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10. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (live 1969)
The studio recording of “For Emily” is beautiful, but the live version of this song is exceptional. Especially the recording from their album “Live 1969”. Paul Simon’s 12-string guitar sounds like an orchestra and Art Garfunkel’s voice is as angelic as ever. “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” could’ve easily been higher on this list.
9. The Only Living Boy in New York
“The Only Living Boy in New York” appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s final studio album Bridge over Troubled Water. The beautiful song is a dig from Paul Simon to Art Garfunkel. While Art took upon acting roles, Paul was left behind in New York to work on Bridge over Troubled Water. In the song, Simon refers to Garfunkel as ‘Tom’. This is a reference to their early days when the duo called themselves Tom & Jerry.
Read More: The Story Behind “The Only Living Boy in New York” by Simon & Garfunkel
8. Scarborough Fair
A traditional English ballad about a former lover who lives in Scarborough. Simon & Garfunkel used the song as a single on their third studio album: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
7. Homeward Bound
Coming in at number 7: “Homeward Bound”. Paul Simon wrote “Homeward Bound” on a railway station in England about his then-girlfriend Kathy Chitty. Chitty also appears in the Simon & Garfunkel songs America and Kathy’s song.
Read More: The Story Behind “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel
6. Cecilia
“Cecilia” is rumored to be about Saint Cecilia, the patroness of music and musicians. The catchy and upbeat song appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s fifth studio album Bridge Over Troubled Water.
5. America
“America” starts with a beautiful humming intro, followed by pure Paul Simon poetry. The magical delivery of the line “and the moon rose over an open field” is the highlight of the song. The song appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s fourth studio album Bookends.
4. Mrs. Robinson
One of the most iconic and recognizable songs in Simon & Garfunkel’s repertoire. The song appears on the album Bookends and was used in the soundtrack of the movie The Graduate. “Mrs. Robinson” won Simon & Garfunkel 2 Grammy awards in 1969, one of which was for Record of the Year.
3. The Boxer
Simon, with help from the bible, wrote “The Boxer” about his experiences being criticized as a musician. With the iconic lie-la-lie chorus and beautiful lyrics, “The Boxer” is undeniably one of Simon & Garfunkel’s best songs.
Read more: The Story Behind “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel
2. The Sound of Silence
Coming in at number 2: “The Sound of Silence”. The beautifully written tune is one of the most recognizable songs of all time. It appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s debut album Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.
Did you know the Sound of Silence initially failed? Only when producer Tom Wilson decided to remix the song it became a success. Wilson added drums and electric instruments in an attempt to reach a broader audience. It worked, and “The Sound of Silence” topped the US charts in January 1966.
1. Bridge Over Troubled Water
The extraordinary composition, the profound lyrics of Paul Simon, and the angelic voice of Art Garfunkel; “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written and deservedly ranks number 1 on this list.
The title song appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s final album Bridge over Troubled Water. It is one of the most performed songs of the 20th Century with notable covers by Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.
So, that wraps up this list! Did I mention your favorite song? Did I blatantly miss a song? Please let me know in the comments down below!
You forgot Bright Eyes!
Very well written! I’m reading a well researched article (very seldom seen nowadays) about one of my favourite musical duo’s of all time. The author is clearly a huge fan himself. A very refreshing read, keep up the great work!
To add to your list – ‘Old Friends/Bookends’ from the self-titled album.
What an amazing duo!
Long live!
What about “I am a rock” I love that song!