A great songwriter with west coast roots …
After Simon & Garfunkel, one of the most successful duos in pop history, split up in 1970, Art Garfunkel became a solo artist, as well as pursuing an acting career. Garfunkel’s pure, high tenor had been one of the most distinctive elements of the duo’s music, yet he wasn’t responsible for the song writing — Simon wrote all of the group’s hits. Not surprisingly, Garfunkel relied on other songwriters, from Jimmy Webb and Randy Newman, in addition to rock & roll standards like “I Only Have Eyes for You,” throughout his solo career. As a solo performer, he was never quite as successful as he was with Simon & Garfunkel, yet he did have a number of Top 40 hits in the mid-’70s.
Garfunkel didn’t begin a solo career until 1973. Between 1970 and 1973, he acted, appearing in two Mike Nichols films, Catch 22 and Carnal Knowledge. Angel Clare, his first solo record, was co-produced with Simon & Garfunkel producer Roy Halee and released in the fall of 1973. It established the style — a light, carefully arranged and constructed melodic soft rock — he would follow throughout his solo career. The album became a Top Ten hit on the strength of the single “All I Know,” which peaked at number nine. Two years later, he returned with the Richard Perry-produced Breakaway, the most successful album of his solo career. The record peaked at number seven, with a version of the Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You” reaching number 18 on the U.S. charts; in Britain, the single topped the charts. That same fall, he reunited with Paul Simon for the first time, performing on Saturday Night Live. In December, Simon’s “My Little Town,” featuring Garfunkel on backing vocals, became a Top Ten hit.
In the fall of 1977, Garfunkel released his third album, Watermark, which primarily consisted of Jimmy Webb covers. However, when the first single from the album failed to chart, the album was reissued in early 1978 with a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World” that featured supporting vocals from Simon and James Taylor. Released as a single, “Wonderful World” peaked at number 17. The following year, Fate for Breakfast appeared. Although it performed well in Britain, reaching number two, the album signalled that his American audience was beginning to shrink: none of the singles made the Top 40 and the album only reached number 67. In the fall of 1979, he filmed two movies, Bad Timing and Illusions. Scissors Cut, a reunion with producer Roy Halee released in 1981, did nothing to reverse his sliding commercial potential — it didn’t even break into the Top 100 albums.
After the release of Scissors Cut, Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York’s Central Park. The concert was so successful, the duo decided to embark on a year-long world tour. During the tour, tensions mounted between the pair and they split again after it was completed. After a lengthy quiet period, Garfunkel re-emerged in 1988 with Lefty, which spent a mere eight weeks in the American charts and failed to make the British charts.
He did not release another album until 1993’s rarities compilation Up ’til Now. Following its release, Garfunkel took another extended break, returning in 1997 with the live album Across America and the children’s record Songs from a Parent to a Child. The (mostly) self-penned Everything Waits to Be Noticed arrived in 2002, followed by Some Enchanted Evening, a collection of renditions of classics from the American Popular Songbook, in 2007.
Discography
Some Enchanted Evening
Rhino Records 2007
Tracks: I Remember You, Someone to Watch Over Me, Let's Fall in Love, I'm Glad There Is You, Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado), Easy Living, I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, You Stepped Out of a Dream, Some Enchanted Evening, It Could Happen to You, Life Is But a Dream, What'll I Do & If I Loved You.
Musicians on the Some Enchanted Evening album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The Best Of Art Garfunkel
Sony Music 2005
Tracks: Bright Eyes, Break Away, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Disney Girls, Miss You Nights, She Moved Through the Fair, Scissors Cut, Since I Don't Have You, Watermark, What a Wonderful World, When a Man Loves a Woman, Looking For the Right One, I Only Have Eyes For You, Crying in the Rain, Another Lullaby, 99 Miles From L.A., A Heart in New York, Saturday Suit, Why Worry & Crying in My Sleep.
Musicians on the Best Of Art Garfunkel album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The Best Of Art Garfunkel
Sony Music 2004
Tracks: Bright Eyes, Break Away, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Disney Girls, Miss You Nights, She Moved Through the Fair, Scissors Cut, Since I Don't Have You, Watermark, What a Wonderful World, When a Man Loves a Woman, Looking For the Right One, I Only Have Eyes For You, Crying in the Rain, Another Lullaby, 99 Miles From L.A., A Heart in New York, Saturday Suit, Why Worry & Crying in My Sleep.
Musicians on the Best Of Art Garfunkel album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Bright Eyes
Delta No. 1 Records 2004
Tracks: Bright Eyes, Break Away, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Disney Girls, Miss You Nights, She Moved Through the Fair, Scissors Cut, Since I Don't Have You, Watermark, What a Wonderful World, When a Man Loves a Woman, Looking For the Right One, I Only Have Eyes For You, Crying in the Rain, Another Lullaby, 99 Miles From L.A., A Heart in New York, Saturday Suit, Why Worry & Crying in My Sleep.
Musicians on the Bright Eyes album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Everything Waits To Be Noticed
Blue Note Records 2002
Tracks: Bounce, The Thread, The Kid, Crossing Lines, Everything Waits to Be Noticed, Young and Free, Perfect Moment, Turn Don't Turn Away, Wishbone, How Did You Know?, What I Love About Rain, Every Now and Then & Another Only One.
Musicians on the Everythings Waits To Be Noticed album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Songs From A Parent To A Child
Sony Music 1997
Tracks: Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet?, Morning Has Broken, Daydream, Baby Mine, Secret O' Life, The Things We've Handed Down, You're a Wonderful One, Good Luck Charm (with James Garfunkel), I Will, Lasso the Moon, Dreamland, Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet? (reprise) & The Lords Prayer / Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.
Musicians on the Song From A Parent To A Child album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Across America
Hybrid Records 1997
Tracks: A Heart in New York, Crying in the Rain (with James Taylor), Scarborough Fair, A Poem on an Underground Wall, Homeward Bound, All I Know, Bright Eyes, El Condor Pasa (If I Could), Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mrs. Robinson, The (Feelin' Groovy) 59th Street Bridge Song, I Will, April Come She Will, The Sound of Silence, Grateful & Goodnight My Love.
Musicians on the Across America album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The Very Best Of Art Garfunkel
Edel Records 1996
Tracks: A Heart in New York, Crying in the Rain, Scarborough Fair, A Poem on the Underground Wall, I Only Have Eyes for You, Homeward Bound, All I Know, Bright Eyes, El Condor Pasa, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mrs. Robinson, The 59th Street Bridge Song, I Will, April Come She Will, The Sound of Silence, Grateful & Goodnight My Love.
Musicians on the Very Best Of Art Garfunkel album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Up´Til Now
Columbia Music 1993
Tracks: Crying in the Rain (with James Taylor), All I Know, Just Over the Brooklyn Bridge The Sounds of Silence (acoustic), The Breakup, Skywriter, The Decree, It's All in the Game ('93), One Less Holiday, Since I Don't Have You, Two Sleepy People, Why Worry ('93) & All My Love's Laughter.
Musicians on the Up ´Til Now album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The World Of Art Garfunkel
Shilla Music 1992
Tracks: Mary Was An Only Child, Woyaya, Travelling Boy, (What A) Wonderful World, I Shall Sing, Old Man, Break Away, All I Know, Feuilles-Oh/Do Space Men Pass Dead Souls On Their Way To Moon, 99 Miles From L.A., I Only Have Eyes For You & Down In The Willow Garden.
Musicians on the World Of Art Garfunkel album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Best Of
Columbia Music 1990
Tracks: When a Man Loves a Woman, Break Away, Bright Eyes, (What A) Wonderful World, All I Know, Scissors Cut, I Only Have Eyes For You, So Much in Love, 99 Miles From L.A., Second Avenue, A Heart in New York & I Have a Love.
Musicians on the Garfunkel album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Lefty
Columbia Music 1988
Tracks: This Is the Moment, I Have a Love, So Much in Love, Slow Breakup, Love Is the Only Chain, When a Man Loves a Woman, I Wonder Why, King of Tonga, If Love Takes You Away & The Promise.
Musicians on the Lefty album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The Animals´Christmas
Columbia Music 1986
Tracks: Carol of the Birds, The Creatures of the Field, Just a Simple Little Tune, The Friendly Beasts, The Song of the Camels, The Annunciation, The Decree, Incredible Phat, Words From an Old Spanish Carol, The Frog, Herod & Wild Geese.
Musicians on the Animals´Christmas album: Art Garfunkel and others.
The Art Garfunkel Album
Columbia Music 1984
Tracks: Bright Eyes, Break Away, A Heart in New York, I Shall Sing, 99 Miles from L.A., All I Know, (What A) Wonderful World, I Only Have Eyes for You, Watermark, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Scissors Cut, Sometimes When I'm Dreaming, Travellin' Boy & The Same Old Tears on a New Background.
Musicians on the Art Garfunkel Album album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Scissors Cut
Columbia Music 1981
Tracks: A Heart in New York, Scissors Cut, Up in the World, Hang on In, So Easy to Begin, Bright Eyes, Can't Turn My Heat Away, The French Waltz, In Cars & That's All I've Got to Say.
Musicians on the Scissors Cut album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Fate For Breakfast
Columbia Music 1979
Tracks: In a Little While (I'll Be on My Way), Since I Don't Have You, And I Know, Sail on a Rainbow, Miss You Nights, Bright Eyes, Finally Found a Reason, Beyond the Tears, Oh How Happy, When Someone Doesn't Want To & Take Me Away.
Musicians on the Fate For Breakfast album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Watermark
Columbia Music 1977
Tracks: Crying in My Sleep, Marionette, Shine It on Me, Watermark, Saturday Suit, All My Love's Laughter, (What A) Wonderful World, Mr. Shuck 'n' Jive, Paper Chase, She Moved Through the Fair, Someone Else (1958) & Wooden Planes.
Musicians on the Watermark album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Breakaway
Columbia Music 1975
Tracks: I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever), Rag Doll, Break Away, Disney Girls, Waters Of March, My Little Town, I Only Have Eyes For You, Looking For The Right One, Ninety Nine Miles From L. A. & The Same Old Tears On A New Background.
Musicians on the Breakaway album: Art Garfunkel and others.
Angel Clare
Columbia Music 1973
Tracks are: Travelling Boy, Down In The Willow Garden, I Shall Sing, Old Man, Feuilles-Oh / Do Spacemen Pass Dead Souls On Their Way To The Moon, All I Know, Mary Was An Only Child, Woyaya, Barbara Allen & Another Lullaby.
Musicians on the Angel Clare album: Art Garfunkel and others.