MovieChat Forums > In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon (2024) Discussion > Paul Simon Sure Holds A Grudge

Paul Simon Sure Holds A Grudge

posted 2 months ago by BeaSouth (3295)
5 replies | jump to latest

As in past interviews over the last 50 years, Simon again comes across as bitter and vindictive of Art Garfunkel taking time off to film Catch-22 and attempt a movie career. We again hear Simon complaining about how Garfunkel’s voice gets too much credit in Bridge Over Troubled Water. It’s hard to believe he hasn’t gotten over these grudges dating back to the early 1970’s. The film even shows his wife, Edie Brickell, reminding Simon why he was in the right on the breakup during what’s meant to portray an intimate, off-the-cuff conversation. It gives the impression Simon is arrogant and petty and cannot let go of his grudge that Garfunkel got too much spotlight for the duo’s success

[–] DoctorThirteen (13995) 2 months ago

'We again hear Simon complaining about how Garfunkel’s voice gets too much credit in Bridge Over Troubled Water.'

As far as I'm concerned Garfunkel's vocals make that song.

[–] BeaSouth (3295) 2 months ago

A couple of Paul Simon quotes from the documentary demonstrate his shallow but intractable resentments:

* He says that when they performed the song "Bridge over Troubled Water" live, people “leapt up” to applaud Garfunkel’s singing, to which Simon’s immediate thought was, “Wait a minute, I wrote that song.”

* he describes a “Freudian trauma” of his mother once saying, “Paul, you have a good voice, but Arthur has a fine voice.”

[–] DoctorThirteen (13995) 2 months ago

How ridiculous. Art Garfunkel is known as a terrific singer. That's his thing. Paul Simon is a very highly acclaimed songwriter. That's his thing; the songs are his art (no pun intended), not his vocal performance (which is okay but nothing mind-blowing). If he can't see the importance of Garfunkel's ability it's him that has the problem. Sounds like a very insecure person.

[–] BeaSouth (3295) 2 months ago

If you get a chance to see the documentary watch “verse one” which is the first half that has a lot of studio and live performance clips of the duo. Garfunkel’s voice in those clips is incredible.

[–] DoctorThirteen (13995) 2 months ago

Thanks 👍