features in: Album Chart of 1968 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die  |
Having been central musically to Mike Nichols ’67 film “The Graduate” (the soundtrack for which was issued in January ’68), the duo were riding the crest of a wave by the time “Bookends” was released in April – it proved to be a major breakthrough commercially. Appearing on the album were: Paul Simon (vocals, guitar), Art Garfunkel (vocals, tapes), Hal Blaine (drums, percussion), Joe Osborn (bass guitar) and Larry Knechtel (piano, keyboards). Boosting the album’s appeal were a few older singles: “A Hazy Shade of Winter”, “At the Zoo” and “Fakin’ It”, as well as the current 45 “Mrs Robinson”, early working snips of which had appeared on The Graduate soundtrack. The appeal of “Bookends” was strong and the LP rose all the way to the top of the charts at home and in the UK. “Bookends” is somewhat conceptual, with many of Simon’s lyrics focused on areas central to life’s cycle; youth, disillusionment, relationships, old age, and mortality. At this time he’s America’s answer to Ray Davies – and that’s a cool place to be in 1968.
The Jukebox Rebel
16–Dec–2007
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [00:32]  Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends Theme [instrumental] (Paul Simon) Songwriter |
| A2 | [02:49]  Simon and Garfunkel - Save The Life Of My Child (Paul Simon) Psychedelia |
| A3 | [03:08]  Simon and Garfunkel - America (Paul Simon) Folk Rock / Americana |
| A4 | [02:14]  Simon and Garfunkel - Overs (Paul Simon) Songwriter |
| A5 | [02:09] Simon and Garfunkel - Voices Of Old People (Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel) Speech / Chat |
| A6 | [02:36]  Simon and Garfunkel - Old Friends (Paul Simon) Songwriter |
| A7 | [01:16]  Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends (Paul Simon) Songwriter |
| B1 | [03:14]  Simon and Garfunkel - Fakin’ It (Paul Simon) Folk Rock / Americana |
| B2 | [02:10] Simon and Garfunkel - Punky’s Dilemma (Paul Simon) Pop |
| B3 | [04:02]  Simon and Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson (Paul Simon) Folk Rock / Americana |
| B4 | [02:17]  Simon and Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade Of Winter (Paul Simon) Folk Rock / Americana |
| B5 | [02:11]  Simon and Garfunkel - At The Zoo (Paul Simon) Folk Rock / Americana |
