Art Garfunkel was a man who rose to prominence in the 1960’s with his soothing and clear voice and full head of hair. While the younger generation might not recognize Garfunkel’s voice, anyone older would immediately recognize it. Art’s life changed after he was gifted a wire-recorder at the age 4. Art recalls that his father brought home the wire recorder, which is more valuable to him. It was instrumental in my passion for music. I loved singing and recording. Because of the lack social media, it was difficult to achieve fame back in those days. Today, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter news allow artists to instantly send messages and videos, allowing them to gain a greater level of popularity.
In those days, artists had to make music, produce music, and hope that record labels would listen to them. Art didn’t know it, but his passion and dedication to music won him the Grammy in 1968 for Record of the Year. We humans are wired to crave great music and great lyrics. The truth is that great songs are timeless and that everyone will feel something. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel wanted different emotions, and the ability to have an impact on the country through “Sound of Silence” is proof of their true depth of talent. Art was also an ardent soloist who spent years of his life working on it. The public was able to understand the reasoning behind Art’s songs through Angel Clare, which featured the hit song “All I Know”. Art was able to express himself and his fullest potential with “All I Know”. Art created “All I Know” to bring romance and originality to the piece. Art would stay in a two-star Hotel where he would assemble bits and pieces of lyrics and compose a song. Art would use this time to reflect on his own experiences and share his world views.
Musicians are hard workers who put in the effort and time. To be able to analyze any song, we need to know the key ideas. Is the opening line strong? It’s like making a first impression. The goal is to leave you amazed and intrigued. The opening line should be strong and set the scene for the who, what when, where, and how. The song should be explained later. This is the second method, which is also known as “show more tell little”. To capture an audience, artists must use imagery. They need to create a mood and transport them into a new reality. The lyrics should be accompanied by imagery, which will make the song more meaningful and powerful. Sometimes it is easier to tell more than it is to convey depth.
We can see the opening line of “The Boxer”, a song by Simon and Garfunkel. This is the beginning of the song. The setting is New York City’s streets. Here, the listener is taken to meet our protagonist who struggles to find his path in life. The song’s theme reminded me of The Graduate which featured Simon & Garfunkel’s music multiple times. We can see similarities between the movie’s characters and the song, where their daily lives are full of confusion, innocence, corruption.
What is The Boxer? Song Genius tells us that Simon stated in his 1984 Playboy interview, that he created this song to counter harsh criticisms of his music. The boxer in this case was Simon. Art states that both of their songs are enhanced by the steady, clear beat. He said that they were able to sing even though it was not a fluid or syllabolic song. It was, to put it mildly.
Song Genius also explains the song’s most important line. The hook is repeated “Lie la lies, lie la loi la lie.” After the “liela lie”, you can hear the percussion pounding, symbolizing a punch in the glove. The “bang”, despite a half-second pause, still hits the note. However, there’s another “bang,” which is not on the beat and represents the boxer being off guard as he receives a blow. Art explained that the song is about people not being able to communicate emotionally with one another. The song’s title, “Hello Darkness My Old Friend”, has a dark and ominous tone.
A friend can show the warmth and the joy of the situation. Darkness is indicative of the solemnity of the situation. The composers have created a picture that is dark and sad, but it’s right next to the neon lights which will follow. The illusion is one of sadness and warmth, giving it the appearance of submission and silence. Art Garfunkel, who originally was the composer, was the one who filled himself with thoughts and lived experiences and wanted to translate them into music. Simon was also more inclined towards composition, allowing Art his unique voice to create unforgettable songs. Americans felt more in control of their music.
