Antonio G. Pereira © 2020 Antonio G. Pereira
_________________________________________________________________________________
Well Folks, Folkies, Folkish and Folklike, here you've got a First Class pair of related Historical Companion Pieces. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (40th Anniversary Edition) - (1CD/1DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Troubled-Water-Anniversary-Garfunkel/dp/B00C9QQNAO & Live 1969 https://www.amazon.com/Simon-Garfunkel-Live-1969/dp/B001TD1XS0
The Bridge Over Troubled Water set contains the CD of the final Simon and Garfunkel album, with stupendous sound, and a DVD containing their 1969 Television Special (that was almost never aired) and a documentary on the making of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'; with wonderful archival footage of the studio sessions.
The 1969 Television Special, 'Songs of America', was very much of it's time, and only broadcast once on the CBS Television Network. (Columbia Records - Simon and Garfunkel's Record Label - of course being a part of the CBS Conglomerate.) 'Songs of America' was only aired once, and then buried for decades. Highly Political and Controversial for it's time, beginning with the song, 'America' from the album, 'Bookends'. We see footage of America as it was then. Starting with the towns, the cities, the highways, the land. And following, inter-cut, Historical Footage of Political Figures and Cultural Figures, among them Harry Truman, Adlai Stevenson, JFK, LBJ, Martin Luther King and his wife Coretta Scott King, Ralph Abernathy, Jesse Jackson, Bobby Kennedy, Caesar Chavez, footage of the Civil Rights Marches, the War in Vietnam, the Woodstock Festival, the much forgotten Poor People's March On Washington, stark images of people starving within the United States, the battleground which many cities had become in the wake of the assassinations and the disgraceful living conditions many were forced to live in, the beginning of The United Farm Workers Union; and footage of Simon and Garfunkel having a conversation in their limousine on the way to a concert, about what was going on in the country at that time. The sentiment was anti-war, along with a need to finally address the injustices; and the Sponsors didn't like it. There is also occasional footage of Simon and Garfunkel rehearsing for their upcoming concerts, and performing live during the 1969 tour. Interestingly, the Special was introduced with an explanation of why it was done, by the actor Robert Ryan; who was also a Host of the Woody Guthrie Memorial Concert at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 20th, 1968. https://www.woodyguthrie.org/projects/WGTributeConcerts.htm The additional documentary, 'The Harmony Game', is a wonderful collection of footage shot during the recording of the album, 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', and recent interviews with Paul and Arthur, co-producer of the album Roy Halee, and most of the musicians who played on the album. There are also, disturbing discussions about what went on behind the scenes with regard to the 'Songs of America' Television Special, that sheds light on the thinking and mentality of the Sponsors. The accompanying booklet has a very good collection of photographs by among others, Don Hunstein and Jim Marshall; and some great booklet notes by Michael Hill with regard to the album, and Anthony DeCurtis, discussing the 'Songs of America' Television Special. This is an excellent and well put together set, sure to have you going back to listen to the CD and watch the DVD again and again. Funny, I've always wondered when listening to 'So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright', if Simon and Garfunkel ever had dinner with or met the Architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
'Live 1969', is an excellent Companion Piece to the Bridge Over Troubled Water CD/DVD set. The live in concert CD captures them in different cities during the 1969 tour, that took place as the 'Songs of America' Television Special was being aired, and they were finishing up the 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' album; which was released on Jan. 21st of 1970. The performances (this time accompanied on some songs by the musicians who were playing with them on the studio album), capture Paul and Arthur at their peak. These concerts were expertly recorded by their co-producer Roy Halee. Fantastic sound and atmosphere with an ecstatic audience, as we listen to Simon and Garfunkel harmonize on 'Homeward Bound', 'At The Zoo', 'The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy), 'Song For The Asking' (as Garfunkel says to the audience from the stage, a new song from the new album they are finishing), 'For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her', 'Scarborough Fair/Canticle', 'Mrs. Robinson', The Boxer', 'Why Don't You Write Me' and 'So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright' (both from the new album), 'That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine' (an old Gene Autry song), 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' (a new song as explained by Arthur, that takes the audience by surprise, and by the end creates explosive applause), 'The Sound of Silence' (more explosive applause), 'I Am A Rock' (the audience going nuts), a gorgeous, moving and perhaps clairvoyant prediction of the future, 'Old Friends/Bookends Theme', a beautiful 'Leaves That Are Green' and finally, an equally moving 'Kathy's Song'. Worthy liner notes from Bud Scoppa and again, wonderful photographs by Don Hunstein.
