On October 13, 1941, Paul Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey. Three weeks later, Arthur Garfunkel was born in Queens, New York on November 5. The simons moved to Queens shortly afterwards, and the two became friends during a 6th grade production of
Alice in Wonderland. The two practice singing wtih each other in the Garfunkel's basement.
In the late 50's, Simon and Garfunkel released a song, "Hey, Schoolgirl", that reached Number 49 on Billbaord's Top 100 under the name 'Tom and Jerry'. However, following singles under the 'Tom and Jerry' name did not do as well, and the two split up. Simon released two songs - one, "Lone Teen-Ranger", under the monker 'Jerry Landis', and the other, "Motorcycle", under then name 'Tico and the Triumphs'. Garfunkel released two singles as 'Artie Garr'.
A few years later, the two bumped into each other their old neighbourhood. Simon played Garfunkel some songs, and Garfunkel thought (and I quote), "These are absolute gold." While Simon was going from record company to record company on behalf o fhte music publishing firm E. B. Marks, he mentioned to a Columbia Records' staff producer that he has some orginal songs worth hearing. They recieved a studio audition.
Simon and Garfunkel released their debut album,
Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. in 1964.
Wednesday Morning is a very folk-y album, which features a rather 'raw' Simon and Garfunkel, consisting of just them and an acoustic guitar. The album was a hit in England, and thusly Paul Simon was asked to record a solo album in London, which he did, called "The Paul Simon Songbook" which was never released in America.
1966 saw the release of the 2nd Simon and Garfunkel album. This album featured a more electric based Simon and Garfunkel, which was a sound they maintained for a majority of the remainder of their albums. The album's title track, an eletric re-working of a song from the first album, gave Simon and Garfunkel the first of 3 #1 hits. In the same year, they released the album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme", which featured two medleys: Scarborough fair/Canticle, which gave the album it's name and is one of Simon and Garfunkel's best loved songs, and 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night, one of the most haunting songs ever written.
Simon and Garfunkel's next album, released in '68, was, in fact, the soundtrack to "The Graduate", a famous movie staring Dustin Hoffman. This album included a basic version of a song called "Mrs. Robinson". Their second '68 album, Bookends, gave them some of their biggest hits, including "A Hazy Shade Of Winter", "At The Zoo", "America" (my personal favourite Simon and Garfunkel song) and "Mrs. Robinson", the 2nd of their 3 #1 hits. Their next album, however was to be their last. in 1970, Simon and Garfunkel released Bridge Over Troubled Water, which included some of Simon and Garfunkel's best loved songs. After this album, Simon and Garfunkel split up.
Since then, both men have had succesful solo career's, and have had two reunion world tours.
DISCOGRAPHY:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, 3 A.M.
Suggested songs:
The Sound Of Silence (accoustic)
Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
He Was My Brother
The Sun Is Burning
Benedictus
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
Suggested songs:
The Sound Of Silence (electric)
We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'
Richard Cory
April Come She Will
I Am A Rock
PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY AND THYME
Suggested songs:
Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
7 O'Clock News/Silent Night
Homeward Bound
BOOKENDS
Suggested songs:
America
A Hazy Shade Of WInter
At The Zoo
Mrs. Robinson
Old Friends/Bookends
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
Suggested songs:
The Boxer
El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Song For The Asking
Keep The Customers Satisfied