The 1960s hits of Simon & Garfunkel

In this series we take a look at the hitsingles an act scored between 1965 and 1969 in The Netherland's Radio Veronica Top 40. This time we focus on U.S. duo Simon & Garfunkel. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met each other long before they became famous. The duo started singing together in the mid 50s as the duo Tom & Jerry and scored one hit in the U.S. in 1957, 'Hey, Schoolgirl'. After high school the duo broke up, to start singing together again in the mid-60s. When this proved unsuccessful they broke up and Paul Simon left for London to pursue his career in the swing and buzz of the U.K. town. When, what we now call a remix of, 'The Sounds Of Silence' became a hit in 1965-66, the duo reformed to go on for five years and scoring several hits, but not as many as would have been expected perhaps. As I know from Paul Simon's solo career as well, his songs are not always easy and smooth to listen to for me as they have a jazzy undertone. That goes for many the duo's songs as well. Simon & Garfunkel were no hit machine like other acts from the 60s were. They have however produced songs that have stood the test of time and will be there forever. So let's delve in, but remember, the duo's biggest successes here are not in this overview, which only counts to five songs, again a little to my surprise.

The Sounds Of Silence (1966, 10)

The song that broke open the book and brought the world at the feet of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. The acoustic, original version was vamped by a full band in a Bob Dylan 1965-66 style, because the producer who went to work with the song, Tom Wilson had worked with Dylan on the 'Bringing It Back Home' album. He even brought some of the session players with him. Let's face it, without Tom Wilson many in the world would never have heard the song and who knows of everything that followed it. The Sounds Of Silence is one of those songs that will be with people for eternity, as it has lost nothing of its beauty and strength. To start with, there is the singing between Art and Paul, harmonising like there is no tomorrow. The vocal melody is one that warms my heart each time I hear the song. No matter how often I've listened to it, the effect is always the same. This vocal is one of the strongest in 1960s pop music. Tom Wilson brought in a band, without the knowledge of the duo, went to work. The result of the band is so powerful, with the most ear-catching element, the wacky lead-guitar either played by Al Gorgoni or Vinnie Bell, I don't know. That guitar is all over the place and makes The Sound Of Silence stand out some more, just like that moment the band kicks in in verse 2. The most surprising fact is that in my country the single only rose to number 10. This is made up by the fact that the song is staple in the yearly Top 2000's top 50. With one blemish, that a cover version by some metal band is always a few places higher, for some reason. For a song nearly 60 years old, this positions attest to my earlier words. This song is here for ever.

Homeward Bound (1966, 4)

The duo's second hit was a more dreamy affair. On the one hand more straight forward, on the other it plays with time signatures and dynamics. Making the song stand out. Being a vocal duo, of course Homeward Bound has a few ear-catching melodies. Simon low, Garfunkel high, always easy to spot. Paul Simon wrote the song after a local gig on Widnes Station in the U.K. Homeward Bound is the first of all following hit singles, we can credit Tom Wilson and Columbia Records with as they believed in in the new 'The Sound Of Silence' version. How just that decision was, is proven by Homeward Bound. It is an incredibly strong song. Easy to sing along to but also musically very good. It has a great bass part, intricate acoustic guitar lead lines and all these little extra's. And that chorus of course. The tempo goes up or everything is played in, at least, double time, I'm too lazy to count, sorry. Simon and Garfunkel find each other here, showing what both lost by splitting up a few years later. Jealousy is never a good provider of advise. Beautiful, good, exceptional, these words cover it, I guess.

I Am A Rock (1966, 11)

The one that fell off the train, as I Am The Rock is the hit single I never hear any more. In my book, that is an omission as I Am A Rock is one of the songs that surprised me when I heard it for the first time. That may have been when I bought a, bad, copy of 'Greatest Hits' in Hamburg in 1978 or 9, sailing there from Rotterdam with my dad on a big freighter. Knowing nothing of The Beatles and Hamburg yet, and nothing to see then, I'm sure. Perhaps it is because I Am A Rock has something of a novelty sound with the bouzouki like sound playing the lead melody. What I notice in 2022 is that this song perhaps is the closest Simon & Garfunkel come to Bob Dylan musically. Listen to the Hammond organ played by Larry Knechtel. Several of the musicians had played on Dylan's 'Highway 61 Revisited' album. Bob Johnston producing, also a Dylan connection of course. I Am A Rock is a true folk rocker, with a big beat for a folk song, making it the most joyous, exuberant song of the duo. All in good taste of course, but I love the drive and warmth of the song. And always have. "A rock feels no pain and an island never cries", despite the hurting of  lost love. The vocal melody is beautiful. To me this is one of Paul Simon's finest songs and should have been a far bigger hit.

Mrs. Robinson (1968, 8)

All the previous songs could be heard on the radio when I was to small and we did not have a radio in those years. My mother did not want one until 1967. So, I had no way of knowing the songs, if nobody else played them for me, which must have been the case. With Mrs. Robinson things had changed. Although I had not discovered the Top 40 yet, songs came by daily on Radio Veronica and Mrs. Robinson was one of them. Listening in 2022 and have listened a lot to the song in the past two years as it featured in our "lockdown front garden shows" for the neighbours several times, as it will again in about an hour for the "two year reunion show". The precision of the acoustic guitar in the intro is so fantastic and then that di-di-di and doo-doo-doo, it's all totally jazzy, while at the same the vocal makes it a great pop tune, easy to sing along to by everyone who can hold a melody. The playing on the song is simply wonderful. All acoustic, except for the bass. Intricate guitar parts that weave itself in and out of each other, while the lead guitar is extremely forceful. Having been a part of the 'The Graduate' soundtrack, the song became a hit on its own account in 1968. The duo's second number one hit in the U.S., only number 8 here. To me its another fantastic track by Simon & Garfunkel.

The Boxer (1969, 3)

Another one that I remember well from the release onwards. A song that comes by regularly, but not a song that is close to me. Of course I like as it has been with me for most of that part of my life that I remember. The melody is fine, the singing nice. At the same time The Boxer is an example of the reason that I do not have a single studio album of Simon & Garfunkel. All in all I'm just not a huge fan of their albums. Just like I have trouble getting through a solo album. Yes, even 'Graceland'. The Boxer is a part of me and that is the reason that I do not mind hearing the song every once in a while. The song is different from the previous four hits. I truly like them all and which one to put on top?

Simon & Garfunkel enjoyed their greatest success in 1970, with the majestic 'Bridge Over Troubled Water. Perhaps Paul Simon's best known song and who sings it? Right. Have you ever seen the body language of Simon in the 'Central Park' dvd towards Garfunkel who tries to connect with Paul? It tells you all about jealousy. The other two big hits, 'El Condor Pasa', the only number 1 here and 'Cecilia', the only #2, are more of a novelty song. After that it was all over.

I was lucky enough to see the duo play in Rotterdam in 1982, one week after The Rolling Stones, but it was a great show. I was surprised to learn how many people I would get to know a few years later when going to university had been to one or both of these shows!

The top 5

5. The Boxer

4. Homeward Bound

3. I Am A Rock

2. Mrs. Robinson

1. The Sound Of Silence

Wout de Natris