Paul Simon is undoubtedly one of the greatest songwriters of all time. A title he has proven worthy of repeatedly. One of his first feats of greatness was the poetic “Homeward Bound”. Simon wrote the song when he was only 22, while living as a troubadour in England. He recorded “Homeward Bound” together with partner Art Garfunkel after his return to New York. They eventually released the song as a single in January 1966. In this article, we’ll explore the story, meaning, and legacy behind the song!
The Story Behind the Song
After Simon & Garfunkel’s 1964 debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. flopped, Paul Simon headed for England to play in folk clubs. He had been there before, and even met his girlfriend Kathy there. Simon felt at home in England. Because contrary to New York, England had a booming folk scene in which he could actively engage.
Simon lived on and off between New York and London. Preferably in London. And Art Garfunkel, who initially stayed in New York to study, came over to London whenever he could. They both recalled those London days to be the happiest of their life.
After Garfunkel went back to New York in June 1965, Paul hit the road for a tour of northern England. Away from London, away from ‘Artie’, and most importantly, away from Kathy. It is during this northern England tour Simon wrote “Homeward Bound”.
“I missed my girl and my friends. It was kind of depressing.” Simon told Hit Parader. “I was living out of suitcases, getting on trains every day, and going to the next place. It wasn’t a pleasant ten days. I did like the north of England, the people. I got very homesick for London.”
It is rumored Simon wrote “Homeward Bound” at Widnes railway station. He later jokingly told Roy Carr: “If you know Widnes, then you’ll understand how I was desperately trying to get back to London as quickly as possible.”
But Simon didn’t know his return to London would be short-lived. Because his earlier flopped song, “The Sound of Silence”, was gaining traction in the US. Due to increased attention, producer Tom Wilson remixed the song for broader appeal. This remixed version of “The Sound of Silence” topped the US charts in a matter of weeks.
In the blink of an eye, Simon changed from a traveling musician into a music star. He had to go back to New York. The other half of Simon & Garfunkel was waiting there. Together they recorded “Homeward Bound”, the first single after “The Sound of Silence”. It was a top 10 hit in 7 countries. Their lives would never be the same.
The Meaning of Homeward Bound
Paul Simon wrote “Homeward Bound” as a result of feeling homesick. He toured northern England at the time and missed his girlfriend Kathy in London. He felt empty and desired to go home.
Read more: The 10 Best Simon & Garfunkel Songs of All Time
Simon later admitted he had mixed feelings about “Homeward Bound”: “It’s like a snapshot, a photograph of a long time ago. I like that about it but I don’t like the song that much,” Simon told Songtalk magazine in 1990. “First of all, it’s not an original title. That’s one of the main problems with it. It’s been around forever. But there’s something naive and sweet-natured and I must say I like that about it. They’re not angry. And that means that I wasn’t angry or unhappy. And that’s my memory of that time: It was just about idyllic.”
The Song’s Legacy
The song was released as a single in January 1966. It appears on the albums Sound of Silence and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. The track reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and 9 on the UK Singles Chart.
“Homeward Bound” was a staple in Simon & Garfunkel’s live shows. The two also regularly performed the song in solo shows. Notable performances are during The Concert in Central Park and Saturday Night Live, where Paul Simon performed the song with Beatle George Harrison.
Interested in more stories behind Simon & Garfunkel songs? Click here
Verschtahni total. Das Lied isch urschprünglich ä zärtlich persönlichi Aaglägeheit xii und dänn id Masse grüehrt und so enart “bewichtiget” worde. Chani total guet nahempfinde. Trotzdem bini natürli froh, dass eso Schätz de Wäg zu eus ko-poetische Soundseelä gfunde händ. Drum tanki Eu dadefür.
Can totally understand that. The song was originally a tender personal expression, found its way to the masses and became therefore too “weighty”. Still, I am, of course, glad such treasures found their way to us co-poetic soundsouls. So thank you.
Me gusta ‘Homeward bound’
tanto que ya le hice un cover