Simon and Garfunkel - Greatest Hits

Simon and Garfunkel are amazing. They penned some of the best songs of their era and managed to churn out some of the most timeless music this ol' world has ever seen. Perhaps the most amazing thing about Simon and Garfunkel is the fact that the two artists, in and of themselves, are completely unremarkable. Art Garfunkel is Robin to Paul Simon's Batman in that nobody cares about him when he's doing things on his own. Paul Simon, on the other hand, has a bunch of fans who care about his solo work even though he has produced exactly one good song in the post-Simon and Garfunkel era ("Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard"). Fans and critics will tell me that he has produced entire albums worth of good material since S & G broke up, and they will generally point me to Graceland. I have listened to Graceland several times and don't care for a single note of it. So I stand by my statement: Art Garfunkel has done nothing of note on his own and Paul Simon has produced exactly one decent song on his own.

Now that I've properly knocked Paul Simon, let's talk about this album. Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits was originally pressed in 1972 and has sold a kazillion units since that time. The reason people went nuts for this album in 1972 and the reason people keep buying it now is simple: the songs are great. "Mrs. Robinson," "The Boxer," "The Sound of Silence," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "El Condor Pasa" are all among some of the most beautiful and poignant songs ever written. They never stop being fascinating, and I find that I enjoy them more as an adult even though I loved these songs as a kid. The fact that you can grow with this music and that it can take on different meanings throughout your life makes these songs timeless and essential listening for anyone who fancies music in any way.