Welcome back to a new appointment with Musical Disclosure. The next articles are dedicated to the quintessential folk-rock duo, the poetic pair of musicians and friends who gave the '60s one of the most elegant and refined pop phenomena: Simon & Garfunkel.

 

The friendship between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel is a long-standing one. Growing up in the '40s and '50s just a few blocks apart in a Jewish neighborhood of New York, the two shared a passion for music, particularly rock 'n roll, since middle school. In 1957, inspired by the Everly Brothers, they recorded one of their first tracks, "Hey, Schoolgirl," capturing the attention of promoter Sid Prosen. With their parents' support, they signed their first recording contract with Big Records at the age of 15, and thanks to Prosen's intense promotional efforts, "Hey, Schoolgirl" sold over 100,000 copies. However, subsequent tracks did not achieve the same success, and by college, Simon decided to release a solo single, sparking Garfunkel's indignation. The reunion between the two occurred in 1963, facilitated by their shared interest in folk music. This time, it was producer Tom Wilson who took notice of the duo, and through Columbia Records, Simon and Garfunkel released their debut album "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." in 1964. That same year, Simon moved to England, where he connected with various artists from the folk scene, and after a brief return to the United States, he released his first solo album in 1965, now certain that music was his true calling. The decisive turning point in the lives of the two New York musicians came from Wilson, who, unbeknownst to them, decided to release a remix of "The Sound of Silence," a track from their first album, inspired by Bob Dylan's folk-rock style and overdubbing it with electric guitars, bass, and drums. In no time, the song topped the charts and sold over a million copies, although it did not meet Simon's taste, who was reportedly horrified upon first hearing it. Riding the wave of success, the two recorded "Sounds of Silence," their second studio album.
Released in 1966, the album is largely a reworking of tracks from Simon's solo project, "The Paul Simon Songbook," with additions like "Richard Cory," inspired by the poem of the same name by E. A. Robinson, "Somewhere They Can't Find Me," essentially a rewrite of a piece already present in "Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.," and "Anji," a cover of an instrumental track by guitarist Davey Graham. In fact, Simon's only new composition is "Blessed," which, like other songs on the album, revolves around the theme of loneliness. Another recurring theme of the album is nature, which, with its cycle of life and death, becomes a metaphor for the birth and end of love, as in "April Come She Will" and "Leaves Are Green." Faced with the pain generated by feelings, becoming a "rock," cold and impenetrable, remains the only solution, as recounted in the final track, "I Am A Rock." Despite the success of the singles, critics remained mostly skeptical of the Simon & Garfunkel phenomenon, with some defining it as a mere imitation of folk music. However, it is important to note how the duo's style distances itself from the protest songs typical of the genre, turning its gaze towards a more introspective world, made of symbols and authentic evocative romanticism. 

We therefore invite you to listen to the legendary "The Sound of Silence," today more relevant than ever in its prophecy of a humanity incapable of communicating.