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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There are more comprehensive collections, but none better, February 28, 2006
More than once I have panned re-issues of albums on CD that added nothing to the original. My usual reason is that a CD can hold 80 minutes of music and a vinyl album typically had 38 to 48 minutes of music. My criticism increases with a "greatest" or "best of" collection because there are almost always more songs that could or should have been added. My criticism of content should extend to this album as well, but this album embodies Simon and Garfunkel's peak popularity and its value is as much historical and contextual as commercial. Yes, I purchased this album in spite of the numerous collections of varying sizes, including a comprehensive collection of all of Simon and Garfunkel's works. I am unable to explain why this album works for me, but I suspect it is because I grew up in the 60s and 70s.
This collection is just a bit too brief, but what magnificent songs.
"Mrs. Robinson," "The Sound of Silence" and "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" are musical poetry. All three songs are part of the soundtrack to the 1967 movie "The Graduate." "The Sound of Silence" in particularly is one of the greatest songs of the rock era. The latter two songs are great melancholy songs for a rainy day.
There are also live songs on this album. The gorgeous song "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" is one of those songs. Though the clapping at the end is a bit loud, the song itself is one of the best versions available. Art Garfunkel shows in this song why his pairing with Paul Simon was so incredible. Another live song is "The 59th Street Bridge Song," which most know as "Feelin' Groovy." This song is a marvelous little ditty that shows the playful side of the duo. The clapping fits better here and lets you imagine the duo playing on a New York City street in the springtime.
"The Boxer" is a story song that is one of the best story songs of any era. Part folk, part rock, and all art, this song combines catchy and dramatic music with catchy lyrics and a poignant story that is simultaneously haunting and enjoyable. Another poignant song that fits well with "The Boxer" is "I Am a Rock." Both songs seem to offer introspective views of life and remind us all that we are responsible for ourselves.
"Homeward Bound" is a live song. This harmonious folk song is a wonderful addition to this CD. This song would be perfect for a movie soundtrack. This song rolls into another live song, the phenomenal "Bridge Over Troubled Water," where Art Garfunkel gets to show his vocal range. I do not know where this song was recorded, but the acoustics of the song itself are wonderful and highlight the power of the song and contrast between the soft opening and powerful ending.
"America" is another song that makes effective use of powerful vocals and music. This song is a celebration of country and seeking oneself as well as seeking who we are as a nation. The story in the song is deeper than the words suggest. This song is one of Simon and Garfunkel's greats.
"Kathy's Song" is a friendly little live song. This song is pretty, but is less dramatic and artistic than many of the other songs on this CD. This song contained elements that foreshadowed the future of Paul Simon's music.
The following song is yet another incredible song. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" contains incredible music and vocals and is yet another of Simon and Garfunkel's greatest songs. The haunting panpipe used in this song makes it one of the most memorable songs in the duo's portfolio.
"Bookends" is a lovely little song that provides a significant contrast with the percussion driven ending of this CD, "Cecilia." "Cecilia" is the most enthusiastic song on this CD. The close out of this album, from "El Condor Pasa" to "Bookends" and ending with "Cecilia" was a brilliant way to close out the album. Rather than feeling melancholy, as the previous songs would have done, you leave feeling good and wanting to do it all over again.
There are many other collections of the works of Simon and Garfunkel, which often includes some of their solo works. However, at the time this album was released, this collection was the collection to have. I still listen to this collection a lot, even with everything else that is available. I suspect I always will. Enjoy!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
just to clarify why you should buy this cd!, March 26, 1999
By A Customer
ok a lot of people seem to be paranoid about the live versions of songs on this disc. as far as i can tell, only four of the songs are live ("the 59th street bridge song (feelin' groovy)", "for emily, whenever i may find her", "homeward bound", and "kathy's song"). the confusion is probably due to the fact that the applause at the end of the live versions fades into the next song. but all of the biggest hits ("sounds of silence", "bridge over troubled water", "the boxer", etc.) are in their original versions. and in my opinion the live version of "for emily" is the best recording of that song. so if you are an s&g fan who wants all of the biggest hits on one cd, you can't do any better than this. and don't be scared off by the reviewers that can't tell the original versions when they hear them.
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32 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
TIMELESS AND CLASSIC FOLK ROCK..., February 12, 2001
Though I had grown up listening to the music of Simon and Garfunkel, it is in listening to this CD that I realized how prolific they had been and how beautiful were their harmonies. This is a timeless collection, as it contains all of their major hits. It is a wonderful compiliation of their music which can best be described as sort of a mellow folk rock. It runs the gamut from the upbeat: "The 59th Street Bridge Song", "Cecilia", to the poetic: "The Sounds of Silence". "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Scarborough Fair", to the unusual: "El Condor Pass (If I Could)".Every cut on this CD is a winner. There is, however, one annoying aspect to it. For whatever reason, some of the tracks have clapping at the conclusion of the song. This is a little jarring to the listener because one does not expect it, as this is not a "live" album. This is why I rated the CD with four stars instead of five. Still, this is definitely a CD no music lover should be without.
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