in recording until serious work began in late 1967 ... Garfunkel took a lead in vocals and songs ... Harmonies the duo were known for subsided ...
...Paul Simon felt this album was the last in their collaboration and indicated intentions of solo work.
Bookends - Massive orders long before release allowed Columbia Records to apply for award certification before shipments were sent out. Coupled with The Graduate soundtrack, sales were in excess of five million copies. Bookends was the duo's best-selling album.
Bookends and the soundtrack album made Simon & Garfunkel the biggest rock duo worldwide. Simon received Hollywood and Broadway proposals to write music or license songs. Mike Nichols approached both to play parts in his next film, Catch-22.
Point of interest - The screenwriter felt there were too many characters in the film and cut Simon out of the work but left Garfunkel's character in. Simon remained in New York to prepare for new album production but the film's production was delayed and Garfunkel could only contribute to recording hit or miss part-time. This escalated existing tension between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
"I think if Artie had become a big movie star he would have left. Instead of just being the guy who sang Paul Simon songs, he could be Art Garfunkel, a big star all by himself...This made me think about how I could still be the guy who wrote songs and sing them. I didn't need Artie." - Paul Simon
Songs of America - a CBS special
Mixture of scenes featuring noted political events and leaders impacting the U.S. including the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy's funeral procession, Cesar Chavez, and the Poor People's March...
...One million viewers watched figure skating on NBC instead.
Note -
"Mrs. Robinson" - First rock and roll song to win Record of the Year at the 1969 Grammy Awards ... Best Contemporary Pop Performance by a Duo or Group win
Last U.S. tour performance was at the sold-out Carnegie Hall (November 1969)
- Bridge over Troubled Water -
Final album
Released in January 1970
No. 1 in 10 countries, including the U.S. (Billboard Top LPs) and UK Albums
At the time, Bridge over Troubled Water was the best-selling album of 1970, 1971, 1972, and all time. The album was CBS Records' best-selling before Thriller in 1982.
Bridge over Troubled Water has since sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
"Bridge over Troubled Water" -
No. 1 in five countries ... Simon & Garfunkel's biggest seller ... Covered by over 50 artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Josh Groban, and others
Bridge over Troubled Water was promoted with a British tour.
The duo's last concert as Simon & Garfunkel was at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York.
Bridge over Troubled Water earned six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, at the 1971 ceremony.
- Reunions -
Together for McGovern - Benefit concert for presidential candidate George McGovern, Madison Square Garden, June 1972
Recording session with John Lennon and Harry Nilsson, 1975
1970s collaboration led to one song, "My Little Town"
Featured on Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
Featured on Garfunkel's Breakaway (1975)
Garfunkel joined Simon for a performance on The Paul Simon Special, 1977
Simon and Garfunkel recorded a cover of Sam Cooke's "(What a) Wonderful World" with James Taylor, 1977
Simon and Garfunkel came together frequently in 1978
In 1978, Simon joined Garfunkel for a concert at Carnegie Hall to benefit the hearing disabled.
The Concert in Central Park -
September 19, 1981
Attracted over 500,000 in attendance
Live album released by Warner Bros. Records
Double Platinum by RIAA
Renewed interest in Simon & Garfunkel's work
Simon and Garfunkel launched a world tour in May 1982. Tensions grew throughout. For the majority of the tour, they did not speak to each other.
When the duo were pushed back into the recording studio, Garfunkel refused to cooperate and respect Simon's request to quit marijuana/cigarette smoking. Simon's material went toward his 1983 album, Hearts and Bones.
Point of interest - Despite all, in 1986 Simon noted that he and Garfunkel "got along well...when they were not working together."
- Awards and Final Tour -
Simon & Garfunkel were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. They performed three songs but left without speaking.
In 1993, the duo embarked on an international tour. This would be their last in this decade.
In 2001, Paul Simon acknowledged Art Garfunkel in his induction speech into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.
In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. A performance of "The Sound of Silence" led to The Old Friends Tour, from October to December 2003 in the United States. The tour generated $123 million. In July 2004, a Europe 12-city run ended in a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome, attracting 600,000 fans.
In 2005, the duo performed for a Hurricane Katrina benefit in Madison Square Garden.
In February 2009, the duo reunited for three songs at Beacon Theater in New York. This led to a tour of Asia and Australia from June to July 2009.
On October 29, 2009, the duo performed five songs at the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert at Madison Square Garden.
Simon and Garfunkel performed "Mrs. Robinson" at an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement tribute to Mike Nichols.
In 2014, Art Garfunkel suggested openness to a reunion tour. In 2016, Paul Simon denied the possibility - "...he did not enjoy performing under their fractious relationship..."
- Rolling Stone -
500 Greatest Albums of All Time
2003
Bridge over Troubled Water (51)
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (201)
Bookends (233)
Greatest Hits (293)
- Rolling Stone -
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
2004
"Bridge over Troubled Water" (47)
"The Boxer" (105)
"The Sound of Silence" (156)
Grammy Awards - 4 Nominations, 14 Wins
- 1969 - Record of the Year, Best Contemporary Pop Performance - Vocal Duo or Group, Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
- 1971 - Album of the Year, Best Engineered Recording, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Contemporary Song, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
Grammy Hall of Fame -
"Bridge over Troubled Water" (1998)
"Mrs. Robinson" (1999)
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1999)
"The Sound of Silence" (2004)
Vocal Group Hall of Fame Induction, 2006
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were the ultimate and iconic Hollywood match. They were married by the time "I Love Lucy" came around. In the 1950s way, they really did introduce her pregnancy with their first born. They parented together with two young children. They were business partners outside the home. They lived in each other's shadow for the duration of groundbreaking pop culture television beyond "I Love Lucy." By the time my favorite "Lucy Desi Comedy Hour" came around, that shadow went from comfortably grey to jet black fumes. They did not speak and had a go-to to relay messages.
At the end of the day though, Lucy and Desi were meant to be and she was his last voice.
At the end of the day, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were meant to be childhood friends, musical partners, business partners, and lifelong friends. Their go-to can keep going.
At the end of the day seems to be a common story in the entertainment industry.
On Set List, Simon & Garfunkel are at the end of the day.
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