Music Blog

Song Lyric Sunday: Bookends

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written in response to this week’s challenge
for Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday.

© Discogs

This week over at Song Lyric Sunday, Jim Adams’ theme is “Singer-Songwriter Original Artists”. What’s our challenge? To write about a song from an album where the group or artist wrote all their own songs.

Quite possibly the most highly influential American folk/rock duo is the team of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. When the two met in 1953, they were 11-year-old schoolboys in Queens, New York; it was in the classroom and at elementary school talent shows where they discovered their shared skill for harmonizing and their musical partnership began. The duo of Simon & Garfunkel formed in 1964 and achieved global fame with their intricate harmonies and poetic lyrics, crafting timeless hits like “The Sound of Silence” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Despite their musical success, their relationship was often tumultuous, leading to their eventual breakup after just 6 years.

Paul Simon, the songwriter and guitarist of the duo, was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1941. He had a keen ear for melody and a talent for crafting evocative lyrics. Before Simon & Garfunkel, he and Art performed as Tom & Jerry, experiencing a brief chart success with “Hey Schoolgirl”. Simon’s solo career after the duo’s breakup was also highly successful, with numerous hits and critical acclaim. 

Art Garfunkel, the vocalist and harmonist of the group, was born in 1941 in Forest Hills, New York. His tenor voice and distinctive phrasing were crucial to the duo’s sound. Before Simon & Garfunkel, he pursued acting, appearing in films like Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge. Garfunkel also released several solo albums after the duo’s breakup and continues to perform, often with his son, Art Jr.

The duo’s music blended folk, rock, and pop elements, creating a unique sound that resonated with audiences worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. They have sold over 100 million records and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Their songs continue to be enjoyed by generations, solidifying their place as one of the most iconic duos in music history. 

Simon & Garfunkel’s 1968 concept album Bookends consists entirely of compositions written by them, along with a short musical interlude and a spoken word piece also arranged by the duo. The album symbolizes the cycle of a human life from beginning to end …. a conceptual journey from youth to old age. Lyrically, the songs explore themes of fleeting time, memory, loss, and the difficulty of true communication, capturing the uncertainty and eventual contemplation of a life fully lived.  Bookends was a departure from Simon & Garfunkel’s earlier folk-inspired work, re-enforcing their reputations as major artists. It is interesting to note that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were greatly influenced by the music of the Beatles, particularly in their approach to albums as cohesive works of art. This influence is prominent in Bookends which is more a unified statement rather than a collection of songs.

For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, I’ve chosen to feature my two favorite songs from Bookends.

“A Hazy Shade of Winter” was written by Paul Simon in 1965 while he was in the UK and first released by Simon & Garfunkel in 1966 as a single before being included on Bookends; it went to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a melancholic reflection on the passage of time and the feeling of midlife crisis, using seasonal imagery to illustrate a sense of transition and sadness. The lyrics recall the shift from fall to winter, reflecting on the rapid passage of time and a sense of approaching age, using winter as a metaphor for the latter stages of life. The original version is known for its harder-edged sound compared to other Simon & Garfunkel songs, featuring acoustic guitar and tambourine. The song gained renewed popularity in 1987 when The Bangles recorded a rock-oriented version for the soundtrack of the film Less Than Zero.

This is “A Hazy Shade Of Winter” by Simon & Garfunkel. Additional personnel on this recording were Hal Blaine on drums and percussion and Joe Osborn on bass guitar.

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The infamous song “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel is the unofficial anthem of an extramarital affair. It’s the harmony-driven song of a sultry suburban tryst. It’s also one of the greatest pieces of American music of the 20th Century. But what truly made it a hit beyond even the musicality was its inclusion in the soundtrack for the immensely popular 1967 film The Graduate, which starred Dustin Hoffman as an aimless college graduate who’s come back home and Ann Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, the older sexy neighbor who seduces him. While directly inspired by the film’s plot of seduction, the song is about middle-class repression, generational tension, and disillusionment, symbolized by the character of Mrs. Robinson and the nostalgic loss of American heroes like Joe DiMaggio. The lyrics extend to a broader commentary on hiding secrets, social hypocrisy, and the longing for a simpler, more authentic past. The song was Simon & Garfunkel’s second chart-topping hit, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1969, the track became the first rock tune to win a Grammy for Record of the Year. 

This is “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel. Additional personnel on this recording were Hal Blaine on drums and percussion and Larry Knechtel on piano, keyboards, and bass guitar. 

Just for fun, here’s one last video before I take off. From 1957, this is “Hey Schoolgirl” by 16-year-olds Tom & Jerry.

Singer-Songwriter Original Artists

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by for a look and a listen.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

45 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Bookends”

  1. When I was around 16, I got the S&G greatest hits and I’ve been a fan ever since. With the songs you posted I have to go with Mrs. Robinson because I love The Graduate…but you cannot go wrong with any of these.

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  2. Wonderful write up on Simon & Garfunkel Nancy. I was a big fan of theirs back in the day and followed Paul Simon religiously since the break up. Paul was the poet and I just love his writings. Thanks for the lovely songs you picke and the T & J at the end was so funny to listen to. 🥰

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    1. Thanks very much, Christine. The songs of S&G are just about perfect, aren’t they? They have dazzled us over the years with their magic. The stunning poetry of Simon mixed with the sweet harmony of Garfunkel …. it’s like a love potion served up with every track. After reading about their T&J days, I knew I had to look for a video; finding one was a happy moment and I was delighted to share it. I’m so glad you enjoyed my post today, Christine. Thank you for a most gracious comment, as always. ☺️

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  3. So good to hear some S & G songs! I’ve liked Hazy Shade of Winter a lot, and the Bangles did a great job covering it, too. That very early song you added at the end… I love it! Cute lyrics, and they sang so good together even then. They sounded a bit like Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers too. 🙂

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    1. So glad to know you liked one of their first songs as Tom & Jerry! It was a bonus to find that one so I had to share it. A lot of the R&R songs back then had a similar sound so I can see why you mentioned Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. I thought the lyrics to that song were terrific. Hazy Shade Of Winter is a fabulous song and the Bangles cover was excellent. Thanks very much, Barbara; so glad you enjoyed the music today.

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  4. I had never paid much attention to the lyrics of “A Hazy Shade of Winter” so today was a treat, and it was perfect for this season, too – of the year and of life. I need to listen to the entire album after reading your wonderful write up. ✨❤️✨

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I hesitated using the lyric videos today; they were something new for me and I wasn’t sure if they would be well-received, but I found it so easy to follow the lyrics and to deeply feel their meaning. I’m delighted to know you also felt the beautiful lyrics from A Hazy Shade of Winter. Many of us are of the same generation and can instinctively relate the lyrics to aging and the passage of time, especially when expressed in such a poetic way by Simon & Garfunkel. This is the beauty of music and especially Song Lyric Sunday.

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  5. What a great pick, Nancy! Simon and Garfunkel take me back all the way to the start of my music journey as a 7 or 8-year-old in Germany. One of the gems my 6-year-older sister owned on vinyl at the time was the 1972 compilation “Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits.” When I heard it first, I didn’t understand a word of English but loved the music and the beautiful harmony singing from the get-go. About six years later, after I had started picking up the guitar, I got the corresponding songbook to learn all of the songs on guitar. While my guitar skills nowadays are in a rather dismal state, I still have that copy! 🙂

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    1. Thanks for a great comment, Christian. It delights me when my readers can relate to my posts in a personal way. Music is the universal language, whether you speak English, German or Swahili! It is the language of the heart, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers and evoking shared human emotions while creating common experiences, even when the lyrics are not understood …. something you felt even as a young child. How wonderful to know youn are drawn to the music of Simon & Garfunkel. Thanks, Christian. I’m glad you enjoyed the music today.

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  6. Trifecta! I really enjoyed your post. I picture James Spader and Andrew McCarthy from the Less Than Zero book turned movie whenever I hear Hazy Shade of Winter. Music, movies, and books, three of my favorite things.

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  7. Nancy, was this album re-recorded in a pared down style at some point? Seems I remember it was but could be wrong. I bought the album a few years back and have listened to it a lot. Several of them got airplay and others were covered and got airplay that way also. Two awesome choices. Simon is a masterful songwriter and the two in harmony mesh so well.

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    1. Not that I’m aware of, Lisa. You may be thinking of a 2001 CD reissue which included 2 additional tracks that were not on the original album. That’s the only thing that comes to mind. As is the case with most albums, some songs received more airplay than others; in addition to the ones I chose to feature, songs that were played frequently on air include America, Fakin’ It and At The Zoo. Others such as Voices Of Old People didn’t get air time at all. I’m pleased to know you enjoyed today’s music. Simon & Garfunkel have that perfect blend rarely heard.

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      1. Nancy that may be what I’m thinking of. Or The Beatles, Let it Be Naked album (which I think Nick Hornby jumped off with on his novel, “Juliet, Naked.” Now I’m muddying the water too much. Thanks for bearing with me. Yes, I did enjoy your selection ❤

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  9. What a duo! Their relationship sounds a lot like family, the ones that squabble and keep getting drawn back to each other.
    I thought their lyrics were some of the most beautiful poetry of the time. I remember sitting with my girlfriend in the old Crystal Restaurant in Keene, N.H., and stuffing quarters into the juke box, playing their songs over and over until we got the lyrics right.

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  10. I loved your selections today, Nancy.  The singer in ‘A Hazy Shade Of Winter’ realizes that he missed out on some things and probably should have looked around harder, sf then he might have taken a different path which would have led to different opportunities and then he could have been guaranteed something more substantial, than what he ended up with, if only he weren’t so hard to please.  The leaves turned brown, and the sky became a hazy shade of winter and suddenly it might be Christmas time, as he hears the Salvation Army band, probably playing that tune ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’.  He wonders if life might be better down by the riverside, than what was planned, and there he will be able to carry a cup in his hand to collect the important things that life has to offer and look around.  He asks his friend to hang on to their hopes, knowing that is easier said than done, but if their hopes should pass away, they can build them again.  

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    1. Thanks, Jim! Very interesting and detailed input from you …. something I have come to expect and look forward to each week. You took the meaning of ‘cup’ further than I did; for me it was simply a reference to the Salvation Army collection cup. Being a native New Yorker, I love how informal S&G are with words like ‘riverside’ or ‘the park’. It’s assumed we’ll know they’re talking about Central Park and Riverside Drive. What a fabulously talented duo!

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  12. I always learn something here on Sunday’s Nancy. I never realized this was a concept album- nor that it followed the human condition through the cycle of life. I am gonna have to listen to the album with that in mind later on today.

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