The Biography of Art Garfunkel & His Songs

With a clear and soothing voice that cut the air like glass, and a head full of hair giving him a definitive look, Art Garfunkel is the face and voice of a man who rose to fame in the 60’s. Although the younger generation wouldn’t pick up on the man behind these songs, any older adult would instantly recognize his clear and resonant voice. Given a wire recorder at age 4 Art’s life was changed. Art reflects that his father brought home one of the first wire recorders, holding more value to Art. “It got me into music more than anything else, singing and being able to record it”. Fame back then was hard to come by, due to the lack of social media. In today’s society, thanks to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter news, videos and messages can be sent instantly, giving artists a higher rate of popularity.

Any artist during those years had to commit their life to music, producing music and hoping for record studios to notice them. Little did Art know that his commitment to music and his passion towards music earned him a Grammy in 1968 for Record of the Year and Best Contemporary Pop Performance. “We human beings are tuned such that we crave great melody and great lyrics. And if somebody writes a great song, it's timeless that we as humans are going to feel something for that and there's going to be a real appreciation.” If we played one song in a classroom full of students and adults, every single person would feel different towards that song. Art Garfunkel (and Paul Simon) wanted to provoke different emotions for each person, the ability to leave an impact on the country with the song “Sound of Silence” shows true depth and talent. However I’d like to point out that Art also devoted years to his solo career.

His album Angel Clare featuring the top hit “ All I Know” gave the public the ability to understand his reasoning behind his songs. “All I Know” allowed Art to let loose and sing to his full potential. Wanting to add a romanticism twist, and keep it original, Art created the piece of music to let the listeners minds wander.According to a feature article from the Rolling Stones, Art would spend the nights in a two star hotel where he would take bits and pieces of words and formulate a song. It was his thinking spot where he could incorporate personal experiences and worldly views.

Being a musician takes effort, time and awareness. If we break down any lyrical music it’s important to keep key ideas in the mind to critique the song we choose to listen to. Is there a strong opening line? It’s like a first impression, you want to be left amazed and intrigued in the song (or person). A strong opening line sets the stage of the who, what, when and where. Later on the song should explain why it was created. The second idea is called the “show more tell less” method. Any artist who wants to capture the audience has to include imagery, setting the mood and transporting the audience to a different reality. Imagery should allow listeners to connect with the lyrics, making the song more powerful and meaningful. Sometimes showing more and telling less gives different depth to the story.

If we analyze “The Boxer” written by Simon and Garfunkel, we are given a clear opening line, which sets the story of the whole song. Listeners are transported to the setting of run down streets in New York City where we’re introduced to our main character who’s trying to find his way in life, and finding no luck so far. I noticed that the plot of this song is similar to the movie The Graduate, where Simon and Garfunkel’s music appeared more than once. We see the similarity of the characters in the movie and song in which their everyday lives are of confusement, innocence and corruption.

What exactly does The Boxer represent? According to Song Genius we understand that in Simon’s 1984 Playboy interview, he explained that he wrote this song due to the harsh criticism about his music. And in this case, he was the boxer.Simon quotes, “I think the song was about me: everybody’s beating me up, and I’m telling you now I’m going to go away if you don’t stop.” However Art has different views as to why The Boxer was created. Art explains that the two partners have a steady and clear rhythm to their music, enhancing the song even more. He also states that the duo could sing when it was a very fluid and syllabolatic song. It was in their comfort zone to say the least.

Song Genius also explains and points out the most important line of the song. The hook that repeats “Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie.” If you listen closely after the “lie la lie” part, we hear a bang from the percussion symbolizing a punch of a glove, from boxer to boxer. Although there is a half second pause, the “bang” still lands on the note.However there is another “bang” that is off the beat, representing the boxer who was off guard receiving a blow. As mentioned above, showing more than telling can help provide a different outlook for the listener.The all time classic hit from Simon and Garfunkel would include “Sound of Silence.” Art explains that this song revolves around people being inadequate to communicate with another emotionally. The opening line “hello darkness my old friend” gives a dark ominesiance tone to the song.

Darkness shows the solemness of the situation, while a friend shows the warmth of the situation. We see the composers create a picture of darkness and sadness, yet it’s placed right next to the neon lights that will appear in the line after. There is an illusion of sadness and warmth combined, therefore giving the impression of silence and possibly submission. Originally it was Art Garfunkel who was the composer who filled his mind with words and experiences and had a goal to put it into action. Simon leaned more towards the composing as well, allowing Art to find his voice and create unforgettable songs. Their music that they produced left Americans feeling heavy and more perspective.