Simon & Garfunkel and Paul Simon album by album

Paul Simon has been an interesting writer for some years. His work with Art Garfunkel, which started in the 1950s, became iconic during the Sixties, and the sound they created appeared to define the times. They made six albums (including The Graduate) - the last three form a holy trinity of fascinating, transcending, pop-folk that was immediate and vital at the time, and still retains a fascination and resonance today. Their last album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, was universally adored, and remained in the album charts for over a year. It is an outstanding artistic and cultural achievement. The duo split up, and Simon made a series of solo albums, some better than others, and all moderately interesting - but nothing as iconic and moving as his best work with Garfunkel. In 1981 they got together for The Concert in Central Park, which appeared to reaffirm that the emotional heart of Simon's work was with Garfunkel. That's what the public wanted and adored, and while his solo career was doing OK, it was not on the same scale of acceptance and appreciation as his work with Garfunkel. The critics said positive things, and the albums sold, but there wasn't the buzz and feel of Simon & Garfunkel.

And then in 1986, as the world was starting to get into "World Music", and African music was starting to make itself felt, Simon heard the Boyoyo Boys, and decided to make an album in South Africa, despite the cultural boycott at that time against the racist regime. The album was Graceland - and it had a massive, cultural, musical, and social impact. The album was not without controversy, which continues to this day, but it was, without a doubt, a landmark album, and one that - at last - outshone what Simon had done with Simon & Garfunkel. While the jury may still be out on the enduring legacy of Bridge Over Troubled Water (lovely though it is - is it a lasting piece of work, or it is ephemeral?), without a doubt, Graceland is a towering work of art, that will be listened to and studied for years to come. A clear, and quite wonderful classic.

Simon gave his last tour in 2018, and has now retired.

Early recordings

 

"I Wish I Weren't In Love" (Oct 1961) 
Johnny Landis

 

Two Teenagers

 

An album that collects early recordings of both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel - separate (as Johnny Landis, etc for Simon, and Artie Garr for Garfunkel) and together (as Tom & Jerry).

 

Tracklist

1	Tom & Jerry–	Hey Schoolgirl	2:16
2	Tom & Jerry–	Dancin' Wild	2:17
3	True Taylor–	True Or False	2:10
4	True Taylor–	Teenage Fool	2:45
5	Tom & Jerry–	Our Song	1:56
6	Tom & Jerry–	Two Teenagers	2:22
7	Tom & Jerry–	That's My Story	2:32
8	Tom & Jerry–	(Pretty Baby) Don't Say Goodbye	2:02
9	Jerry Landis–	Anna Belle	2:01
10	Jerry Landis–	Loneliness	2:15
11	Tom & Jerry*–	Baby Talk	2:07
12	Artie Garr–	Beat Love	2:07
13	Artie Garr–	Dream Alone	2:20
14	Jerry Landis–	Just A Boy	2:09
15	Jerry Landis–	Shy	2:28
16	Jerry Landis–	The Lipstick On Your Collar	2:11
17	The Mystics–	All Through The Night	2:32
18	The Mystics–	I Begin (To Think Of You)	2:26
19	Artie Garr–	Private World	2:48
20	Artie Garr–	Forgive Me	2:34
21	Jerry Landis–	Play Me A Sad Song	2:18
22	Jerry Landis–	It Means A Lot To Them	2:08
23	Jerry Landis–	I Wish I Weren't In Love	2:02
24	Jerry Landis–	I'm Lonely	2:16
25	Tico And The Triumphs–	Motorcycle	2:08
26	Tico And The Triumphs–	I Don't Believe Them	2:05

 

"Motorcycle" (Nov 1961) 

Tico and The Triumphs

A novelty song written and sung by Simon for a band called Tico and The Triumphs  which he was helping and writing songs for, and would sometimes sing with on recordings. "Motorcycle" reached 97 in the US chart. The group released three other singles, but none sung by Simon.   Simon used the band to accompany him on "I Wish I Weren't In Love" under the name Johnny Landis. 

Simon & Garfunkel

Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (Oct 1964)

Their debut. A folky album, quite nicely done, with a mix of traditional folk songs and Paul Simon originals. This is a very pleasant and listenable album.  It didn't sell, so the boys broke up - Simon moving to England where he recorded his first solo album. When "Sounds of Silence", overdubbed with electric instruments, became a surprise hit, the boys reunited, and the album was re-released in 1966. The version of "The Sound of Silence" on the album is the original without the electric over-dubbing.

When I first reviewed this I thought it was a "sadly over-looked album", but on revisiting it I don't think that's the case. There's some pleasant stuff, some ordinary stuff, and some poor stuff. Overall, not a great album, but has an interest as the debut of Simon & Garfunkel. The engineer was Roy Halee who would later become their producer, and is regarded as essential to their sound. 

Some other folk albums released around this time were:  Peter, Paul & Mary: In The Wind (Oct 1963); Bobby Darin: Golden Folk Hits (Nov 1963);  The Kingston Trio: Time To Think (Dec 1963); Bob Dylan: The Times They Are A-Changin' (Jan 1964);  Joan Baez: /5 (Oct 1964); 

Released	October 19, 1964
Recorded	March 10–31, 1964
Studio	Columbia Studios, New York City
Genre	Folk[1][2]
Length	31:38
Label	Columbia
Producer	Tom Wilson

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"You Can Tell the World"	Bob Gibson,  Bob Camp, arr by. Paul Simon	March 31, 1964	2:47
2.	"Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"	Ed McCurdy	March 17, 1964	2:11
3.	"Bleecker Street"		March 10, 1964	2:44
4.	"Sparrow"		March 31, 1964	2:49
5.	"Benedictus"	Orlando di Lasso, arr by. Paul Simon	March 31, 1964	2:38
6.	"The Sounds of Silence"		March 10, 1964	3:08

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"He Was My Brother"	Paul Kane (Paul Simon)	March 17, 1964	2:48
2.	"Peggy-O"	Traditional arr by. Paul Simon	March 31, 1964	2:26
3.	"Go Tell It on the Mountain"	Traditional arr by. Paul Simon	March 31, 1964	2:06
4.	"The Sun Is Burning"	Ian Campbell, arr by. Paul Simon	March 17, 1964	2:49
5.	"The Times They Are a-Changin'"	Bob Dylan, arr by. Paul Simon	March 10, 1964	2:52
6.	"Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M."		March 17, 1964	2:13

• Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo on "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"
• Art Garfunkel – vocals
• Barry Kornfeld – acoustic guitar
• Bill Lee – double bass

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4

[The duo broke up, and Simon toured the UK and recorded  The Paul Simon Songbook (1965) - see below in the Paul Simon section. They reformed when "The Sound of Silence" became a hit.]

Sounds of Silence  (Jan 1966) 

Their second album cashes in on the success of the overdubbed "The Sound of Silence" - the album opens with that version. All the songs apart from the instrumental "Anji", were written by Simon. There are drums and electric instruments in line with what the public were expecting, and in the mood of the time for folk music to be modern and electric. It lacks the charm of the all acoustic debut album, though  "I Am A Rock" is classic Simon & Garfunkel, and appears on their 1972 Greatest Hits album. Overall it's not a great album, but is competent enough and quite listenable. It is a slightly better album than the debut, but lacks the geeky charm.

Released	January 17, 1966
Recorded	March 1964 and April, June, and December 1965
Genre	Folk rock[1]
Length	29:09
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Johnston, Tom Wilson

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"The Sound of Silence"		March 10, 1964 (basic track) June 15, 1965 (overdubs)	3:08
2.	"Leaves That Are Green"		December 13, 1965	2:23
3.	"Blessed"		December 21, 1965	3:16
4.	"Kathy's Song"		December 21, 1965	3:21
5.	"Somewhere They Can't Find Me"		April 5, 1965	2:37
6.	"Anji"	Davey Graham	December 13, 1965	2:17

Side two

No.	Title	Recorded	Length
1.	"Richard Cory"	December 14, 1965	2:57
2.	"A Most Peculiar Man"	December 22, 1965	2:34
3.	"April Come She Will"	December 21, 1965	1:51
4.	"We've Got a Groovey Thing Goin'"	April 5, 1965	2:00
5.	"I Am a Rock"	December 14, 1965	2:50

• Paul Simon – lead vocals, guitar
• Art Garfunkel – lead vocals
• Fred Carter Jr., Glen Campbell, Joe South – guitar
• Larry Knechtel – keyboards
• Joe Osborn – bass guitar
• Hal Blaine – drums
• Bob Johnston – producer

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 4

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (Oct 1966) 

The duo were now popular because of the chance success of "The Sound of Silence"; they had reformed and rushed out the lacklustre but intermittently likeable and promising Sounds of Silence album. The next album would make or break them. They spent three months working on it - the combination of Simon's song-writing ability,  Garfunkel's obsessive perfectionism, and the attractive mix of their voices resulted in a magnificent album - a quantum leap forward on anything they had done before. While not quite fully rejecting electric instruments, the boys had a strong folky and acoustic feel on the album, and included the traditional folk song "Scarborough Fair" as the opening track. Their reputations were now made. This is a beautiful album, and a great artistic achievement.

Released	October 24, 1966
Recorded	December 1965 – August 1966
Genre	Folk rock
Length	27:55
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Johnston

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"Scarborough Fair/Canticle"	Traditional; arranged by Simon and Art Garfunkel	July 26, 1966	3:10
2.	"Patterns"		June 8, 1966	2:42
3.	"Cloudy"	Simon, Bruce Woodley	June 10, 1966	2:10
4.	"Homeward Bound"		December 14, 1965	2:30
5.	"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine"		June 15, 1966	2:44
6.	"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"		August 16, 1966	1:43

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"The Dangling Conversation"		June 21, 1966	2:37
2.	"Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall"		December 22, 1965	2:10
3.	"A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)"		June 13, 1966	2:12
4.	"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her"		August 22, 1966	2:04
5.	"A Poem on the Underground Wall"		June 13, 1966	1:52
6.	"7 O'Clock News/Silent Night"	Josef Mohr, Franz Gruber	August 22, 1966	2:01

• Paul Simon – vocals, guitar, harmonica on "A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)”
• Art Garfunkel – vocals, piano on "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night"

• Hal Blaine – drums
• Joe South – guitar

• Roy Halee – producer and recording engineer

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 7

The Graduate (Jan 1968)

The boys are strongly associated with The Graduate film. Though five of their songs are used, only one, "Mrs Robinson", an adaption of a work in progress titled "Mrs Roosevelt", was made specially for the soundtrack, and that song wasn't used in its full version. The two songs Simon wrote specially for the film,"Punky's Dilemma" and "Overs", were rejected by the director, Mike Nichols. Both songs appear on Bookends, along with the full version of "Mrs Robinson". The other Simon & Garfunkel tracks are on The Sounds of Silence album.  Nearly half of the music is instrumental soundtrack music by David Grusin, which intrudes jerkily on the music by S&G. It works in the film, but doesn't work here. 

Everything by Simon & Garfunkel on the soundtrack is available on other albums, so this can safely be skipped, other than a mention for its cultural significance, unless someone is interested in the instrumental music by David Grusin, or wish to relive the film via the music. 

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
1.	"The Sound of Silence" (Remix)	Paul Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	3:06
2.	"The Singleman Party Foxtrot"	Dave Grusin	Dave Grusin	2:52
3.	"Mrs. Robinson" (Version 1)	Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	1:12
4.	"Sunporch Cha-Cha-Cha"	Grusin	Dave Grusin	2:53
5.	"Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Interlude)	Traditional, arranged by Simon, Art Garfunkel	Simon & Garfunkel	1:41
6.	"On the Strip"	Grusin	Dave Grusin	2:00
7.	"April Come She Will"	Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	1:50
8.	"The Folks"	Grusin	Dave Grusin	2:27

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
9.	"Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Extended version)	Traditional, arranged by Simon, Garfunkel	Simon & Garfunkel	6:22
10.	"A Great Effect"	Grusin	Dave Grusin	4:06
11.	"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" (Alternate version)	Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	1:46
12.	"Whew"	Grusin	Dave Grusin	2:10
13.	"Mrs. Robinson" (Version 2)	Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	1:12
14.	"The Sound of Silence" (Alternate version)	Simon	Simon & Garfunkel	3:08

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 3

 Bookends  (April 1968)

The somewhat tricky album between Parsley and Bridge. It's a brief album - around 25 minutes of music. Concept albums were all the rage in 1968, so Simon had a go on the first side - critics love concept albums because it gives them something to write about, but mostly they fail because the writers are focusing so much on telling the story, or ensuring that the songs fit "the concept" that the value of the music itself tends to take a back stage. The attempt to be serious and conceptual doesn't work for me (though critics like it) - it is notable that some of the most serious, committed, authentic and artistic musicians, such as Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, etc, never made a concept album, but the Bee Gees did. "Voices of Old People" is just that, over two minutes of old people talking - that wears thin after a while, and on repeated listenings that's a track you want to skip. There are some decent songs, but not enough to make up for the weak songs and the failed conceptual experiment.

Released	April 3, 1968
Recorded	September 1966 January and June 1967 October 1967 – February 1968
Studio	Columbia Studio B & E, New York City
Genre	Folk rock
Length	29:51
Label	Columbia
Producer	Simon & Garfunkel,  Roy Halee

Side one

No.	Title	Recorded	Length
1.	"Bookends Theme"	March 8, 1968	0:32
2.	"Save the Life of My Child"	December 14, 1967	2:49
3.	"America"	February 1, 1968	3:35
4.	"Overs"	October 16, 1967	2:14
5.	"Voices of Old People"	February 6, 1968	2:07
6.	"Old Friends"	March 8, 1968	2:36
7.	"Bookends Theme"	March 8, 1968	1:16

Side two

No.	Title	Recorded	Length
1.	"Fakin' It"	June 1967	3:17
2.	"Punky's Dilemma"	October 5, 1967	2:12
3.	"Mrs. Robinson"	February 2, 1968	4:02
4.	"A Hazy Shade of Winter"	September 7, 1966	2:17
5.	"At the Zoo"	January 8, 1967	2:23

• Paul Simon – vocals, guitar
• Art Garfunkel – vocals, tapes, percussion

• Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
• Joe Osborn – bass guitar
• Larry Knechtel – piano, keyboards, bass guitar on "Mrs Robinson"

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 4


[A recording of the tour they made in 1969, Live 1969 (2008) - see below, before the release of Bridge Over Troubled Water, accompanied by the musicians who they worked with on Bridge, was released in 2008/2009]

Bridge Over Troubled Water  (1969)

It's a masterpiece. One of the greatest albums ever made. A cultural highlight.

Released	January 26, 1970
Recorded	November 1968; November 1969
Venue	Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (Live recording of "Bye Bye Love")
Studio	Columbia Studio B and E, New York City CBS Columbia Square, Los Angeles[1][2]
Genre	Folk rock
Length	36:29
Label	Columbia
Producer	Paul Simon,  Art Garfunkel,  Roy Halee

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"Bridge over Troubled Water"		November 9, 1969	4:52
2.	"El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)"	Daniel Alomía Robles, arranged by Jorge Milchberg and English lyrics by Paul Simon	November 2, 1969	3:06
3.	"Cecilia"		November 2, 1969	2:55
4.	"Keep the Customer Satisfied"		November 2, 1969	2:33
5.	"So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright"		November 9, 1969	3:41

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recorded	Length
1.	"The Boxer"		November 8, 1968	5:08
2.	"Baby Driver"		November 2, 1968	3:14
3.	"The Only Living Boy in New York"		November 15, 1969	3:58
4.	"Why Don't You Write Me"		November 8, 1969	2:45
5.	"Bye Bye Love" (Live recording from Ames, Iowa)	Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant	November 14, 1969	2:55
6.	"Song for the Asking"		November 1, 1969	1:49

• Paul Simon – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
• Art Garfunkel – lead vocals, percussion
• Los Incas – Peruvian instruments
• Joe Osborn – bass guitar
• Larry Knechtel – piano
• Fred Carter Jr. – guitar
• Pete Drake – Dobro, pedal steel guitar
• Hal Blaine – drums
• Jimmie Haskell and Ernie Freeman – strings
• Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff and Alan Rubin – Brass

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 10

Greatest Hits  (1972) 

Released two years after they split. There was no hurry because in the interim Bridge Over Troubled Waters was selling massively and was still in the top of the album charts week after week. It was only when Bridge dropped out of the charts that the record company felt a new product was needed. This beautifully captures the best of their five year output. A wonderful summary of what they were.

Side one[edit]

1. "Mrs. Robinson"  [The Graduate and Bookends] 
2. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her"  [Parsley, Sage... - live version] 
3. "The Boxer" – 5:10  [Bridge Over... ]
4. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" [Parsley,  Sage.... live version]
5. "The Sound of Silence" (Acoustic version with electric overdubs) – 3:05
6. "I Am a Rock"  [Sounds of Silence ]
7. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Traditional; arranged by Simon, Art Garfunkel) – 3:09

Side two[edit]

1. "Homeward Bound" [Sounds... / Parsley, Sage... live version]
2. "Bridge over Troubled Water"  [Bridge ...] 
3. "America" – 3:33
4. "Kathy's Song" (Live) – 3:23
5. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" (Daniel Alomía Robles; English lyrics by Simon, arranged by Jorge Milchberg) – 3:07
6. "Bookends" [Bookends ]
7. "Cecilia" [Bridge Over....]

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 8  

 

The Simon and Garfunkel Collection: 

17 of Their All-Time Greatest Recordings

(Nov 1981)

1. "I Am a Rock" [Sounds of Silence] 
2. "Homeward Bound"
3. "America"
4. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"
5. "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M."
6. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" (Daniel Alomía Robles, English lyrics by Simon, arranged by Jorge Milchberg)
7. "At the Zoo"
8. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (traditional, arr. Simon & Art Garfunkel with Canticle by Simon)
9. "The Boxer"
10. "The Sound of Silence"
11. "Mrs. Robinson"
12. "Keep the Customer Satisfied"
13. "Song for the Asking"
14. "A Hazy Shade of Winter"
15. "Cecilia"
16. "Old Friends/Bookends Theme (Reprise)"
17. "Bridge over Troubled Water"

The Concert in Central Park (1982)

The boys reunited in 1981 for a benefit concert to raise money for Central Park. They played in front of  an estimated half million people. The songs are a mix of their classics and Simon's own solo work. Mainly it's a nice bit of nostalgia; the boys do OK considering their tense relationship, but the whole thing lacks genuine warmth, and little of interest happens.

Released	February 16, 1982
Recorded	September 19, 1981
Venue	Great Lawn, New York City
Genre	Folk rock
Length	75:51
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Roy Halee, Phil Ramone

Side One

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mrs. Robinson"	3:52
2.	"Homeward Bound"	4:22
3.	"America"	4:47
4.	"Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"	3:22
5.	"Scarborough Fair"	3:52

Side Two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"April Come She Will"	2:37
2.	"Wake Up Little Susie"	2:19
3.	"Still Crazy After All These Years"	4:04
4.	"American Tune"	4:33
5.	"Late in the Evening"	4:09

Side Three

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Slip Slidin' Away"	4:54
2.	"A Heart in New York"	2:49
3.	"Kodachrome/Maybellene"	5:51
4.	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	4:48

Side Four

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover"	4:23
2.	"The Boxer"	6:02
3.	"Old Friends"	2:57
4.	"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"	2:01
5.	"The Sound of Silence"	4:13

• Paul Simon – vocals, guitar
• Art Garfunkel – vocals
• Pete Carr, David Brown – guitar
• Anthony Jackson – bass guitar
• Richard Tee – keyboards
• Steve Gadd, Grady Tate – drums
• Rob Mounsey – synthesizer
• John Gatchell, John Eckert – trumpet
• Dave Tofani, Gerry Niewood – saxophone

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 3

Old Friends: Live On Stage (2004) 

More nostalgia. The boys sound more relaxed and confident, so there is a better, more authentic, feel to this, though the voices are weak in places. On the whole I prefer this, slightly, to the Central Park album.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4

 

Live 1969 (2008)

Released	25 March 2008 (Starbucks only) 14 April 2009
Recorded	30 October - 27 November 1969
Genre	Folk rock
Label	Columbia/Legacy
Producer	Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Roy Halee

1. "Homeward Bound" – 3:04 (11/15/69, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California)
2. "At the Zoo" – 2:07 (11/27/69, Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York)
3. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" – 1:56 (11/8/69, Carbondale, Illinois)
4. "Song for the Asking" – 2:26 (11/15/69, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California)
5. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" – 2:37 (November 1969, St. Louis, Missouri)
6. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel) – 3:56 (11/28/69, Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York)
7. "Mrs. Robinson" – 4:44 (11/8/69, Carbondale, Illinois)
8. "The Boxer" – 4:46 (11/15/69, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California)
9. "Why Don't You Write Me" – 2:56 (11/15/69, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California)
10. "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" – 3:55 (11/8/69, Carbondale, Illinois)
11. "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine" (Jimmy Long, Gene Autry) – 3:11 (11/15/69, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California)
12. "Bridge over Troubled Water" – 5:25 (11/28/69, Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York)
13. "The Sound of Silence" – 3:52 (11/8/69, Carbondale, Illinois)
14. "I Am a Rock" – 3:36 (11/8/69, Carbondale, Illinois)
15. "Old Friends/Bookends Theme" – 3:22 (11/1/69, Toledo, Ohio)
16. "Leaves That Are Green" – 3:23 (10/30/69, Detroit, Michigan)
17. "Kathy's Song" – 3:53 (November 1969, St. Louis, Missouri)

• Paul Simon — vocal, acoustic guitar
• Art Garfunkel — vocal
• Fred Carter Jr. — acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Larry Knechtel — keyboards
• Joe Osborn — bass
• Hal Blaine — drums, congas

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

 Paul Simon

The Paul Simon Songbook (1965)

Simon's first solo album, recorded in London during his period in the UK after Simon & Garfunkel had split up in 1964 when their first album sold poorly and it appeared there was to be no future for them. Most of the songs on this album Simon would use again for Simon & Garfunkel. There is a sparse feel about the album - some of the tracks, such as "Sound of Silence" and "I Am A Rock", sound more like demos rather than finished productions, but that gives it a certain charm and immediacy, and makes this album stand out in interesting comparison with some of the more fully worked productions that these songs went through with Simon & Garfunkel.  I like this.

Released	August 1965
Recorded	June - July 1965
Studio	Levy's Recording Studio, 73 New Bond Street, London
Genre	Folk
Length	37:48
Label	CBS
Producer	Reginald Warburton, Stanley West

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Am a Rock"	2:52
2.	"Leaves That Are Green"	2:41
3.	"A Church is Burning"	3:38
4.	"April Come She Will"	1:55
5.	"The Sound of Silence"	3:19
6.	"A Most Peculiar Man"	2:26

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"He Was My Brother"	Paul Kane*	2:58
2.	"Kathy's Song"		3:42
3.	"The Side of a Hill"	Kane	2:28
4.	"A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)"		2:25
5.	"Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall"		2:27
6.	"Patterns"		3:13

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 5

Paul Simon (1972) 

Simon's first solo album after the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel (for many years he did not regard Songbook as part of his oeuvre, and when Columbia released it in America in 1969 he had them immediately withdraw it). This album sounds like proper Paul Simon rather than the hesitant folk of Songbook.   He has found his voice and style, and what is heard here will be heard on all his future albums. The opening track, "Mother and Child Reunion",  is by far the best track, and the story of its making will be repeated years later for Graceland. Simon liked reggae, and in particular Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam", so he recorded the song in Kingston, Jamaica, where Cliff had recorded, and using the same musicians.

A decent album, and setting Simon on the path to Graceland.

Released	January 24, 1972
Recorded	January to March 1971
Studio	CBS Studios, San Francisco CBS Studios, New York Western Recorders, Los Angeles Dynamic Sound Studios, Kingston Studio CBE, Paris
Genre	Folk rock
Length	34:03
Label	Columbia Warner Bros.
Producer	Roy Halee Paul Simon

Side one

1. "Mother and Child Reunion" – 3:05
2. "Duncan" – 4:39
3. "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" – 1:59
4. "Run That Body Down" – 3:52
5. "Armistice Day" – 3:55

Side two

6. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" – 2:42
7. "Peace Like a River" – 3:20
8. "Papa Hobo" (co-written with Stéphane Grappelli) – 2:34
9. "Hobo's Blues" – 1:21
10. "Paranoia Blues" – 2:54
11. "Congratulations" – 3:42

• Paul Simon - acoustic guitar, vocals, percussion (10), producer, arranger (all tracks)
• Hal Blaine - drums (4, 10, 11)
• Lynford "Hux" Brown - lead guitar (1)
• Ron Carter - double bass (4)
• Russell George - bass guitar (6)
• Stéphane Grappelli - violin (9)
• Winston Grennan - drums (1)
• Stefan Grossman - bottleneck guitar (10)
• Jerry Hahn - electric guitar (4, 5)
• Neville Hinds - Hammond organ (1)
• Jackie Jackson - bass guitar (1)
• Larry Knechtel - piano (1, 11), Wurlitzer electronic piano (3, 11), harmonium (3, 8), Hammond organ (11)

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 6

There Goes Rhymin' Simon  (1973) 

This sold better than 1972's Paul Simon, suggesting that it was generally more popular, but I like it slightly less. The songs are OK, but it just feels like he's going through the motions. I like "Take Me to the Mardi Gras", but it is a fairly modest song. It's not an album that's really going to set the world on fire, but is pleasant enough.

Released	May 5, 1973
Recorded	September 1972 – January 1973
Studio	Columbia Studios, New York City, A&R Recording, New York City, Malaco Recording Studios, Jackson, Mississippi, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Alabama Morgan Studios, London
Genre	Pop rock
Length	35:19
Label	Columbia, Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon, Phil Ramone, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Paul Samwell-Smith, Roy Halee

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Kodachrome"	3:32
2.	"Tenderness"	2:53
3.	"Take Me to the Mardi Gras"	3:27
4.	"Something So Right"	4:33
5.	"One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor"	3:46

Side two

No.	Title	Length
6.	"American Tune"	3:43
7.	"Was a Sunny Day"	3:41
8.	"Learn How to Fall"	2:44
9.	"St. Judy's Comet"	3:19
10.	"Loves Me Like a Rock"	3:31

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 4

Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin' (1974) 

A pleasant album with a mix of songs from Simon's career up to that point. There is a warmth to the performances on side one, which are sparse and folky, similar in style to how Simon started out. Side two he is joined by fellow musicians and he is more expansive and adventurous, providing an interesting contrast.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 5

Still Crazy After All These Years  (1975) 

While everyone agrees that Graceland is Simon's major work, there is some uncertainty as to what ranks second. A number of people like his first post S&G album, Paul Simon, a few others like the second one, Rhymin' Simon,  some critics find Hearts and Bones interesting, while a good number of people, general listeners and critics both, like this one. Put me in the camp that likes this one. It may be because I had it back in 1975, and have enjoyed playing it over the years - but I like to think that I acquired it back then because there was something about this album that appealed to me which was not the case for any of his other solo albums apart from Graceland. There is a cohesive feel about the album. The others feel like a selection of songs; this feels like an album. The melodic jazz tones ease the listener through some sardonic observations of middle life. There is the sense of the weight of life on his shoulders - not the life of a pop star, but of an individual, just like the listener. There are none of the social optimisms of youth, the joy and humour of falling in love, of starting up friendships, of quietly challenging authority; instead, this is a mature person looking at himself at middle age - just like his audience who had grown up with him. There is reflection on the past, some nostalgia (and most effectively done in conjunction with Garfunkel on "My Little Town" - a nice touch, especially in the dark rejection of that nostalgia), as well as a quiet sense of potential rebellion wrapped up in the lyrics - indeed, the title captures that feeling so tellingly. There is the sense of solidity in the word "Still", but also a sense of regret, a sense of wanting a change to come. "After All These Years" captures the sense of the past, the passing years, the experiences. "Crazy" has that hint of potential rebellion. It's a clever title, both self-satisfied, yet regretting. Stuff happens, will happen, has happened. As he says: "Love emerges and it disappears". Life goes on. Indeed, there are numerous mentions of the seasons - time passing, coming round again. But mostly the lyrics focus on the ending of relationships - which is what had happened to Simon who had just divorced his first wife.

Released	25 October 1975
Recorded	1975
Studio	A&R Recording, New York City[1]
Genre	Folk rock, pop rock, soul
Length	36:25 (original album) 45:32 (2004 CD reissue)
Label	Columbia
Producer	Paul Simon, Phil Ramone

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Still Crazy After All These Years"	3:26
2.	"My Little Town"	3:51
3.	"I Do It for Your Love"	3:35
4.	"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"	3:37
5.	"Night Game"	2:58

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Gone at Last"	3:40
2.	"Some Folks' Lives Roll Easy"	3:14
3.	"Have a Good Time"	3:26
4.	"You're Kind"	3:20
5.	"Silent Eyes"	4:12

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 7

One Trick Pony  (1980) 

Nearly five years after his last album, and after dabbling with acting in Annie Hall, and writing a soundtrack for Shampoo, he released a soundtrack and film of his own. The film, about an ageing and unsuccessful rock star (played by himself; clearly not autobiographical, but possibly an alternative view of what might have happened to Simon had "Sounds of Silence" not been a surprise quirky hit), was not a big success, but is not regarded as a turkey.  The music is downbeat and world weary. It's OK, but there's little of significance here, and it comes across as the work of just another middle of the road singer-songwriter.

Released	August 12, 1980 [1]
Recorded	1979–1980
Studio	A&R Studios, New York except "Ace in the hole" and "One Trick Pony" recorded live at The Agora Club, Cleveland, Ohio
Genre	Rock
Length	38:12
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon, Phil Ramone

Side one

1. "Late in the Evening" – 4:02
2. "That's Why God Made the Movies" – 3:37
3. "One-Trick Pony" (Live at the Agora Theatre and Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio, September 1979) – 3:53
4. "How the Heart Approaches What It Yearns" – 2:49
5. "Oh, Marion" – 4:00

Side two

1. "Ace in the Hole" (duet with Richard Tee) (Live at the Agora Theatre and Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio, September 1979) – 5:43
2. "Nobody" – 3:32
3. "Jonah" – 3:30
4. "God Bless the Absentee" – 3:17
5. "Long, Long Day" (with Patti Austin) – 3:57

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4

Hearts and Bones  (1983) 

Made just after Simon & Garfunkel's Central Park concert, this was intended to be their reunion album, but after encountering too much stress and tension in the making of the album, Simon finished it as a solo album. Some critics find stuff here of interest - I haven't yet found my way into it.  I will return.

Released	November 4, 1983
Recorded	1981–1983
Studio	Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, Atlantic Studios, New York City, The Power Station, New York City; Sigma Sound Studios, New York City; Regent Sound Studios, New York City; Media Sound Studios, New York City[1]
Genre	Pop, rock
Length	40:30
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Roy Halee,  Paul Simon,  Russ Titelman,  Lenny Waronker

Side one

1. "Allergies" – 4:37
2. "Hearts and Bones" – 5:37  
3. "When Numbers Get Serious" – 3:25
4. "Think Too Much (b)" – 2:44
5. "Song About the Moon" – 4:07  (Version with Art Garfunkel) 

Side two

6. "Think Too Much (a)" – 3:05
7. "Train in the Distance" – 5:11 (Version with Art Garfunkel) 
8. "René and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" – 3:44
9. "Cars Are Cars" – 3:15  (Version with Art Garfunkel)
10. "The Late Great Johnny Ace" – 4:45

2004 CD reissue bonus tracks

11. "Shelter of Your Arms" (Unreleased Work-in-Progress) – 3:11
12. "Train in the Distance" (Original acoustic demo) – 3:13
13. "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War" (Original acoustic demo) – 3:46
14. "The Late Great Johnny Ace" (Original acoustic demo) – 3:22

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 4

Graceland (1986)

An exceptional album. An astonishing work of art, and additionally it had a profound impact: this album is really what broke the apartheid system in South Africa. This album, and the accompanying tour, showed the world that the faceless "blacks" of South Africa were real people with talents, hopes, aspirations and feelings. By defiantly breaking the cultural embargo on the grounds that musicians and art are above politics and those temporarily in political power, he faced huge criticism from the West and black politicians in South Africa, but love and respect from the musicians and people inside South Africa. He gave South Africans back their dignity and pride, and gave them a voice. Artistically and culturally this album is an example of the pinnacle of human creativity, cooperation, hope, defiance, and ambition.  This is humanity at its very very best. 

Released	August 25, 1986
Recorded	October 1985 – June 1986
Studio	New York City, London, Los Angeles, Louisiana and South Africa
Genre	Worldbeat pop rock folk
Length	43:18
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Boy in the Bubble"	Forere Motloheloa, Simon	3:59
2.	"Graceland"		4:48
3.	"I Know What I Know"	General MD Shirinda, Simon	3:13
4.	"Gumboots"	Lulu Masilela, Jonhjon Mkhalali, Simon	2:44
5.	"Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"	Joseph Shabalala, Simon	5:45

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"You Can Call Me Al"		4:39
2.	"Under African Skies"		3:37
3.	"Homeless"	Shabalala, Simon	3:48
4.	"Crazy Love, Vol. II"		4:18
5.	"That Was Your Mother"		2:52
6.	"All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints"		3:15

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 10

Graceland - The Remixes  (2018)

This remix misses the point of the whole thing, and takes away the dignity and pride of the South Africans and drowns them under contemporary Western musical fashion. The album is simply used as material to create a series of tracks which all end up sounding vaguely similar with an unimaginative simplistic clubland drum beat overlaid with snippets of Simon's songs repeated in  a way to devoid them of any meaning or emotion or culture other than clubland's own.  Music seems to slip away under robotic rhythms devoid of judgement and taste and sophistication. The remixes are the exact opposite of what Graceland achieved. Where Graceland is the pinnacle of creative human achievement, the remixes are the nadir - the absolute pit of creativity where nothing new and meaningful is achieved, but something wonderful is slowly eaten away and destroyed.  

Score: 0  

 

Negotiations and Love Songs (Oct 1988)

Compilation album. 

Side one

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"Mother and Child Reunion"	Paul Simon (1972)	2:48
2.	"Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"	Paul Simon (1972)	2:41
3.	"Something So Right"	There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)	4:28
4.	"St. Judy's Comet"	There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)	3:17
5.	"Loves Me Like a Rock"	There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)	3:18

Side two

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"Kodachrome"	There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)	3:32
2.	"Have a Good Time"	Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)	3:23
3.	"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"	Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)	3:31
4.	"Still Crazy After All These Years"	Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)	3:24

Side three

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"Late in the Evening"	One-Trick Pony (1980)	3:55
2.	"Slip Slidin' Away"	Greatest Hits, Etc. (1977)	4:43
3.	"Hearts and Bones"	Hearts and Bones (1983)	5:38
4.	"Train in the Distance"	Hearts and Bones (1983)	4:22

Side four

No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War"	Hearts and Bones (1983)	3:43
2.	"Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"	Graceland (1986)	5:46
3.	"You Can Call Me Al"	Graceland (1986)	4:39
4.	"Graceland"	Graceland (1986)	4:48

Released	October 18, 1988
Recorded	1971–1986
Genre	Folk rock, worldbeat
Length	63:07
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon, Phil Ramone, Roy Halee

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)

The follow up to Graceland was commercially and critically accepted. I'm not sure, though, that this is an album that will endure.

Released	October 16, 1990
Recorded	December 1989 – June 1990
Genre	Pop, rock, worldbeat
Length	44:34
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Paul Simon

Side one

1. "The Obvious Child" – 4:10
2. "Can't Run But" – 3:36
3. "The Coast" (Simon, Vincent Nguini) – 5:04
4. "Proof" – 4:39
5. "Further to Fly" – 5:36

Side two

1. "She Moves On" – 5:03
2. "Born at the Right Time" – 3:48
3. "The Cool, Cool River" – 4:33
4. "Spirit Voices" (Simon, Milton Nascimento) – 3:56
5. "The Rhythm of the Saints" – 4:12

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 4 1/2

Concert in The Park (1991) 

Loose arrangements which don't add anything new to the songs, but which frustrate those looking to hear old favourites, an exhausting selection of songs which end with a series of Simon & Garfunkel songs rather than with Simon's more substantial solo recordings, and a performance which seems rather throwaway for a grand concert in Central Park in front of several hundred thousand people plus several million watching live on TV.  Production is crisp, such that it feels at times to be a studio rather than a live recording - indeed, there is a lack of live atmosphere, despite crowd noises. On the whole I find this a disappointing album.  Too smooth and bland. The varied songs reduced to a similar soft jazzy groove so they all mush together into a homogenous bland nothing. Nostalgic evening wallpaper music in a little bar.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 4

Songs from The Capeman (1997)

Struggling with this.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4
Score: 3

You're The One (2000)

It's not grabbing me.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4

Surprise (2006)

A collaboration with Brian Eno. More interesting than attractive. It's not surprising. It's not drawing me in.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 4

The Essential (2007)

A compilation album. Too much stuff in general. And too much inferior material. Not essential. A little bit boring.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 3

So Beautiful Or So What (2011)

I kinda like this and want to investigate further.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 6

Stranger To Stranger (2016)

Oooh, I'm liking this.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 7

The Concert In Hyde Park (2017)

Recorded in 2012 this is a confident and lively album mostly focusing on songs from Graceland, and, apart from "Sound Of Silence", staying away from his earlier material with Garfunkel; as such it is a more representative and homogeneous record of the mature Paul Simon, and generates a genuine live atmosphere. And when Ladysmith Black Mambazo come on for the Graceland songs it is so beautiful and so moving that it can reduce me to tears. Great stuff.

AllMusic: 7
Score: 8 1/2

In The Blue Light (2018)

Simon re-records some of his lesser or lesser-known songs. Because they are new arrangements of songs that most people wouldn't remember anyway, it is effectively a new album. It's a puzzling concept.

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4

Discography

The Paul Simon Songbook (1965)
Paul Simon (1972)
There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)
Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
One-Trick Pony (1980)
Hearts and Bones (1983)
Graceland (1986)
The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
Songs from The Capeman (1997)
You're the One (2000)
Surprise (2006)
So Beautiful or So What (2011)
Stranger to Stranger (2016)
In the Blue Light (2018)

Albums ranked

* The Guardian
* UCRock
* RYMusic
* RStone
* BEAlbums
* AReviews
* EW
* W&Alroy

Links

* PaulSimon.com
* Paul-simon.info
* SimonAndGarfunkel.com

Conclusion

Paul Simon is a folky singer-songwriter loosely in the tradition of, and influenced by, Bob Dylan, but also in the tradition of and influenced by standard Brill Building songwriters (Neil Sedaka, Goffin & King, etc). Indeed, his early song writing is more Brill Building than Bob Dylan, and he actually worked there for a while while using the name Jerry Landis. 

***

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