9 Comments

Thank you for this! I’ve only heard the essential compilation of S&G, never bothered to go album by album. As an artist myself I both understand and feel frustrated by the ways that even in a legendary duo like this, there were bound to be rifts and breakups and misunderstandings. There will always be an idealistic part of me that wants great art to be two pals staying together. Human, all too human.

Just saw The Graduate recently too and I loved that backstory! Thanks!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks so much - glad you enjoyed the essay.

Expand full comment
Oct 25, 2022Liked by Robert C. Gilbert

Back in the summer of 1968 I was 13 years old, attending summer camp in PA. A kid known to us as Bunky told us that he could get us any records we wanted, give him a list and his father would bring them down on parents visiting weekend. One of the albums I chose was Bookends. The kids father was the great producer Tom Dowd. We all got our package of records, each set packed in a large manila envelope and left on our respective bunks. I thanked Mr. Dowd having no idea until a a couple of years later as to who this man was. He produced Cream, Aretha the Allmans. Wish I had stayed in touch with Bunky (LOL).

Expand full comment
author

Wow - Tom Dowd was a legend!

Expand full comment

Great post Robert to an album that remains one of my favorites in their catalogue. The spring of 1968 was not a very pretty time in the USA.

Expand full comment
Oct 25, 2022Liked by Robert C. Gilbert

Always partial to a bit of S&G Robert, and I think it just adds to the appreciation knowing they could sing but not live in harmony!

For me though it will always be BOTW top of the pile, particularly 'The Boxer'.

Expand full comment
author

The history is fascinating, particularly that acrimony has been part of Simon & Garfunkel for a long, long time (longer than I had previously realized) but that their lives seem to continually intertwine despite it. It's fascinating. That their bond seems irreparably broken is sad but I was cheered to realize that their disastrous New Orleans show was not the last time they sang together.

Hard to really pick between Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water - the latter is a momentous recording - a masterpiece.

Expand full comment
Oct 24, 2022Liked by Robert C. Gilbert

Thanks for reminding me of a lot of great songs I'd forgotten existed.

Expand full comment
author

You're very welcome!

Expand full comment