How much can you do with two voices? You can sing thirds or you can sing fifths or you can do a background harmony.
Artie is a singer, and I'm a writer and player and a singer. We didn't work together on a creative level and prepare the songs. I did that.
You can't outrun the history train.
I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told, and I have squandered my resistance, for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises. All lies in jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest...la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lala-la-la-la-la...
I don't feel any pressure from fans. But I'm always in some kind of state of emotional turmoil. I would not describe myself as happy-go-lucky. That's not to say that I'm not happy.
Some people never say the words ‘I love you'. It's not their style to be so bold. Some people never say those words: ‘I love you' But, like a child, they're longing to be told.
It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no importance once it's finished.
Not every song I write is ecstasy. And it can happen only one time. After that, when you sing the same melody and words, it's pleasure, but you don't get wiped out.
Who am I to blow against the wind?
Artie travels all the time. The rehearsals were just miserable. Artie and I fought all the time. He didn't want to do the show with my band; he just wanted me on acoustic guitar.
Listen to the sound of silence.
My whole artistic life has always been about change, change, change, move on, move on. It's the only thing I find interesting.
We've survived by believing our life is going to get better.
I don't think that Simon and Garfunkel as a live act compares to Simon and Garfunkel as a studio act.
And I must be what I must be and face tomorrow.
Being an artist doesn't mean that you're a good artist. That was the bargain I first made with myself: I'd say, I'm an artist, but I'm not really very good.
The thought that life could be better is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains.
Sail on silver girl, sail on by...your time has come to shine all your dreams are on their way...see how they shine..oh and if you need a friend. I'm sailing right behind...
Someone could walk into this room and say your life is on fire.
The record company stay out of my way. Whenever the record is finished, they take it.
Why am I so soft in the middle when the rest of my life is so hard?
One of the things that upset me was some of the criticism leveled at Simon and Garfunkel. I always took exception to it, but actually I agree with a lot of it.
My life so common it disappears and sometimes even music cannot substitute for tears.
We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a record and then rate it. We called ourselves Tom and Jerry. I was Jerry.
I try to open up my heart as much as I can and keep a real keen eye out that I don't get sentimental. I think we're all afraid to reveal our hearts. It's not at all in fashion.
There's something about the sound of a train that's very romantic and nostalgic and hopeful.
There must be 50 ways to leave your lover.
A man sees what he wants to see, And disregards the rest.
We just did what we'd done when we were an act in the '60s. But I found it impossible to hold a dialogue with 500,000 people. In a certain sense, it was numbing.
You want to be a writer, don't know how or when? Find a quiet place, use a humble pen.
I question what emotion Manilow touches. People are entertained by him. But are they emotionally moved? I don't believe anything that Barry Manilow sings.
We were always able to sing and blend well together; that's our gift. But aside from that, we're really two different guys.
It's a big error to think that because you like somebody's work, you're going to like him.
I think Bridge Over Troubled Water was a very good song. Artie sang it beautifully. The Boxer was a really nice record. But I don't think I've written any great songs.
I lived in an attached house. My father used to drive into the wrong driveway all the time. He'd say, Damn it, how do you tell one of these houses from another?
I have my books and poetry to protect me.
We had many more points of agreement than we had points of difference, but we did differ, and the bigger we got, the more insistent we got that each one of us should have his way.
Faith is an island in the setting sun, But proof is the bottom line for everyone.
Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo.
And all the people said 'What a shame that he's dead, but wasn't he a most peculiar man?
Facts can be turned into art if one is artful enough.
People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music.
Mrs. Robinson is a little dated now, but it has nothing to do with Joe DiMaggio.
All lies and jests, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.
Anybody can do bad work, but not everybody does good work.
Sometimes even music cannot substitute for tears.
Having a track record to live up to and the history of successes had become a hindrance. It becomes harder to break out of what people expect you to do.
My voice is my improvisational instrument, the melody instrument. The guitar is harmonic structure. I'm not a good enough guitarist to improvise on it.
I suppose an artist takes the elements of his life and rearranges them and then has them perceived by others as though they were the elements of their lives.
