I’ve got something percolating right now, and will have to wait and see if it’s one post or two… but if it’s one, it’ll be a connection between Simon & Garfunkel and the book of Jeremiah.
In the meantime, I’m still thinking about a question… this is a question I often throw out in a small group of people expecting that it will generate some form of debate, and it somehow just never seems to. Last night we got together with our little simple church group for a Christmas party shindig thing, which wound up sometime on the far side of 1:00AM when half of the each of the three remaining couples had one spouse having fallen asleep and the other engaged in a deep church discussion. Not atypical, I think.
Anyway, the question is this: which was the greater songwriting team, Lennon & McCartney or Simon & Garfunkel? Most people immediately answer Lennon/McCartney, but hear me out on this. Anyone who doesn’t answer immediately is more likely to say Simon and Garfunkel. I suppose it depends on what criteria are used… L/McC seem much more prolific, but they had a longer run as a team. More hits, but more material…. I contend that the odds are therefore stacked in their favour. I further contend that had S/G had the same length of run as a team, they may have seemed just as prolific… but if the criteria is the depth of the lyrics, I say S/G have the lead fairly easily.
Really, just by way of a quick sample, the duo come up with lines like,
And the sign said, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
and tenement halls.”
And whispered in the sounds of silence.
I wouldn’t even want to compare that with
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
‘Nuff said.
a time it was, and what a time it was, a time of innocence, a time of confidences. long ago i had a photograph, preserve your memories, they’re all that’s left you.
S&G told way better stories and engaged the imagination (at least mine) in ways that L&M could never do. i love them all, but S&G are it for me. can’t wait to read the connection to jeremiah.
have you ever heard their christmas carol with the newscast over it – the song escapes me as i type, but it is such an amazing social commentary.
Lennon/McCartney; no comparison.
Don’t pick out the stuff written in 1962- go for Rubber Soul or later. They changed the world!
Meanwhile, S&G were telling us that “It’s all happening at the zoo…” Doesn’t do it for me.
We also had people falling asleep at my house last night, but instead of theological discussion, we were deeply involved in watching Napoleon Dynamite. Gosh!
Ah, not fair to John and Paul.
Father MacKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear… no one comes near. Look at him working…
all the lonely people, where do they all come from? all the lonely people, where do they all belong?
I’d have to agree with our veritable host. S&G had more depth even with their “fun” songs. I remember listening to “I Am A Rock,” over and over again and wondering what blow had caused that song. Been known to use them in a worship service on occasion, when a particular song fits.
I think this is an unfair question which ends up being a sort of “apples and oranges” type of comparison. In terms of influential songwriting I have to go with L & M, post-“Rubber Soul”, as Lukas McKnight has rightly pointed out. Before that, the Beatles are crap. S & G, on the other hand, were never crap, but whereas it could be argued that Lennon and McCartney were each as talented as the other (though I personally give the nod to Lennon), would anybody seriously argue that THE songwriter of the S & G duo was not Simon? This, I think has been proven out since their breakup, as Simon has done some phenomenal work since then. And Garfunkel?
Their genres are bit different too, aren’t they? I think they were both stellar songwriting teams in their own very different ways.
That was an excellent, well-reasoned, and well expressed response.