Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends

Bookends

Best song: America

Worst song: Voices of Old People

Overall grade: 6

‘Recent information leaked to the New York Times tells us that the pair once had a third friend called Tim, who intended to play 'silent partner' in the band, helping with backing vocals and playing instruments, while never taking his own place in the limelight. However, as the release of the first album drew near, Tim grew hungry for more power, and petitioned that the band be re-named 'Simon & Garfunkel & Tim'. This notion was overruled by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel quickly (possibly the only thing they ever agreed on) and, humiliated, Tim left the band to pursue a career in wheat farming.’

I directly quoted that from Simon & Garfunkel’s page on Uncyclopedia, but I actually wrote it in the first place, so it’s alright. Anyway, the point I hope to make with this completely fictional information is that this album, this album is direct proof that the pair categorically did not need a third member. They did not need Tim, or anyone else, because this is their masterpiece, and it’s fantastic just as it is.

It was 1967 and the whole idea of the concept album had just been proposed. Paul Simon was into the idea and so he planned for a thread to run through the first side of the album, detailing the life of a person from their childhood until they grow old. This aside, though, the album doesn’t take anything from any other musical movements happening at the time (it is a rock… it is an island…) and if you didn’t know, there’s probably nothing that gives away when it was released. The concept does make sense if you listen for it, but even if you don’t, this side has some of the most hauntingly beautiful melodies Simon would ever write.

There’s only five real songs on the side – it is, I hate to say it, bookended by the title track, which is an instrumental guitar piece at the beginning and then has vocals added the second time, that serve as kind of a depressing coda to the journey: ‘Preserve your memories, they’re all that’s left for you.’

Four other great  songs fill the gap here, the first being ‘Save The Life Of My Child’, an electric, slightly experimental anti-war protest song that shatters the calm of the opening. Then comes ‘America’, three of the greatest minutes of music ever put to tape. Symmetrical in structure, it tells the tale of a couple who have travelled in search of the American Dream but found themselves lost and alone with nothing, and feeling bad seeing all the other people who have come for the same reason and have no idea what lies ahead. The guitar and piano tune starts off innocent and hopeful but soon turns downbeat and depressing. Yes covered this song, and I love Yes, but the original is way better.      

The other great song on this side is the nostalgic, lovely ‘Old Friends’ which has a real bittersweet mood to it, especially when you listen to the line ‘Can you imagine us years from today, sharing a park bench quietly: how terribly strange to be seventy’ and realise that both Simon & Garfunkel are past seventy themselves now. Clearly this song is the reward after ‘Voices of Old People’, Garfunkel’s sole contribution to the album, which is exactly what you’d expect from the title. I can hear old people talk any time, I don’t need to pay to buy a CD of it.

Side 2 is a hotchpotch of unrelated songs, in general more upbeat, lots of bouncy folk-pop to be found here. ‘Fakin’ It’ has some awesome horns which make it a little different, and ‘Punky’s Dilemma’ and ‘At the Zoo’ are songs about seemingly mundane things (cereal/zoo creatures) which are novelty-ish and keep the whole album down-to-earth. ‘A Hazy Shade of Winter’ is the only real rock song on the album. People who say S&G are whiny, listen to this!

And, of course, ‘Mrs Robinson’. If you don’t know it, stop whatever you’re doing and listen to it right now. I’ll give you a moment.

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Got it? Good. That song is a classic of the genre, originally written for the ‘The Graduate’ soundtrack, but it works just as well out of the context of the movie, considering every part of it is catchy and wonderful, and that’s why I’m ending this review here, because I really want to play it.