Music Review: Simon and Garfunkel: Bookends

 Simon and Garfunkel: Bookends, produced by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and Roy Halee, Columbia Records, 1968.  All songs were written by Paul Simon.

This is the fourth studio album from Simon and Garfunkel after Wednesday Morning 3 a.m., Sounds of Silence and Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme.  It was nominated for best album.  "Mrs. Robinson" did win best record.  Most of this album seems to be experimental and didn't work.  However Mrs. Robinson from the movie The Graduate is an excellent song. The other song of this caliber is "America."  "A Hazy Shade of Winter" is also pretty fun.  "Old Friends" is pretty unique in that it uses an orchestra with building intensity.  

Music Review: Simon and Garfunkel: Sounds of Silence

Sounds of Silence is the second studio album for Simon and Garfunkel.  It was released in 1966 by Columbia Records, producer Tom Wilson.

This C.D. set starts off where their previous C.D. left off with "The Sound of Silence," the classic which sort of gives its name to the album.  On the flip side the last three songs of the set are very nice.  They highlight the Simon and Garfunkel Sound, "April Come She Will," "We've Got a Groovy Thing Goin'" and "I Am a Rock."  Paul Simon also plays the guitar solo Anji written by Davy Graham.  I have been soaking up Simon and Garfunkel lately.  

Music Review: Simon and Garfunkel: Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m.

 Simon and Garfunkel: Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m., Columbia Records, 1964.

This is the first studio album of the duo Simon and Garfunkel.  It is subtitled "exciting new sounds in the folk tradition."  It was first released in 1964 but not very successful, but then rereleased in 1966 when it reached no 30 on the billboard chart.  The song "The Sound of Silence" had become popular in the meantime.  This song alone makes the album special.  It was redone with guitars and a drum kit.  Other songs on the album are special.  "He Was My Brother" is a tribute to their friend Andrew Goodman who had been murdered.  He was part of a group of three civil rights workers murdered in the South.  The perform an arrangement of "Go Tell it on the Mountain."  They also cover the Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are a Changin.'"  The C.D. concludes with the titular song written by Paul Simon.  It tells the story of a man who will be forced out of his love's bed because he has committed a crime.  

Simon and Garfunkel have their distinctive harmonies with Paul Simon usually singing melody and Art Garfunkel singing above him.  Produced by Tom Wilson. 

Music Review: Simon and Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

 This album was declared by Rolling Stone to be the 202nd  best of all time.  It begins with Scarborough Fair, which is of course a classic with the harmony of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.  I also really enjoy the concluding song, 7 O'clock News/Silent Night.  The feel of this song is very much like O Holy Night with the piano playing an arpeggiated counter melody with the duo singing Silent Night.  Then they put news excerpts over the top of this, with the Viet Nam War, and murder and death.  It is very effective.  Other popular songs are Homeward Bound and 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy).  

Music Review: *****Simon and Garfunkle Greatest Hits

This album is terrific.  It was released in 1972, with some terrific songs.  Bridge over Troubled Water and Sounds of Silence have long been a couple of my favorite songs.  I sang Bridge to Sheri at our wedding reception: 
When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Art Garfunkle does such a good job with this song written by Paul Simon.  It is a classic.  In fact it was the song of the decade 1970s even though it came out in 1970.
Other noteworthy songs include: Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound and Cicilia.  A lot of fun here.

Simon and Garfunkel: **^Songs of America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqEAXCge-vQ

This is a documentary presentation put together andby Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in 1969, giving them a platform to express their ideas and political view of what was going on around them.  This was a very troubled time in our history.  It had been a few years since President Kennedy had been assassinated, and more recently had seen the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, as well as the shooting of George McGovern.  As a result, Simon and Garfunkel decided to respond to what they were seeing in the news.  This documentary is the result.  As they started working on it, it was going to be sponsored by AT&T.  However, as they previewed the documentary they decided to back out as it was too political, and too one sided. In the end it was sponsored by a toothpaste company with a statement at the end indicating they thought these two young men deserved a platform because of their success in music. 
This documentary presents views of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King,Cesar Chavez and Bobby Kennedy, to the music "Bridge Over Troubled Water."  It showed life pictures of their stories, and except for Cesar Chavez, showed their funeral trains.
Bridge over Troubled water is very well done.  The first two verses are presented with Art Garfunkel and piano.  On the third verse Paul Simon and an orchestra join.  Having the orchestra carry the piano notes at the end is very effective and very moving. 
Paul Simon talks about his feelings with regards to Woodstock.  They then sing "Scarborough Fair" as their depiction of the mood of Woodstock.  The visual overlaps scenes of the Vietnam War.  Art Garfunkel shares his feelings of war.

Music Review: Documentary: ***Simon and Garfunkel: The Harmony Game

A 2011 documentary of Simon and Garfunkel was on a Dish channel and it looked interesting so I recorded it.  There were a couple of things about this show that were very intriguing. It mentioned and told the story of a 1969 show put together by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel as they reacted to the political climate of the late 60s.  I found this on You Tube and made a blog:
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/simon-and-garfunkel-songs-of-america.html
The other thing this documentary tells is the story behind several of their songs. This includes "Bridge Over Troubled Water."  This song, as most of their songs, was written by Paul Simon.  He felt it was perfect for Art Garfunkel.  Up until this their songs were duets, with harmony.  This song was sung before 1970, but the album and single came out in 1970 and it was voted best song of the decade.
For more Simon and Garfunkel set out these posts:
http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2013/07/music-review-simon-and-garfunkel.html
http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/music-review-simon-and-garfunkle-air.html
This movie also has some interesting dialogue with the artists, as well as the producers about the use of echo and harmony.  This is a nice presentation.  My only complaint is I would have loved less talking and more music.  

Music Review: *****Simon and Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park

This concert is fun.  It is the benefit concert in Central Park, to raise money for the park and green areas of New York.  The concert took place September 1981 (It had been about ten years since Simon and Garfunkel sang together.)  The play list is very nice:  Playlist: 1. Mrs. Robinson 2. Homeward Bound 3. America 4. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard 5. Scarborough Fair 6. April Come She Will 7. Wake Up Little Susie 8. Still Crazy After All These Years 9. American Tune 10. Late in the Evening 11. Slip Slidin' Away 12. A Heart in New York 13. Kodachrome/Maybellene 14. Bridge over Troubled Water 15. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover 16. The Boxer 17. Old Friends 18. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) 19. The Sound of Silence.  There is an encore number: Late in the Evening.
My favorite songs are Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Sound of Silence.  In this version, Art Garfunkel sings the entire Bridge over Troubled Water.  It doesn't not have the orchestra or Paul Simon joining in for the third verse.  However it is still very moving. Sound of Silence has always been a favorite since my Junior High days.  It was a very pointed message, and is done so well as a duet.
This concert was made during a time of struggle.  Garfunkel's girlfriend suicided a couple years before and sent him into a depression.  Simon also dealt with issues of depression at times.
More Simon and Garfunkel:
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/documentary-simon-and-garfunkel-harmony.html
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/simon-and-garfunkel-songs-of-america.html