“The Only Living Boy in New York” appears on Simon & Garfunkel’s controversial final studio album Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970). The song is written by Paul Simon, who at the time, was on the verge of breaking up with Art Garfunkel. “The Only Living Boy in New York” turned out to be the embodiment of the deterioration between Simon & Garfunkel. But what’s the exact story and meaning behind the song? Let’s find out!
The Story Behind the Song
The rift between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel started when Garfunkel accepted an acting role in the movie Catch-22. Paul Simon initially accepted a role in the same movie, but his role was quickly scrapped from the script.
While Garfunkel flew to Mexico to film Catch-22, Simon was left behind in New York to write music for Bridge Over Troubled Water. Hence the song title “The Only Living Boy in New York”.
During the writing process, Simon felt embittered, betrayed, and lonely, and as a result, decided to write a farewell song embodied as a dig to Art Garfunkel.
In an attempt to opaquely mention Garfunkel in the song, Simon refers to Garfunkel as Tom. This is a reference to the early days of Simon & Garfunkel, when the duo called themselves Tom & Jerry.
Paul Simon suitably sings the song on his own. Except during the bridge, where Garfunkel joins Simon to sing melancholic ‘aahs‘. Simon later told Songtalk Magazine: “I liked the ‘aaahhhs,’ the voices singing ‘aaah.’ That was the best I think that we ever did it. It was quite a lot of voices we put on, maybe twelve or fifteen voices. We sang it in the echo chamber.”
The song eventually appears as the eighth track on Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was also released as a B-side single to Simon & Garfunkel’s major hit Cecilia. Attentive critics quickly figured out the song was a dig from Paul Simon to Art Garfunkel. After the release of Bridge Over Troubled Water, the duo broke up.
The Meaning of The Only Living Boy in New York
Paul Simon wrote “The Only Living Boy in New York” about his deteriorating relationship with his partner Art Garfunkel. The song is a deeply personal farewell to a lifelong friend.
Read more: The 10 Best Simon & Garfunkel Songs of All Time
Simon tells the story from his own perspective. He explains how Garfunkel is the one who ‘needs to get his plane on time’ and is ‘eager to fly now’. As a result, the song is perceived as a dig towards Garfunkel. Simon desired to showcase how Garfunkel is the reason behind the worsening relationship between the two.
The Song’s Legacy
The song was used on the soundtrack of the movies Garden State, New York, I Love You, and The Only Living Boy in New York.
The “Only Living Boy in New York” wasn’t a major hit and never reached the charts. Nevertheless, it’s considered a Simon & Garfunkel classic by fans and critics.
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