Talking Simon and Garfunkel

The 60s and 70s were a wonderful two decades for the group that stated out as ‘Tom and Jerry.’ Well, we know them as ‘Simon and Garfunkel,’ but there are a few things we still don’t know. Here are a few items to ponder about this super duo…

The boys met in Queens, New York in the late 50s and had a regional hit with “Hey Schoolgirl” inspired by the Everly Brothers. They then went their separate ways in late 1957. In 1963, the joined talents as Simon and Garfunkel and had their first big hit with “The Sounds of Silence” in 1965.

The album from which “The Sounds of Silence” was a flop, causing the label to consider dropping the duo altogether. A DJ in Boston began playing “Sounds,” and it took off, spurring hugh sales for the ‘Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.’ album, saving their careers.

Hollywood director Mike Nichols featured Simon and Garfunkel songs in his 1967 film “The Graduate,” but most people don’t know that Paul Simon was not in favor of their music appearing in a film. Paul eventually met Mike, read the script, and relented.

Finally, the hit single “Mrs. Robinson” was originally titled “Mrs. Roosevelt” but was changed to mirror the last name of the Anne Bancroft character in the move ‘The Graduate.’

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