The Only Living Boy in New York

"The Only Living Boy in New York"
Song by Simon and Garfunkel from the album Bridge over Troubled Water
Released January 26, 1970
Recorded November 1968 and
November 1969
Genre Folk rock
Length 3:59
Label Columbia Records
Writer Paul Simon
Producer

"The Only Living Boy in New York" is a song written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon & Garfunkel. It is the eighth track from the American pop duo's fifth and final studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water. The song was also issued as the B-side to the duo's "Cecilia" single.

Background

Simon wrote this as a thinly veiled message to Art Garfunkel, referencing a specific incident where Garfunkel went to Mexico to act in the film Catch-22. Simon was left alone in New York writing songs for Bridge over Troubled Water, hence the lonely feelings of "The Only Living Boy in New York." Simon refers to Garfunkel in the song as "Tom", alluding to their early days when they were called Tom and Jerry, and encourages him to "let your honesty shine . . . like it shines on me".[1] The background vocals feature both Garfunkel and Simon recorded together in an echo chamber, multi-tracked around eight times.[2]

Personnel

Covers

Use in film

Use in other media

References

  1. "The Words and Music of Paul Simon", James Bennighof, p. 48, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007, ISBN 0-275-99163-6
  2. Swenson, John. Simon and Garfunkel - A Musical Biography. (1984)
  3. Charlesworth, C. (1997). The Complete Guide to the Music of Paul Simon and Simon & Garfunkel. Omnibus Press. p. 52. ISBN 0-7119-5597-2.
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