Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
℗ 1968 Columbia Records CK 9529
Bookends is a literary album that contains the most minimal of openings with the theme, an acoustic guitar stating itself slowly and plaintively before erupting into the wash of synthesizers and dissonance that is "Save the Life of My Child." The classic "America" is next, a folk song with a lilting soprano saxophone in the refrain and a small pipe organ painting the acoustic guitars in the more poignant verses. The song relies on pop structures to carry its message of hope and disillusionment as two people travel the American landscape searching for it until it dawns on them that everyone else on the freeway is doing the same thing. The final four tracks, "Mrs. Robinson," the theme song for the film The Graduate, "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and the album's final track, "At the Zoo," offer as tremblingly bleak a vision for the future as any thing done by the Velvet Underground, but rooted in the lives of everyday people, not in the decadent underground personages of New York's Factory studio. But the album is also a warning that to pay attention is to take as much control of one's fate as possible. — Thom Jurek. |
- 1. Bookends Theme [intro] (Simon) [00:32]
- 2. Save the Life of My Chaild (Simon) [02:48]
- 3. America (Simon) [03:34]
- 4. Overs (Simon) [02:18]
- 5. Voices of Old People (Garfunkel — Simon) [02:06]
- 6. Old Friends (Simon) [02:34]
- 7. Bookends Theme (Simon) [01:23]
- 8. Fakin' It (Simon) [03:18]
- 9. Punky's Dilemma (Simon) [02:16]
- 10. Mrs. Robinson (Simon) [04:05]
- 11. A Hazy Shade of Winter (Simon) [02:17]
- 12. At the Zoo (Simon) [02:21]
bonus:
- 13. You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies [02:19]
- 14. Old Friends [demo] [02:11]
Тексты:
Save the Life of My Chaild
(Simon)
"Good God, don't jump!" The boy sat on the ledge. The old man who had fainted was revived. (He's all right) And everyone agreed it would be miracle indeed if the boy survived. Save the life of my chaild, Cried the desperate mother. A woman from the supermarket ran to call the cops, He must be high on something, someone said. Though it never made the New York Times, In the Daily News the caption read, Save the life of my chaild, Cried the desperate mother. Hello, darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. A patrtol car passing by halted to a stop, Said Officer MacDougal in dismay, The boss can't do a decent job Because the kid's got no respect for the law today. Save the life of my chaild, Cried the desperate mother. Oh, what's becomig of the children, People ask of each other. When darkness fell, excitement kissed the crowd and it made them wild, In the atmosphere of freakly holiday. When the spotlight hit the boy, And the crowd began to cheer, He flew away. Oh, my grey sky, got no hiding place. Oh, my grey sky, got no hiding place.
America
(Simon)
Let us be lovers, We'll marry our fortunes together. I've got some real estate Here in my bag. So we bought a pack of cigarettes, And Mrs. Wagner's pies, And walked off To look for America. "Kathy", I said, As we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh, Michigan seems like a dream to me now. It took me four days To hitch-hike from Saginaw. "I've come to look for America." Laughing on the bus, Playing games with the faces, She said the man in the gabardine suit Was a spy. I said, "Be careful, His bow tie is really a camera." "Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat." We smoked the last one An hour ago. So I looked at the scenery, She read her magazine; And the moon rose over an open field. "Kathy, I'm lost", I said, Though I know she was sleeping. "I'm empty and aching and I don't know why." Counting the cars On the New Jersey Turnpike The've all come To look for America, All come to look for America, All come to look for America.
Overs
(Simon)
Why don't we stop fooling ourselves? The game is over, over, over. No good times, no bad times No times at all, just the New York Times. Sitting in the windowsill Near the flowers. We might as well be apart It hardly matters, we sleep separately. And drop a smile passing in the hall. But there's no laughts left, 'cause we laughted them all And we laughted them all in a very short time. Time is tapping on my forehead Handing from my mirror Rattling the teacups. And I wonder how long can I delay We've just a habit, like saccharine And I'm habitually feelin' kind of blue. But each time I try on the thought of leaving you. I stop, I stop and think it over.
Old Friends
(Simon)
Old friends, Sat on their park bench Like bookends. A newspaper blown through the grass Falls on the 'round toes On the high shoes Of the old friends. Old friends. Winter companions, The old men Lost in their overcoats, Waiting for the sunset. The sounds of the city, Sifting through trees, Settle like dust On the shoulders Of the old friends Can you imagine us Years from today, Sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange To be seventy. Old friends, Memory brushes the same years, Silently sharing the same fear…
Bookends Theme
(Simon)
Time it was, And what a time it was, It was… A time of innocence, A time of confidences. Long ago… it must be… I have a photograph. Preserve your memories, They're all that's left to you.
Fakin' It
(Simon)
When she goes, she's gone If she stays, she stays here The girl does what she wants to do, She knows what she wants to do And I know I'm fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it. I'm such a doubious soul And a walk in the garden Wears me down. Tangled in the fallen vines, Pickin' up the punch lines, I've just been fakin' it, Not really makin' it. Is there any danger? No, no not really, Just lean on me. Takin' time to treat, Your friendly neighbours honestly. I've just been fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it, This feeling of fakin' it. I still haven't shaken it. Prior to this lifetime I surely was a tailor / Good morning, Mr. Leitch. Have you had a busy day? / I own the tailor's face and hands I am the tailor's face and hands and I know I'm fakin'n it I'm not really makin' it This feeling of fakin' it I still haven't shaken it.
Punky's Dilemma
(Simon)
Wish I was a Kellogf's Corn Flake Floating in my bowl, takin' movies. Relaxing a while Living in style Talking to a raisin who occasionally plays L. A. Casually glancing at his toupee. Wish I was an English Muffin About to make the most out a toaster. I'd ease my self down Coming up brown. I'd prefer boysenberry more than any ordinary jam. I'm a sitizens — for — boysenderry jam fan. Oh, say California. If I become a first lieutinant Would you put my phots on your piano? To mary Jane Best wishes Martin. Ol Roger draft-dodger leaving by the basement door Everybody knows what he's tip — toeing down there for.
Mrs. Robinson
(Simon)
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files We'd like to help you learn to help yourself Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home And here's to you, mrs. Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know Whoah oh oh God bless your needs, mrs. Robinson, heaven holds a place for those who pray Hey hey hey, hey hey hey Hide it in a hidingplace where no-one ever goes Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes It's a little secret, it's just a Robinson's affair Most of all you've got to hide it from the kids Coo-coo-ca-choo, mrs. Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know Whoah oh oh God bless you please, mrs. Robinson, heaven holds a place for those who pray Hey hey hey, hey hey hey Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon Goin' to the candidates debate, yeah Laugh about it, shout about it, when you've got to choose Every way you look at it, you lose Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, our nation turned its lonely eyes to you Whoo ooh ooh What's that you say, mrs. Robinson, joltin' Joe has left and gone away Hey hey hey, hey hey hey
A Hazy Shade of Winter
(Simon)
Time, time, time, see what's become of me. While I looked around for my possibilities, I was so hard to please. But look around, the leaves are brown, And the sky is a hazy shade of winter. Hear the salvation army band Down by the riverside, it's bound to be a better ride Than what you've got planned, Carry your cup in your hand. And look around you, the leaves are brown now, And the sky is a hazy shade of winter. Hang on to your hopes, my friend. That's an easy thing to say but if your hopes should pass away, It's simply pretend, that you can build them again. Look around, the grass is high, the fields are ripe, It's the springtime of my life. Oh, seasons change with scenery, Weaving time in a tapestry, Won't you stop and remember me? At any convenient time. Funny how my memory skips while looking over manuscripts Of unpublished rhyme, Drinking my vodka and rhyme. I look around, the leaves are brown, There's a patch of snow on the ground, Look around…
At the Zoo
(Simon)
Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo. I do believe it, I do believe it's true. It's a light and tumble journey From the East side to the park. Just a fine and fancy ramble to the zoo. But you can take the cross-town bus If it's rainning or it's cold. And the animals will love it if you do. Something tells me it's all happing at the zoo. I do believe it, I do believe it's true. The monkeys stand for honesty. Giraffes are insincere. The elephants are kindly but they're dumb. Orangutangs are skiptical of changes in their cages And the zookeeper is they fond of rum. Zebras are reactionaries, Anthelopes are missionaries. Pidgeons plot in secrecy And hamsters turn on frequently. What a gas you got to come and see At the zoo.