Simon & Garfunkel
Created by Group 2
Kao-wei Chen, Rebecca Galarowicz, Brittany Kelly, David Oberg, Nikolas Sell
Kao-wei Chen
Why Simon & Garfunkel?
They were one of the first folk performers make it big in the music industry and
became future role models for the upcoming generation of folk rock singers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SimonandGarfunkel.jpg
Background Information
• Real Names
• Paul Simon
• Art Garfunkel
• Both were born 1941, still alive today
• First met each other in elementary school
• Realized their potential when singing together
Doo-wop songs found on the radio at an early
age
http://www.last.fm/music/Simon+&+Garfunkel/+i
mages/138461
Beginning of Simon & Garfunkel
•
•
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At age 16, they recorded their first single composed by Simon titled ‘’Hey
Schoolgirl’’
• Peaked at the top 50 on the Billboard under Tom & Jerry
Late 50s/early 60s- both worked together ocassionally but were solo acts during
this time
1964, release of their debut album ‘’Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.’’
• release did poorly
1964-1965, Tom Wilson, a folk-rock producer, revised Simon’s & Garfunkel’s track
titled ‘’The Sound of Silence’’ and released it in the market
• Track rose to #1 in 1965
• Song was edited by incorporating electric bass, guitar and drums
The High & End Life of S&G
 1966, placed 3 albums and four singles in the top 30 of the Billboard
 E.g. ‘’The Sound of Silence’’, ‘’I Am A Rock’’, and ‘’Parsely, Sage,
Rosemary & Thyme’’
 1966-1969, their career was at a turning point
 Writing of songs and recording significantly took longer
 Simon’s & Garfunkel’s relationship started souring
 1970, release of their last original album titled ‘’Bridge Over Troubled
Water’’
 Topped US album charts for over 10 weeks
 Sold over 13 million copies World Wide
 Took 2 Years to record
 1970 marked the official breakup of Simon & Garfunkel
Post S&G Life
• Simon & Garfunkel both pursued solo careers
at the dawn of the new decade (1970s)
• Simon wrote and recorded wry and angstfilled songs sung in different ethnic accents
• Garfunkel recorded songs tended towards
adult-oriented pop
• 1990, Simon & Garfunkel were inducted into
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• In the 21st Century the duo reunited to put on
performances around globe
• Most recent performance was in 2010 at
the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Importance of S&G
• First folk performers to reach new heights in
the music industry with their album ‘’Bridge
Over Troubled Water’’, which sold over 3
million copies
• Lyrics & the group have been referenced in
television series such as ‘’Friends’’, ‘’The
Simpsons’’, and ‘’SNL’’
http://www.last.fm/music/Simon+&+Garfunkel/+images/13846
Musical Style
•
Simons and Garfunkel’s style combined elements of folk, rock, and Pop
•
Despite their clean sound, they appealed to a wide range of listeners during the
tumultuous 60s
•
Utilized poetic messages and international musical styles to modernise folk-rock
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Simonan
dGarfunkel.jpg/250px-SimonandGarfunkel.jpg
Musical Style (continued)
•
The duo, were it not for Simon’s background in Pop music, may have been
remembered as simply another folk act
•
Similarities are apparent between Simon and Garfunkel’s music and other folk-rock
of the time, including the story-telling feel and a much calmer sound than
mainstream rock ‘n’ roll
•
Important differences are what separates this duo:
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‘’Sound of Silence’’ is an example which clearly stands out from other folk-rock, with its use of
electric guitars, bass, and drums
Their impressive use of poetry set them apart
Ability to fuse popular sound with sophisticated and clean song-writing gained them a wide audience
Musical Style (continued)
•
Other defining features of their music include:
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Close harmonies reminiscent of the Everly Brothers
Lyrics which commonly featured social commentary (these encouraged peace and projected calm in
a time of great political, social, and military unrest)
In their later years, a wider range of influences from sounds around the world
http://i2.listal.com/image/1672585/600fullsimon-%26-garfunkel.jpg
Musical Style (continued)
• Their innovative combination of folk and rock
music furthered the popularity of this trend
during their time
• However, while their musical style is memorable
and unique, the greatest impact of their music
was a social one
– Song lyrics spoke to the counterculture of the
1960s
– Messages of their songs discouraged hate and
embraced love and peace
– Even today, the feelings invoked through their
music are still relevant and tangible to
listeners
Musical Style (continued)
•
The musical differences of Simon and Garfunkel became apparent once they broke
up for good
•
Paul Simon:
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–
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–
•
Clearly the driving force behind the duo’s songwriting, this ability shone through in his solo career
Achieved comparable success as a solo artist as when he belonged to Simon and Garfunkel
Incorporated more challenging aspects, such as complex time signatures, into his solo music
His individual style was quite different as well, with influences anywhere from South Africa, to
Andean mountain music, to gospel
Art Garfunkel:
–
–
Went on to a far less successful solo career
Dabbled in acting and some singing
http://greenobles.com/data_images/paulsimon/paul-simon-05.jpg
http://www.nndb.com/people
/724/000022658/garfunkelsm.jpg
Other Artists of the Period
Although Simon & Garfunkel had
one of the most unique folk rock
sounds, there are several artists with
similarities including the Beatles,
The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Mama’s &
The Papa’s, and Bob Dylan.
Concurrent Music- The Beatles
•The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely
Hearts Club Band album set the
precedent for concept albums like
Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends
album.
• “Old Friends” has a large
orchestra accompaniment that
builds a wall of sound, similar to
“A Day in the Life” by the Beatles
http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/320202sgt_pepper_s_lonely_hearts_club_band.jpg
Concurrent Music- The Lovin’ Spoonful
•The Lovin’ Spoonful were
a folk rock group with a
similar sound to Simon &
Garfunkel
•Their song “Daydream”,
has a similar sound and
instrumentation to Simon
and Garfunkel’s “Mrs.
Robinson”
http://image.lyricspond.com/image/t/artist-the-lovin-spoonful/album-the-lovinspoonful-greatest-hits/cd-cover.jpg
Concurrent Music- The Mamas & The Papas
• The Mamas and the
Papas’ folk rock music
was similar to Simon &
Garfunkel’s in its sound
and form.
• Their song “California
Dreamin’” has a similar
form to Simon &
Garfunkel’s “America”.
http://www.jasondunn.com/albumart/images/the_mamas_and_the_papas_c
alifornia_dreamin__1994.jpg
Concurrent Music- Bob Dylan
• Bob Dylan was one of the major
influences of the folk music
movement, and is even
considered one of the creators of
folk rock
• His lyrics influenced many of the
artists of the time including
Simon and Garfunkel, who did
covers of Dylan’s songs in their
early career.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZdeOxOYou4/TINiSHncTJI/AAAAAAAAA78/nBCPn3nurI/s1600/bob_dylan6.jpg
Concurrent Music: Everly Brothers
• The Everly Brothers melded
country with the emerging rock
and roll of the fifties and greatly
influenced Simon and Garfunkel
through their style
• Cover songs
• Toured with Simon and Garfunkel
(in support) on their Old Friends
Tour
• “Hey Schoolgirl”, “Bye, Bye Love”,
“Wake Up Little Susie”
http://progbeat-vvche.blogspot.com/2010/08/everlybrothers-two-yanks-in-england.html
Concurrent Music: Peter, Paul and Mary
http://greenobles.com/photos/peter,paul-and-mary/01/
• A folk singer, a comedian,
and a Broadway actress
created one of the most
popular folk group that
created contemporary folk
music
• Helped launch many
songwriter’s careers
• Influenced Simon and
Garfunkel’s folk roots and
musical style
Popular Music of that Time Period
• Other popular artists during the time period of
Simon and Garfunkel include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan
Beach Boys
Beatles
Jimi Hendrix
Led Zeppelin
The Who
Jackson Five
http://emol.org/music/tina/peterpaulmary
.html
http://www.clashmusic.com/artists/t
he-beach-boys
http://whitgunn.freeservers.com/Da
vemusic/L/led-zeppelin/ledzeppelin-iv.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Be
atles
Political & Social Influences
• Simon and Garfunkel were known for their strong political
views in their music. In the time period when they became a
group, there was a change in music. People started writing
what they called ‘Protest Songs’. A Protest Song is a song that
is associated with a movement of social change.
http://blog.interexchange.org/career-trainingusa/2012/05/10/u-s-involvement-in-the-vietnam-war/
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/01/2-thevietnam-war-top-10-mistakes-by-us-presidents/
Political & Social Influences (continued)
• Some of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Protest
Songs” would include:
– Seven O Clock News/Silent Night
• Was for the general condemnation of the war
– Sound of Silence
• This song was not intended to be an anti-war song but
people of that time interpreted it that way
– Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream
• At the end of the song it says “I dreamed the world had
all agreed to put an end to war”
Political & Social Influences (continued)
• Some political and social events of that time
period that had an affect on some of their
music include:
– The war in Vietnam
– The Cold War
– Civil Rights Act of 1964
– John F. Kennedy’s Presidency
– National Voting Rights Act of 1965
Musical Analysis: Sound of Silence
revised rock-folk version
• Instrumentation: acoustic version “overdubbed” with electric bass, electric guitar and
drums to transform it into the revised rockfolk version
• Meter and Beat Subdivision: Quadruple
meter with duple subdivision
– Strongest beats are on 2 and 4 (backbeat)
– Two equal notes
Musical Analysis: Sound of Silence
revised rock-folk version
• Texture: homophony, with melody
and accompaniment
– Paul and Art harmonized, creating
chords
• Form
– macrostructure: ABAAB
– Microstructure: aabbcde and
aabbccd
Musical Analysis: Sound of Silence
revised rock-folk version
(a) Hello darkness, my old friend
(a) I’ve come to talk to you again
(b) Because a vision softly creeping
(b) Left its seed while I was sleeping
(c) And the vision that was planted in my brain
(d) Still remains
(e) Within the sound of silence
(a) In restless dreams I walked alone
(a) Narrow streets of cobblestone
(b) “Neath the halo of a street lamp
(b) I turned my collar to the cold and damp
(c) When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of the neon light
(c) That split the night
(d) And touched the sound of silence
(a) And in the naked light I saw
(a) Ten thousand people, maybe more
(b) People talking without speaking
(b) People hearing without listening
(c) People writing songs that voices never share
(d) And no one dared
(e) Disturb the sound of silence
(a) “Fools,” said I, “You do not know
(a) Silence like a cancer grows
(b) Hear my words that I might teach you
(b) Take my arms that I might reach you”
(c) But my words like silent raindrops fell
(d) And Echoed
(e) In the wells of silence
(a) And the people bowed and prayed
(a) To the neon god they made
(be) and the sign flashed out its warning
(b) In the words that it was forming
(c) And the sign said, “the words of the prophets are written on the
subway walls
(d) And tenement halls”
(e) And whispered in the sounds of silence.
Text Citation
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http://www.simonandgarfunkel.com/us/content/biography.
Birkline, R. (2003). Protest music. Retrieved from http://www.shsu.edu/~lis_fwh/book/american_renaissance
/Protest%20Music2.htm
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Popular Culture (Vol. 4, pp. 399-401). Detroit: St. James Press.
Text Citation (continued)
Santoro, G. (2011). Paul Simon: A Life. American History, 46(1), 73.
Scoppa, Bud (2010). Simon & Garfunkel Biography. Rock And Roll Hall of Fame + Museum. Retrieved May 29,
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Simon and Garfunkel: Biography (n.d.). Guardian. Retreived from http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/
simonandgarfunkel/.
Simon & Garfunkel Career Timeline (2012). The Official Simon & Garfunkel Site. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from
http://www.simonandgarfunkel.com/us/timeline.
Streich, M. (2010). Vietnam war protest music. American History Suite 101. Retrieved from http://suite101.
com/article/vietnam-war-protest-music-a241943
Stuessy, J. Lipscomb, S. Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development. Pearson.
The 1960s Arts and Entertainment: Topics in the News. (2003). In J. L. Carnagie, R. Nagel, S. Pendergast, & T.
Pendergast (Eds.), UXL American Decades (Vol. 7, pp. 8-20). Detroit: UXL.
Unterberger, R. (2012). Simon & Garfunkel. All Music. Retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/simongarfunkel-mn0000038936.
Unterberger, R (n.d.). Simon & Garfunkel: Similar Artists. Retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/
simon-garfunkel-mn0000038936/related
Warner, Jay (n.d.). Peter, Paul and Mary. Retrieved from http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/
peter_paul_mary.html
Image Citation
320202-sgt_pepper_s_lonely_hearts_club_band [JPEG file] (n.d.). Pollsb. Retrieved from
http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/320202-sgt_pepper_s_lonely_hearts_club_band.jpg
Akingtoniex (May 10, 2012). Interexchange Blog. Retrieved from http://blog.interexchange.org/career-trainingusa/2012/05/10/u-s-involvement-in-the-vietnam-war/
Alvarez, Tina (1996). Three & A Half Decades of Peter, Paul & Mary. Peter, Paul and Mary. Retrieved from
http://emol.org/music/tina/peterpaulmary.html
Bob_dylan6 [JPEG file] (n.d.). BlogPost. Retrieved from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZdeOxOYou4/TINiSHnc
TJI/AAAAAAAAA78/nBCPn3nurI/s1600/bob_dylan6.jpg
Cd-cover [JPEG file] (n.d.). Lyrics Pond. Retrieved from http://image.lyricspond.com/image/t/artist-the-lovinspoonful/album-the-lovin-spoonful-greatest-hits/cd-cover.jpg
Craughwell, Thomas (Janurary 22, 2009). #2: The Vietnam War (Top 10 Mistakes by U.S. Presidents). Britannica
Blog. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/01/2-the-vietnam-war-top-10mistakes-by-us-presidents/
Full-simon-garfunkel [JPEG File] (n.d.).Listal. Retrieved from http://i2.listal.com/image/1672585/600full-simon%26-garfunkel.jpg
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garfunkel-sm.jpg
Led Zeppelin IV (March 27, 2011). Led Zeppelin. Retrieved from http://whitgunn.freeservers.com/Davemusic/L/
led-zeppelin/led-zeppelin-iv.html
Image Citation (continued)
Paul-Simon-05 [JPEG file] (n.d.). Greenobles. Retrieved from http://greenobles.com/data_images/paulsimon/paul-simon-05.jpg
Peter, Paul And Mary (n.d.). Greenobles. Retrieved from http://greenobles.com/photos/peter,paul-andmary/01/
SimondandGarfunkel [JPEG file] (n.d.). Wikimedia. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/thumb/e/e5/SimonandGarfunkel.jpg/250px-SimonandGarfunkel.jpg
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com/artists/the-beach-boys
The Beatles (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles
The_mamas_and_the_papas_california_dreamin_1994 [JPEG file] (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.jason
dunn.com/albumart/images/the_mamas_and_the_papas_california_dreamin__1994.jpg
Xprettieststar (March 04, 2007). Simon & Garfunkel Pictures. Last F.M. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from
http://www.last.fm/music/Simon+&+Garfunkel/+images/138461
Vvche (August 29, 2010). The Everly Brothers – Two Yanks in England in 1966 (USA, Beat, Rockabilly). Music 6070. Retrieved from http://progbeat-vvche.blogspot.com/2010/08/everly-brothers-two-yanks-inengland.html
Long Live Simon & Garfunkel