Simon And Garfunkel Best Album Ever

[Maricel Fergason]

SimonGarfunkel, the iconic duo whose timeless music continues to resonate with fans across generations, produced numerous albums that showcase their incredible talents and contributions to the world of popular music. Pioneers of folk-rock, their discography is highly regarded as a treasure trove of songs that blend poetic lyrics with enchanting melodies. This examination of the best Simon & Garfunkel albums delves deep into their impressive catalog, exploring the significance, artistry, and impact of each record upon its release and beyond.

From their humble beginnings in the early '60s to their chart-topping success, the best of Simon & Garfunkel features a collection of albums that capture the unique essence of the band at different stages in their career. These records not only exemplify the duo's talent but also reveal their artistic growth and the ever-evolving musical landscape of the time. From critically acclaimed albums to those that won the hearts of listeners, the best Simon & Garfunkel albums ranked herein paint a vivid picture of their legacy and influence in the annals of music history. Each album reflects the passion, creativity, and exceptional craftsmanship of the musicians, making them truly beloved and cherished by fans and critics alike.

For instance, the album Bridge Over Troubled Water is synonymous with the duo's rise to superstardom. This classic record is revered for its powerful title track and other unforgettable tunes like "The Boxer" and "Cecilia." Another standout in Simon & Garfunkel's discography is Bookends, featuring the iconic "Mrs. Robinson" alongside thought-provoking tracks such as "America" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter." The Sounds of Silence album, with its eponymous hit single, showcases the duo's unparalleled ability to create haunting, evocative music that resonates deeply with listeners. These albums are just a few examples that exemplify the brilliance of Simon & Garfunkel's body of work.

The exploration of Simon & Garfunkel's finest albums showcases the timelessness and universal appeal of their music, affirming their unique artistic legacy as it continues to enchant generations. As their songs continue to captivate audiences around the world, the significance of the best Simon & Garfunkel albums cannot be overstated. Their music remains an indelible part of our cultural heritage, a testament to the extraordinary talents of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.

I have probably lost more than a few of you at some point in the last couple of minutes, so let me lay out why I find Bridge Over Troubled Water such a disappointment as logically and concisely as I can:

Sure, for a few years after it was released it was the best selling album of all time, and currently stands at 25 million copies sold. From a sales perspective, the album is pretty remarkable. But disregard the hype. This album is no masterpiece. Personally, I think Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is a far better album, I actually even like Sounds of Silence better. I might even like the soundtrack to The Graduate better. Bridge Over Troubled Water really just kind of goes to show that if you have a phenomenal enough leading track, you can trick 25 million people into thinking an album is a lot more phenomenal than it really is.

BOTW was the first album I ever bought with my own money. Although I agree with most of your criticism, I still like it. In fact I just listened to a few songs tonight. I guess the internet is spying on me.

Simon and Garfunkel had a troubled relationship, leading to artistic disagreements and their breakup in 1970. Their final studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water, was released that January, becoming one of the world's best-selling albums. After their breakup, Simon released a number of acclaimed albums, including 1986's Graceland.[3] Garfunkel released solo hits such as "All I Know" and briefly pursued an acting career, with leading roles in the Mike Nichols films Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge and in Nicolas Roeg's 1980 Bad Timing. The duo have reunited several times; their 1981 concert in Central Park may have attracted more than 500,000 people, one of the largest concert attendances in history.[4][5]

Simon & Garfunkel won 7 Grammy Awards[6] and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.[7] Richie Unterberger described them as "the most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s" and one of the most popular artists from the decade.[8] They are among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 100 million records.[9] They were ranked 40th on Rolling Stone's 2010 list of the Greatest Artists of All Time[10] and third on its list of the greatest duos.[11]

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up in the 1940s and 1950s in their predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, New York, three blocks away from one another. They attended the same schools: Public School 164 in Kew Gardens Hills, Parsons Junior High School, and Forest Hills High School.[12][13] They were both fascinated by music; both listened to the radio and were taken with rock and roll as it emerged, particularly the Everly Brothers.[14] Simon first noticed Garfunkel when Garfunkel was singing in a fourth grade talent show, which Simon thought was a good way to attract girls; he hoped for a friendship, which started in 1953, when they appeared in a sixth grade adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.[13][15] They formed a streetcorner doo-wop group called the Peptones with three friends and learned to harmonize.[16][17] They began performing as a duo at school dances.[18]

Simon and Garfunkel later attended Forest Hills High School,[19] where in 1956 they wrote their first song, "The Girl for Me"; Simon's father sent a handwritten copy to the Library of Congress to register a copyright.[18] While trying to remember the lyrics to the Everly Brothers song "Hey Doll Baby",[20] they wrote "Hey, Schoolgirl", which they recorded for $25 at Sanders Recording Studio in Manhattan.[21] While recording they were overheard by promoter Sid Prosen, who signed them to his independent label Big Records after speaking to their parents. They were both 15.[22]

After graduating from Forest Hills High School in 1958,[29] the pair continued their education should a music career not unfold. Simon studied English at Queens College, City University of New York, and Garfunkel studied architecture before switching to art history at Columbia College, Columbia University.[23][30][31] While still with Big Records as a duo, Simon released a solo single, "True or False", under the name "True Taylor".[26] This upset Garfunkel, who regarded it as a betrayal; the emotional tension from the incident occasionally surfaced throughout their relationship.[32]

Simon & Garfunkel's debut studio album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., produced by Wilson, was recorded over three sessions in March 1964 and released in October.[41] It contains five songs by Simon, three traditional folk songs, and four folk-influenced singer-songwriter songs.[clarification needed][41] Simon was adamant that they would no longer use stage names.[42] Columbia set up a promotional showcase at Folk City on March 31, 1964, the duo's first public concert as Simon & Garfunkel.[42]

Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. sold only 3,000 copies on release. Simon moved to England,[43] where he toured small folk clubs and befriended folk artists such as Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy, Al Stewart, and Sandy Denny.[44][45][46] He also met Kathy Chitty, who became the object of his affection and is the Kathy in "Kathy's Song" and "America".[47]

A small music publishing company, Lorna Music, licensed "Carlos Dominguez", a single Simon had recorded two years prior as Paul Kane, for a new recording by Val Doonican that sold well.[48] Simon visited Lorna to thank them, and the meeting resulted in a publishing and recording contract. He signed to the Oriole label and released "He Was My Brother" as a single.[48] Simon invited Garfunkel to stay for the summer of 1964.[48]

Near the end of the season, Garfunkel returned to Columbia for class.[49] Simon also returned to the US, and resumed his studies at Brooklyn Law School for one semester, partially at his parents' insistence. He returned to England in January 1965, now certain that music was his calling.[50] In the meantime, his landlady, Judith Piepe, had compiled a tape from his work at Lorna and sent it to the BBC in hopes they would play it.[50] The demos aired on the Five to Ten morning show, and were instantly successful. Oriole had folded into CBS by that point, and hoped to record a new Simon album.[51]

Simon recorded his first solo album, The Paul Simon Songbook, in June 1965, featuring future Simon & Garfunkel staples including "I Am a Rock" and "April Come She Will". CBS flew Wilson over to produce the record, and he stayed at Simon's flat.[51] The album was released in August; although sales were poor, Simon felt content with his future in England.[52] Garfunkel graduated in 1965, returning to Columbia University to pursue a master's degree in mathematics.[31][53]

In the United States, Dick Summer, a late-night DJ at WBZ in Boston, played "The Sound of Silence"; it became popular with a college audience.[54] It was picked up the next day along the East Coast of the United States. When Wilson heard about this new wave of interest, he took inspiration from the success of the folk-rock hybrid that he had created with Dylan in "Like a Rolling Stone" and crafted a rock remix of "Sound of Silence" using studio musicians.[55] The remix was issued in September 1965, and it eventually reached the Billboard Hot 100.[56] Wilson did not inform the duo of his plan, and Simon was "horrified" when he first heard it.[56]

By January 1966, "The Sound of Silence" had topped the Hot 100, selling over one million copies.[57] Simon reunited with Garfunkel in New York, leaving Chitty and his friends in England behind. CBS demanded a new album to be called Sounds of Silence to ride the wave of the hit.[58] Recorded in three weeks and consisting of rerecorded songs from The Paul Simon Songbook plus four new tracks, Sounds of Silence was rush-released in mid-January 1966, peaking at number 21 Billboard Top LPs chart.[59] A week later, "Homeward Bound" was released as a single, entering the USA top ten, followed by "I Am a Rock" peaking at number three.[59] The duo supported the recordings with a nationwide tour of the US including a performance during the first Spring Weekend of the University of Massachusetts Boston where the duo was the headline act.[60] CBS continued its promotion by re-releasing Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., which charted at number 30.[61] Despite the success, the duo was derided by some critics as a manufactured imitation of folk music.[59]

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