Simon And Garfunkel

Though it’s their pristine harmonies one notices on first listen, what made Simon & Garfunkel more than just some pleasant pop duo of the ’60s was the constant aesthetic questing of its songwriter, Paul Simon. His early work bespeaks that of the dutiful English major making the transition from second-rank poetry to second-rank song lyrics. “The Sounds Of Silence” is a stirring little song made larger by its overreaching ambition to say something. It was actually producer Tom Wilson who smartly added the electric backing group and made the song a folk rock success.

Growing up together in Forest Hills, New York, they recorded their first record, “Hey Schoolgirl,” as Tom & Jerry in 1957, reaching into the top 50. Subsequent releases were dogs and the duo disbanded, coming together in the early ’60s to record the folkish Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (which includes the non-electric version of “Sounds Of Silence”). The record went nowhere and Simon headed to England to pursue a solo career, recording the incredibly difficult-to-find album The Paul Simon Songbook. That’s when Wilson added the backing to “Sounds” and the duo were back in business. The duo, in need of a new record, re-recorded many of the songs from Simon’s solo release in England.

The duo spent much time in the studio perfecting their sound. The resulting albums were polished without too much sickly sweetener. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme included “Homeward Bound,” the literarily ambitious “The Dangling Conversation” and the heavy-handed “Silent Night/Seven O’Clock News,” which obviously juxtaposes the gentle Christmas melody with an anchorman’s read of the year’s crises. They had several songs included in the Mike Nichols film, The Graduate. The single “Mrs. Robinson” became a huge seller. By 1970, they were at a peak with Bridge Over Troubled Water, but they had grown apart as people. Garfunkel pursued acting while Simon pushed for a solo career. They’ve reunited several times to play their old hits, including the massively successful Concert In Central Park. Artistically, Simon has had far more success on his own.