I feel about Simon and Garfunkel the way Jonathan feel about The Beatles and The Grateful Dead. I grew up listening to them, and they helped form my view of music and the world. I love harmony mostly because of Art. I think about things from multiple viewpoints partly because of Paul.
I’ve listened to a lot of their music over the years, and some I actually don’t like. I don’t care for the concert in Central Park, and I actually dislike Mrs. Robinson. Them’s the breaks. In my younger years, I didn’t differentiate between albums. Does anyone as a child? I didn’t know who they were, what a record was, or anything. I just knew I liked the music. So it took me several years actually to figure out that were some albums I liked, and some I didn’t. Unfortunately, this was after my folks got rid of their albums, and they couldn’t help me figure out which was which.
After years of listening and testing, I’ve decided that Bookends is my favorite album. In light of that, my wife got it for me for Christmas, and gave it to me early. That was yesterday. I’ve listened to it 4 times already. 🙂
This hasn’t really been a review of the album, because I feel strongly enough about most of the songs individually that I intend to review them that way.
As a pair, I feel like Simon and Garfunkel had a significant impact on American culture in the 60’s and 70’s which can still be felt today. As an album, I feel like Bookends is one of their most powerful collections.
It was just strange – Your title reminded me of my childhood. My brother had several S&G albums, and he uses to tell me that my other brothers bookend statues of Mozart and Beethoven were Simon and Garfunkel. Hey, I couldn’t read.
…and the leaves that are green turn to brown…
That’s a beautiful thing. 🙂