Customer Reviews

Simply the Best

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3 star:		(1)
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This Art Garfunkel "best of..." CD is far superior to the two compilations that Sony US has released ("Garfunkel" & "Up Til Now"). This generously filled package focuses on his two best solo LPs: "Breakaway", picking up 6 of the 10 tracks from that outing, and "Watermark", 5 tracks from there. There are 6 tracks pulled from his remaining LPs, which is fine as the remaining releases were uneven at best. There are also three tracks that were not from the original catalog including the excellent "Crying in the Rain", which is a wonderful duet with James Taylor, and "Why Worry" which showed up for the first time on the odd "Up Til Now" compilation, and "Another Lullaby".

The only odd thing is that Garfunkel's first solo LP, "Angel Clare", is not represented at all. It is his most "artistic" (?) album and the contrast with the "poppier" style of the rest of his material could have been a bit much. Still I think I would have at least included "All I Know" and possibly left off "When A Man Loves A Woman", the only questionable inclusion here, culled from his last and weakest effort "Lefty" (which understandably is not even available on CD.)

Again, almost all the essential Garfunkel tracks are here on this excellent collection.

A great collection of Arts solo stuff, which include his 2 brillant chart no one`s "I Only Have Eyes For You" & "Bright Eyes." There is quite a few songs off "The Art Garfunkel Album" such as the romantic "I Believe When I Fall In Love It`ll Be For Ever" & "99 Miles From L.A." "Watermark" from the album from the same name. But surprisingly only a a couple of tracks, from the very well put together album "Fate For Breakfast." All in all it`s a great album, with a great selection of songs. So if you like chill out tunes, after a stressful day, buy this album. I can guantee, it will de-stress you.

Any recording of Art's magnificent voice is worth a listen and probably a purchase. This is a good collection of the obvious 'hits' plus a few others. My only complaint is where is the 1974 single "Second Avenue?" For serious Art fans, this is a challenging piece to track down. It's on the U. S. "Garfunkel" collection (circa 1988) in a slightly altered (shorter) form than the single. "Best of..." would have been a natural venue to include the original single, but no such luck.

Art's musical partnership with Paul Simon broke up partly because Art wanted to focus more on acting, although it may be that Paul (who wrote their songs) was jealous of the attention given to Art (whose voice was superior to Paul's) for singing classics such as Bridge over troubled water. Whatever the causes of the split, Art spent much less time in the recording studio after the split than Paul did. Thus, this compilation draws on far fewer albums than a corresponding compilation of Paul's music. Still, there's plenty of quality in the music here.

Originally written in the thirties, I only have eyes for you had been revived very successfully in the fifties by the Flamingos, who had a major American hit with it. Their version didn't chart in the UK but Art took the song to the UK number one spot in 1975. Bright eyes (from Watership down) replaced Gloria Gaynor's anthemic I will survive as UK number one in 1979 and spent six weeks at the top. Art only had one other UK hit as a solo artist (Since I don't have you) - it was the follow-up to Bright eyes, but it was only a minor hit.

Elsewhere on this compilation you can find Art's excellent interpretations of other classic songs. What a wonderful world, which features Paul Simon and James Taylor, caused some to speculate on a reunion with Paul, but although there have been occasional reunions since, this recording was a one-off at the time. Break away, a top ten UK hit for its writers (Gallagher and Lyle) was a hit for Art in some other countries.

There are many other excellent tracks here - some original, some covers, although All I want (a top ten American hit) is not included. It didn't chart in Britain but with only three UK hits, it could easily have been included.

As an overview of Art's solo music, this is excellent for Brits and expatriate Brits but I suspect that Americans will opt for a different compilation - one that includes All I want.

"All I Know" was Art's biggest hit in the USA.
It's not on this so called Best Of.
Neither is "Second Avenue"
'Nuff said.

This CD is Simply the Best Art Garfunkel, not The Best Of Art Garfunkel listed here on Amazon. Contains the same 20 tracks, this CD is Made in Austria made in 1998, but was reissued in 2002 with the same package and cover. The CD is simply, not remastered, without lyrics, just a simply cover with 2 pages, but the songs remains the same as old albums.
As all Garfunkel Fans I dream with this titles will be full remastered by Sony in a near future, or released in Japan in papersleeve format!

A strong set, all his best. Simon could not have made it without Garfunkel's voice.

Many of our great Artists are disappearing, either because no one thinks that they are "marketable" any more" a note to them, we are still here, and we still love and want to buy these artists products.
You saw the jump in Michael Jackson's Music after he died, let's support our beloved artists now, and let them know that we still love them and they have a very loyal fan base!!!
The enrichment their songs gave to our lives cannot be forgotten well as the memories, that their music brings us back to a time, when music has a message, and it touched our hearts, souls and our very lives. Today's music may do the same, but most of it (Hey, my opinion counts!) Sucks!
What we take in through our eyes, and ears not only touches our souls but shapes our hearts and our view of the world and it's people.
And classics are never out dated or out of style.
They stand the test of time.
Buy your favorite artist now, and not only let them know that we haven't forgotten them. but are still willing to by their art. And by doing so, you support them, still while they are here among us.

This is a wide survey of Garfunkel. The 20 track list is identical to the Australian compilation CD "Best of Art Garfunkel" and British compilation Bright Eyes.

There are a few major songs not included here such as "Second Avenue"; "My Little Town"; and "All I Know" (which shows up in "Playlist" and "Up Til Now" as the bare version of Jimmy Webb on the piano and Art's voice.) This is great alone, and with the odd compilation Up Til Now will provide a broad expanse of great Garfunkel - indeed all of the solo songs Art Garfunkel himself placed at the top of his list of best voice/best song.

what else can i say? this fellow Garfunkel can read Martha Stewart's recipie and turn it into another timeless classic....he adopts other people's tunes and make it sound his style/his way.....sick 'n tired of all these rap and 'r&b'trash on the radio?....play Garfunkel music.