The Essential Simon & Garfunkel (2003)

A two-disc anthology released to coincide with Simon & Garfunkel’s 2003 "Old Friends" reunion tour (which didn't come within 900 miles of me, but whatever). It contains all of the duo’s 16 singles originally released between 1964 and 1975 to reach the Billboard Hot 100. The remaining 17 songs include album cuts and eight live performances from 1967 to 1969.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #27

Tracks:

Disc 1
Song	Year	Hot 100	AC
Wednesday Morning, 3 AM (Live)	1967	-	-
Bleecker Street	1964	-	-
The Sound Of Silence	1964	1	-
Leaves That Are Green (Live)	1967	-	-
A Most Peculiar Man (Live)	1968	-	-
I Am A Rock	1965	3	-
Richard Cory	1965	-	-
Kathy's Song (Live)	1969	-	-
Scarborough Fair/Canticle	1966	11	5
Homeward Bound	1965	5	-
Sparrow (Live)	1967	-	-
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)	1966	-	-
The Dangling Conversation	1966	25	-
A Poem On The Underground Wall (Live)	1967	-	-
Hazy Shade Of Winter	1966	13	-
At The Zoo	1968	16	-

Disc 2
Song	Year	Hot 100	AC
Mrs. Robinson	1968	1	4
Fakin' It	1967	23	-
Old Friends	1968	-	-
Bookends	1968	-	-
America	1968	97	-
Overs (Live)	1968	-	-
El Condor Pasa (If I Could)	1970	18	6
Bridge Over Troubled Water	1970	1	1
Cecilia	1970	4	31
Keep The Customer Satisfied	1970	-	-
So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright	1970	-	-
The Boxer	1970	7	3
Baby Driver	1970	-	-
The Only Living Boy In New York	1970	-	-
Song For The Asking	1970	-	-
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (Live)	1972	53	27
My Little Town	1975	9	1

Yes, it includes 9 of the original 11 tracks from the Bridge Over Troubled Water album, what of it? That doesn't bother me, but I'm docking this set some points for the almost-but-not-quite chronological sequencing and the inclusion of too many live cuts. Speaking of live cuts, where is the live version of Wake Up, Little Susie, which hit #27 in 1982?

Here's my top five cuts from this particular compilation. Looks like I prefer Disc 2 over Disc 1.

5. My Little Town
4. Cecilia
3. Mrs. Robinson
2. 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
1. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Back on April 27, I was re-rewatching an episode of the wonderful TV series Mad Men, more specifically season 4, episode 7: The Suitcase. The episode ends with Bleecker Street, a deep cut from Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. I immediately liked the tune, but didn't recognize it. I grabbed my phone and used an app to identify the song. Add some bourbon and a credit card to the equation and yada yada yada this two disc set arrives at my doorstep on May 1.

Folk songs always remind me of church camps. I went to my fair share of them as a teen and, at some point during almost all of the camps, one of the camp counselors would pull out an acoustic guitar and attempt to start a folksy sing-along. After a few familiar S&G and/or Dylan tunes, they'd try to get creative and shout out something along the lines of "Hey! Let's sing the words to Amazing Grace to the tune of House Of The Rising Sun!" and teenaged Mark would yearn for a Walkman with some new wave cassettes.

During my years in 5th and 6th grade, my music teacher's name was Mrs.Kincaid and her music classes mostly consisted of her playing the guitar while we sang along. We sang a lot of tunes, but I can only remember a few: Rocky Raccoon, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy). I always liked Mrs. Kincaid - she was very supportive of me and my talents; like all good teachers, she felt her job wasn't to pass along knowledge, but to build up students. I wonder what ever happened to her.

And I can't begin to tell you how many times I've sung Bridge Over Troubled Water at the top of my lungs. I don't have the range to pull it off but that doesn't keep me from trying.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Stranger To Stranger (2016)	Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
So Beautiful or So What (2011)	Graceland (1986)
Father and Daughter (2002)	The Concert in Central Park (1982)
Negotiations and Love Songs 1971-1986 (1988)	Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)

Simon and Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park (1982)

"LIVE IN CONCERT" WEEK (FEBRUARY 7-13, 2011)

Recorded in New York City, September 19, 1981.

Reunion concerts are commonplace these days because performers and promoters realize there's a lot of money to be made at such events. Back in 1981, however, this particular reunion concert was a huge event. And while I'm sure everyone made money with record, VHS and DVD sales, the concert itself was a free event on the Great Lawn of Central Park for an estimated 500,000 fans. The setlist reads like a S&G greatest hits album, plus there's also 5 of Simon's solo hits included as well. The backup band is fantastic, as you would expect, and, to me, the stars of the show aren't necessarily S&G, but the playing of Richard Tee on electric piano and Steve Gadd on drums. Those two played out of their heads that night; I'm glad those instruments aren't lost in a bad mix.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "gloriously recaptures the past"
• CashBox: "surpasses almost every other live recording set down on wax"
• Rolling Stone (★★★★): "chemistry is recaptured"
• Robert Christgau (C+): "live doubles are live doubles, nostalgia is nostalgia, wimps are wimps, and who needs any of 'em?"
• Record World: "every cut is a timeless hit"
• Stereo Review: "The album is more documentation"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #6
• Billboard Rock: #36
• CashBox: #7

Tracks: My favorites include Mrs. Robinson, Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard, Late In The Evening, Kodachrome/Maybellene, and Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover; the latter two are far better than their respective studio recordings. The cover of Wake Up Little Susie is excellent. I usually skip America and Old Friends. The best tune (and the reason I bought this CD) is Bridge Over Troubled Water. Not only is the song a beautiful classic that I often sing in the shower or car (I sound fan-tas-tic, btw), this version has a haunting, gospel-tinged accompaniment by Richard Tee that has stuck in my head since I first heard it in the early '80s. The final track, The Sound Of Silence, isn't a bad song, but I think it's an unusual choice to end a concert or concert CD.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Thinking back, it's a miracle I graduated from high school because during that time in my life I didn't think about school, only girls and music (in that order). My sister had a cassette tape of this album at the time of its release; she may still have it. I would sometimes sneak into her room and take the tape to listen to it. In the years between 1980 and 1988 particularly, I was thirsty for new music constantly; I wanted to soak it all in: folk, jazz, classical, pop, rock, show tunes, etc. To that end, I was willing to risk life and limb by entering my sister's room to get something new to listen to.