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lazland 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
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Points: 13934
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 Topic: Simon & Garfunkel
Posted: November 09 2011 at 13:54 |
I don't think we have had a serious discussion about this wonderful duo in a very long time, so here goes.
Last night on BBC television, there was an exceptional documentary (produced by the pair themselves) celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was followed on another BBC digital channel by a screening of the famous Songs in America film, which I hadn't seen before.
The pair had a profound influence on me as a young man, and, indeed, continue to do so. The way that Art Garfunkel utilises his voice as an instrument is one shared by very few (perhaps Jon Anderson is the closest), and Paul Simon is, in my opinion, responsible for some of the most important music of his, or any other, generation.
On Bridge, the title track and my all time favourite, Only Living Boy In New York, could easily fit in within prog related (and, no, I am not making any suggestion!), but, truth be told, the music, production, and performance is nigh on perfect. Indeed, The Concert In Central Park remains to this day my favourite music concert on video, barring none.
So, what are your thoughts? Are they celebrated here on our wonderful site? Has anyone been to see them, and, if so, what did you think? What about those of you who were about in their heyday?
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yanch
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Joined: January 03 2010
Location: Lowell, MA
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Posted: November 09 2011 at 15:51 |
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Have always liked them. Bridge Over Troubled Waters was one of the first albums I owned. Liked quite a lot of their music from the early albums through until they broke up. Songs like The Boxer, Sounds of Silence, America, still sound fresh to me now. Never got to see them though.
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 26 2005
Location: Belgium
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Points: 10616
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Posted: November 09 2011 at 16:00 |
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I missed out on the BBC documentary. I did hear that it was to come, but I forgot to tape it, too bad.
When they were still around as a duo, I was a small kid, but when Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water came out, they were being played a lot by my brothers and their friends. I grew up with their music. I loved their last two albums and I still do.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
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Joined: April 29 2006
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Posted: November 09 2011 at 19:18 |
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Never seen them in person. A music teacher in middle school played I Am A Rock, which I had never heard on radio, but really liked and identified with when I heard it. Hell if your my age in this country and you haven't a good chunk of their songs even incidentally you must have been in an isolation chamber. I've got the Central Park concert on DVD. Haven't watched it in a while.
Edited by Slartibartfast - November 09 2011 at 19:19
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
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Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
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Points: 66006
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Posted: November 09 2011 at 19:45 |
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one of the great duos ever, though I must say I find Simon's solo work much more interesting
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Blacksword
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Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 04:41 |
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Loved their music, ever since I was a kid.
I missed the documentary. I'll have to watch it on the Iplayer. What channel was it on and on what day, Steve??
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member
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Location: Vineland, N.J.
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 12:45 |
I think Bookends is a masterpiece. From the 1st album to the 5th many of their songs are dark and about death. Many of them are intense like Procol Harum's darkside. Some of the songs are beautiful gloom and doom of the highest sophisticated magnitude. They had a strangeness to their style that reminded me of a person on their last leg kneeling in church crying and praying for the loss of a loved one. Simon and Garfunkel had this deepness about them. . The lyrics were very sarcastic nature ridden and on the creative side. Warning! If you are depressed, I wouldn't recommend listening to Simon & Garfunkel.
A lot of Paul Simon's chord variations derive from Classical guitar playing and he is pretty much a genius at creating through that adaption and reflecting it through his music. Art Garfunkel has a powerful voice beyond the dimensions of many singers. He could shatter a stained glass window. He has a classical vibrato and amazing control combined with modern styles of singing for Jazz ballads and American style folk. If you listen only to their hits and disregard their oddball tracks throughout the official releases then you're missing out on their craft as a duo.
Edited by TODDLER - November 10 2011 at 12:48
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Snow Dog
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 12:50 |
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Rubbish.
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
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Points: 13934
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:04 |
 Blacksword wrote:
Loved their music, ever since I was a kid.
I missed the documentary. I'll have to watch it on the Iplayer. What channel was it on and on what day, Steve?? |
It was on BBC 1 Monday night, Andy. The show that followed was on BBC4.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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TODDLER
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:10 |
Snow Dog wrote:
Rubbish. |
Rubbish is when people are discussing a band like Greenslade and Mr. radio friendly thinks you're talking about a crayon company.
Rubbish is when people think that Clapton is still God.
Rubbish is when people attend church to pray to Jon Anderson.
Rubbish is when people expect Gentle Giant to reform.
Rubbish is when people can't tell the difference between the great guitar work in the 60's and the "Buzzsaw" turning up the A-hole knob sound of the Stadium Rock" era.
Rubbish is when people react to the new YES album as if a new president of the U,S, has won the election.
Get rid of that stuff and you won't have rubbish
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Snow Dog
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:13 |
TODDLER wrote:
Snow Dog wrote:
Rubbish. |
Rubbish is when people are discussing a band like Greenslade and Mr. radio friendly thinks you're talking about a crayon company.
Rubbish is when people think that Clapton is still God.
Rubbish is when people attend church to pray to Jon Anderson.
Rubbish is when people expect Gentle Giant to reform.
Rubbish is when people can't tell the difference between the great guitar work in the 60's and the "Buzzsaw" turning up the A-hole knob sound of the Stadium Rock" era.
Rubbish is when people react to the new YES album as if a new president of the U,S, has won the election.
Get rid of that stuff and you won't have rubbish
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Rubbish is your post.
..oh and Simon and Garfunkel.
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member
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Location: Vineland, N.J.
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:25 |
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No wait! Rubbish is a post reply containing 1 or 2 words with nothing to back it up.
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Easy Livin
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:27 |
Snow Dog wrote:
Rubbish. |
 Didn't see that one coming.
The documentary was superb, it covered thair career well. The animosity was glossed over a bit, there was no mention of the widely accepted rumour that Simon bitterly regrets letting Garfunkel take lead vocal on "Bridge..".
I prefer Garfunkel's solo work to Simon's, but they were always at their best together.
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TODDLER
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 13:59 |
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If you trace their history you will discover that they influenced Jon Anderson's writing in the early Yes, but I hear their style in "And You and I" and it's difficult to point it out , but "I've Seen All Good People" has a Simon & Garfunkel feel to it. So being this is a prog site...I thought maybe the connection between prog artists and their music would have been an important fact to consider. Whether you must hate them or find them boring....historically they influenced European folk/prog artists and more progressive and daring bands like Rennaissance. I mean ..if you are a guitarist..it is obvious that many of their songs are Simon & Garfunkel influenced. Same tunings, same approach in chord changes on acoustic guitar.
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 13934
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 14:12 |
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^ Definitely the case that S & G were a huge influence on Anderson.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
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Points: 13934
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 14:14 |
Easy Livin wrote:
Snow Dog wrote:
Rubbish. |
Didn't see that one coming.
The documentary was superb, it covered thair career well. The animosity was glossed over a bit, there was no mention of the widely accepted rumour that Simon bitterly regrets letting Garfunkel take lead vocal on "Bridge..".
I prefer Garfunkel's solo work to Simon's, but they were always at their best together.
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Quite true, although I think that might mainly be down to the fact that they have grown out of it, a la Waters & Gilmour, although, apparently, the pair never stopped loving each other as close friends.
I love Garfunkel's solo work as well.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time!
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Snow Dog
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 14:28 |
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I like a fair few S&G songs and Simon's solo career is good too. I loved Graceland. Garfunkel solo totally leaves me cold though.
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seventhsojourn
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Joined: December 11 2009
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Posted: November 10 2011 at 14:41 |
Easy Livin wrote:
*snip*
I prefer Garfunkel's solo work to Simon's, but they were always at their best together. |
Art's Angel Clare is a wonderful album and his cover version of Woyaya led me on to Osibisa.
And yeah, a great documentary although I think my overall favourite album by them is Sounds of Silence probably 'cos I spent my pre-teen years growing up with that being played in the house along with The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man album (another band that influenced Yes, funny enough.)
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Intruder
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Joined: May 13 2005
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Points: 2226
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Posted: November 13 2011 at 08:51 |
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The songwriting and harmonies on Yes' first album showed how immersed they were in S&G (and the US west coast scene).....and they've been doing "America" for 40 years!
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I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
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ClemofNazareth
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk Researcher
Joined: August 17 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 4659
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Posted: November 13 2011 at 12:52 |
There's an excellent David Browne book just released this year ('Fire and Rain') that describes the history and interrelationships between these four bands/albums:
- the Beatles - 'Let it Be'
- Simon & Garfunkel - 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'
- James Taylor - 'Sweet Baby James'
- CSNY - 'Deja Vu'
The historical narrative about all four groups is well worth the read. There's not much about the Beatles or CSNY that everyone doesn't already know, but some of the Simon & Garfunkel and James Taylor tidbits are new. 
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Simon & Garfunkel
