He met his future singing partner, Paul Simon, in the sixth grade. Between 1956 and 1962, the two had performed together as Tom & Jerry. Garfunkel ("Tom Graph") chose his nickname because he liked to track, or "graph" hits, on the pop charts. Garfunkel attended Columbia University in the early sixties, where he sang with the Kingsmen, an all-male a cappella group. While at Columbia, he was also a Brother of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. In 1962 Garfunkel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in art history, followed eventually by a Master's degree in mathematics.
In 1963 he and Simon reformed the duo under their own names as Simon and Garfunkel and released their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. on Columbia Records in October 1964. It was not a critical success, and the duo effectively split again after recording. The next year their producer Tom Wilson lifted the song "The Sound of Silence" from the record, redubbed an electric backing onto it, and released it as a single, which eventually went to #1 on the Billboard pop charts. They reunited and went on to become two of the most popular artists of the 1960s, releasing a total of five studio albums. However, citing personal differences and divergence in career interests, they split following the release of their most critically acclaimed album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, in 1970.
Solo career
In the 1970s, Garfunkel released a few solo albums, and although he did not reach the heights that Simon and Garfunkel had reached, he still scored hits with "I Only Have Eyes For You" (a 1934 song originally written by Harry Warren [1]) and "Bright Eyes" (both British #1 hit singles), and "All I Know" (#9 in the United States). A version of "Bright Eyes" also appeared in the movie Watership Down. He briefly reunited with Paul Simon in the 1975 hit "My Little Town".
Art Garfunkel (centre) with his band after the show at Liseberg fairground on June 4 1998
Enlarge
Art Garfunkel (centre) with his band after the show at Liseberg fairground on June 4 1998
In between, he also acted in a few movies, including Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge (1971) with Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, and Ann-Margret.
Following disappointing sales of his 1981 album Scissors Cut, Garfunkel reunited with Paul Simon for the famous concert in Central Park. The subsequent world tour went well musically, but they had disagreements during the tour, with the disappointment for Art Garfunkel that Paul Simon excluded Art's voice from the new album that was announced as a S&G album and came out as a new Paul Simon solo album Hearts and Bones. The reason for that was that Paul Simon's songs were very personal. After this, Garfunkel left the music scene for several years, but returned in 1988 with the album Lefty. None of these projects garnered much critical success, and Garfunkel did not release another album until 1993's Up 'til Now. Perhaps his most noteworthy recent release is his live 1996 concert Across America, recorded live at the registry hall on Ellis Island. The concert features several musical guests, including James Taylor, Garfunkel's wife, Kim, and his son James Arthur.
Garfunkel also performed the theme song for the 1991 television series, "Brooklyn Bridge", and in 1998 Garfunkel sang "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" for an episode of the PBS Kids cartoon Arthur.
Recent events
In 2003, Garfunkel made his debut as a songwriter on his well-received Everything Waits to Be Noticed album. Teaming up with singer-songwriters Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock, the album represented some of Garfunkel's strongest solo performances to date, and contained several songs whose origins were poems penned by Garfunkel. Everything Waits to Be Noticed is recognized as his first true effort at songwriting, save his teenage years with Paul Simon in Tom and Jerry.
In 2003, Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon reunited one more time and buried their disagreements once and for all. The world tour in 2003 and 2004 that followed was this time very joyful and was a big success. After the tour, they went their own ways.
Garfunkel made news in early 2004 when he was arrested for possession of cannabis.
The only new recording on the collection The Art Garfunkel Album (1984), the song "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (written by Mike Batt), was re-recorded in 2005 by ex ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog on her comeback album My Colouring Book.
In August 2005, Garfunkel received his second cannabis possession charge after a state police trooper found a joint in the ashtray of his car while in New York State. [2]
In 2006, Garfunkel signed with Rhino Records (revived Atco Records,) and his first Rhino/Atco album Some Enchanted Evening was released in America on January 30, 2007. [3] In late February 2007 during a German television interview to promote his new album Some Enchanted Evening, Garfunkel expressed interest in reuniting with Paul Simon on a new album.
The 59th Street Bridge Song
Art Garfunkel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morningtime drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy
The 59th Street Bridge Song, popularly known as “Feeling Groovy,” is a classic song by Art Garfunkel that celebrates the beauty of life's simple pleasures. The opening lyric, “Slow down, you move too fast,” emphasizes the message of the song that people should take a break from their busy lives and appreciate the little moments that make life enjoyable. The singer encourages the listener to “make the morning last” by slowing down their pace and finding joy in the simple things.
In the next stanza, the singer admires a lamppost and its growing flowers. He wants the lamppost to share its beauty with him through rhymes, once again capturing the theme of enjoying the little things in life. The repetition of the phrase “feeling groovy” at the end of each verse adds to the song’s lightheartedness and joyous tone.
The third stanza reveals that the singer has no responsibilities or promises to keep, he is ready to enjoy life and sleep under the morningtime’s petals. The closing phrase, “Life, I love you, all is groovy,” embodies the spirit of the song, that life is beautiful and should be celebrated.
Line by Line Meaning
Slow down, you move too fast
Life is short and we should take our time to enjoy it
You got to make the morning last
Live in the moment and make the most of every day
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Taking a leisurely stroll without any particular destination
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Being carefree and happy in the present moment
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
Expressing the feeling of being carefree and happy
Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing
Being curious about the world around and seeking knowledge
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Appreciating and finding joy in the beauty of nature
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Asking for some kind of inspiration or creative spark
Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy
Expressing the feeling of being carefree and happy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
Expressing the feeling of being carefree and happy
I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
Not worrying about responsibilities or obligations
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Feeling relaxed and ready for rest
Let the morningtime drop all its petals on me
Embracing the beauty and serenity of the morning
Life, I love you, all is groovy
Feeling content and grateful for life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@EneaSeverino
Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't you got no rhymes for me?
Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy
I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morningtime drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy
@annemegane9269
You were raised just right!
I saw Paul Simon in concert about 15 years ago and (at 24). It was in Manhattan but I forget the exact venue. Wasn't Hammerstein.
I was the youngest person in the audience. I was asked by a good dozen folks how I knew so many songs. I proudly replied, simply, "Mom and Dad." Many approving nods followed, with a few "Where are they?"
"Home and jealous as Hell!"
There were no follow-up questions.
@comicbooks8739
I jog by forest lawn cemetary almost every morning and stop and watch when graves are dug and I always sing these lines to myself:
I've got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy
And ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life I love you
All is groovy
I told my wife I want these words on my headstone
@Purehthought333
My first day of school my first class was music. The teacher taught us all to sing this song and what the word groovy meant. I have a tear in my eye as I write. Thanks Mrs. Lipard!
@rodo6795
Sounds like a very beautiful first day of school. ❤
@jeremyalford9166
Swear to Gawd😂😂😂
@jeremyalford9166
West Lumberton Elementary 😂
@jeremyalford9166
4grade😂 damn
@Bolgabolgabolga
That's awesome! Same types of memories for me! We sang carpenters song "on top of the world" .. we all would get a set of sticks or a Block of wood with a stick.. a triangle.. Our teacher would play the piano and we'd all sing... I understand the tears.
@jayraskin
Rode on a bus over the 59th Street Bridge while visiting my sisters who still live in New York. My daughter (29) and two grand-daughters (5 and 9 years old) was with me. I played this song for them. I tried to make them understand how I loved this song and what it meant to me and so many people of my generation.
@jesfreeman4656
My dad sang this to me growing up. I still hear his voice when I listen to it. He passed in 2017 at 58 years old. Miss him every day
@INBOUNDFBI
my dads turning 62 this year so glad i have him in my life. Blessings to you and yours
@llrblaylock9451
I ❤ this song and the brilliant song writing team of Simon and Garfunkel.
This tune is a painted memory of my childhood.
Just feeling groovy.🎉