Tag: Paul Simon

George Harrison and Paul Simon Performing on “Saturday Night Live” (Duet of the Day)

In November 1976, Paul Simon hosted “Saturday Night Live,” creating some magic when he performed with that night’s musical guest, George Harrison.

On November 20, 1976, two of the generation’s greatest singer-songwriters appeared together on Saturday Night Live, Paul Simon and George Harrison. Each of them was nearly seven years from their most famous partnerships with other artists. Simon and Art Garfunkel had ended Simon & Garfunkel in 1970. Harrison’s last last recording session with the Beatles was in January of 1970.

In November 1976, America had just elected Jimmy Carter president in the aftermath of the country’s large Bicentennial celebration in July. Paul Simon was still riding high from winning the Grammy for Album of the Year for Still Crazy After All These Years in February. And Harrison was appearing on SNL to promote his latest album that had been released one day earlier, Thirty Three & 1/3.

Simon was the host of the SNL episode and Harrison was listed as the musical guest. But Harrison appeared in one of the funniest moments in SNL history when in the cold open he was negotiating with producer Lorne Michaels.

The negotiations were in reference to the earlier April 24, 1976 episode where Michaels made an offer to pay the Beatles “$3,000 to reunite” on his show, a play on a concert promoter who had offered the group $50 million to reunite. On the November episode, Harrison was seen as disappointed he could not collect the money on his own.

Another classic humorous segment on the November show featured Paul Simon in a ridiculous turkey costume as he started singing “Still Crazy After All These Years.”  While many remember these very funny performances, it is often forgotten that the two also created two great musical performances.

Harrison and Simon’s SNL Performances

Regarding musical performances, the two legends joined forces in two touching moments. While not talked about as often as the classic comedy performances on that particular show, the two men joined together for touching performances of two songs. One of the tunes was written by Simon and the other was writen by Harrison. And they both had been originally released many years earlier, so they already were recognized as classic songs in 1976.

Below is George Harrison joining Paul Simon on his song, “Homeward Bound.” The song originally appeared on Simon & Garfunkel’s album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966).

And here, Paul Simon helps George Harrison on one of his great songs originally recorded by the Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun.” The song originally appeared on Abbey Road, released in 1970.

After SNL: The Late 1970s

Of course, the two men would go on to many more great songs and performances. After the SNL appearance, Simon would release a greatest hits album in 1977 but would not release another proper solo album of original material for several years until 1980’s One-Trick Pony. During the years between SNL and that album, Simon did various projects, including working on several acting roles perhaps building off of his SNL hosting energy. And then on September 19, 1981, Simon joined again with his old friend Art Garfunkel for their concert in Central Park.

Regarding Harrison, in the immediate years after the SNL appearance, Harrison stayed mostly focused on his music. The following January, Harrison released a song that would become a hit for him, “Crackerbox Palace” (a video of which was shown on the SNL episode). And then in 1979, came another album, George Harrison (with the hit single “Blow Away”), coming after his second marriage and the birth of his son Dhani. Like Simon’s break from recording new music in the late 1970s, in the early 1980s Harrison would also start to withdraw from releasing music for awhile, focusing on other aspects of life and dealing with the 1980 loss of John Lennon. He released Gone Troppo in 1982 but no more albums for five more years after that.

After Simon and Harrison each took their own break in some of the years after their SNL appearance, though, they each returned to release some of their most acclaimed work starting in the late 1980s. Simon released Graceland in 1986, followed by other work like The Rhythm of the Saints (1990). Harrison released his platinum album Cloud Nine in 1987, following it up with his popular work with the Traveling Wilburys.

Regarding Saturday Night Live, Simon appeared on SNL many times after the 1976 episode with Harrison. For example, he performed “The Boxer” to open the first SNL episode after the September 11 attacks. He even did another duet on “Homeward Bound,” this time with Sabrina Carpenter for the opening of the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025.

Unfortunately, George Harrison never appeared again on SNL after the 1976 episode with Simon.

But we still have that magical night in November 1976 when George Harrison and Paul Simon made us laugh with their acting and touched us with their music.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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John Lennon and Paul Simon Presenting Grammy for Record of the Year

In March 1975, John Lennon and Paul Simon appeared together at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards to present an award and to have some fun along with Andy Williams and Art Garfunkel.

On March 1, 1975, John Lennon and Paul Simon appeared together at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, presenting the award for Record of the Year for 1974. Olivia Newton-John, who was not present at the awards, would win the Grammy with producer John Farrar for “I Honestly Love You.” But it was the presentation banter between the two legends that seems most significant today. Joined at various points by Andy Williams and Art Garfunkel, the appearances and the jokes seem like a condensed snapshot of 1975 pop culture.

The four men were connected in a number of ways leading up to this encounter.

Andy Williams and His Connection to John Lennon

First, there is Lennon and Simon (perhaps both drunk?) trading jokes with crooner Andy Williams. While Williams may be less known today, if you were around in the 1970s, you knew him. He was well known for his recordings, The Andy Williams Show, “Moon River,” and his Christmas songs and TV specials. He also hosted the Grammy’s that year and in fact every year between 1971 and 1977.

Viewers would not only know Williams but would know that his former partner “Claudine” referred to in the somewhat risqué banter was his newly ex-wife Claudine Longet. Audience members probably also caught that the “three hits” he referred to from their partnership was their three children.

Although later in life Williams explained that he was a Republican, he also had been friends with the Kennedys. And he also was outspoken against the Nixon Administration’s efforts in the 1970s to deport John Lennon. So, the affection you see between Lennon and Williams is likely genuine.

John Lennon in Early 1975

As for Lennon, in early 1975, he was coming off his famous “Lost Weekend” period and separation from Yoko Ono that lasted from 1973 until early 1975. He was having some success working with other artists (Elton John and David Bowie).

Also, later in 1975 Lennon would release Rock ‘n’ Roll, his last album before his 1980 return with Double Fantasy. A the time of the Grammy’s, Yoko was pregnant. As later in the year on October 9, 1975, John’s 35th birthday, Yoko Ono gave birth to their son Sean Ono Lennon.

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in 1975

Simon of course was connected to Art Garfunkel, who appears near the end of the clip. But he also had some mixed experience with Lennon. Simon and Garfunkel had broken up their partnership years earlier. Hence, the joking about whether they would reunite or whether Lennon would reunite (a reference to the 1970’s often-discussed rumors about the Beatles getting back together).

But in 1975 Simon and Garfunkel were doing some work together, although one might detect some tension in the onstage joking. Apparently, not long before this appearance, Simon and Garfunkel had reconciled to some extent when they visited John Lennon and Harry Nilsson during a recording session in 1974.

Simon and Lennon’s Relationship

Apparently, Simon and Lennon had some sort of disagreement during that Harry Nilsson recording session. According to different reports, either Simon walked out or Nilsson threw out both Simon and a drunk Lennon. Lennon also apparently called Simon some names at the time.

But as you see in the exchange, Lennon and Simon seem to have gotten over that riff. And after John Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980, Simon referenced his sadness about the death in  “The Late Great Johnny Ace,” a song regarding blues singer Johnny Ace who had died in 1954.  “On a cold December evening/ I was walking through the Christmas tide/ When a stranger came up and asked me/ If I’d heard John Lennon had died/ And the two of us/ Went to this bar/ And we stayed to close the place/ And every song we played/ Was for the Late Great Johnny Ace.”

Before that tragedy, though, back in 1975 for one evening, the four talented artists came together for some fun.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    American Tune: We Came on a Ship in a Blood Red Moon

    With only changing a few words in Paul Simon’s “American Tune,” Rhiannon Giddens made the song even more timely.

    In 2022, as part of a Grammy salute to Paul Simon, Rhiannon Giddens joined Simon on stage to sing his song, “American Tune.” Besides the great artist tribute and the wonderful performance by Giddens, a significant aspect of this performance was a change in lyrics that further broadened the meaning of the song.

    When they taught us as kids in the early 1960s about the United States, we may have learned with a less critical eye than what we understand about history today. Still, one thing that always stands out is that the country thrives when it moves forward to become broader, more accepting, and more loving.

    Many of our leaders have understood this truth about our history, perhaps nobody more than Abraham Lincoln, when after a contentious reelection in 1864 during the midst of a Civil War, America did the right thing in choosing the best person for President. He spoke at his inauguration, while the war continued, of having “malice toward none with charity toward all.”

    Simon’s “American Tune” has always connected the conflicting views of America as one of both hope and loss. We’ve previously written in another post about the song and its musical origins by composer Johann Sebastian Bach. We noted there are beautiful covers of “American Tune” by artists like Eva Cassidy and Willie Nelson.

    Giddens’ version makes the song even more relevant for today. As sung by a woman with African-American and Native American ancestry, her moving performance further reminds us of America’s complicated history, while still maintaining the hope for tomorrow.

    The lyric change appears across two lines near the end of the song, a change approved by Simon. In Simon’s original 1973 version, with the nation’s Bicentennial approaching, Simon sang about arriving aboard a certain ship we learned about as kids: “We come on the ship they call The Mayflower/ We come on the ship that sailed the moon.”

    But in Giddens’s retelling, she reminds us that not everyone came on the Mayflower. Importantly, though, the lyrics also remind us that those who did not come on the Mayflower play an essential part of singing our American Tune.

    And high up above my eyes could clearly see,
    The Statue of Liberty,
    Sailing away to sea;
    And I dreamed I was flying.
    We didn’t come here on The Mayflower;
    We came on a ship in a blood red moon;
    We come in the age’s most uncertain hours,
    And sing an American tune.

    Leave your two cents in the comments. Images via YouTube and Wikipedia.

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    The Last Simon & Garfunkel Concert

    Simon & Garfunkel last performed a concert in 2010 with Art Garfunkel struggling through the performance due to health issues at the time.

    On Saturday, April 24, 2010, Simon & Garfunkel performed at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Due to health issues, Art Garfunkel struggled through the performance, supported by Paul Simon. Seeing the two onstage as the show was coming to a close, someone in the audience would be surprised that it would be the last concert the two performed together.

    The two would reunite briefly two months later for one song, “Mrs. Robinson,” at an American Film Institute Life Achievement Award tribute to director Mike Nichols. But the New Orleans Jazz Festival remains the last show the two did together.

    Through the years, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel became almost as well known for their feuds and breakups as for their beautiful harmonies and great library of recordings. And then there were the various reunions, including the famous 1981 Concert in Central Park. Another one of their reunions was the 2010 New Orleans Jazz Festival. It was not meant to be their final concert, and many additional shows were planned as part of the tour.

    In New Orleans, though, Art Garfunkel had been sick and showed up with what was later diagnosed as vocal cord paresis. The difficulties with his voice during the show led him later to explain, “I was terrible, and crazy nervous. I leaned on Paul Simon and the affection of the crowd.”

    His voice struggles and the ensuing support from Simon and the crowd highlight the main set closing song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” While reports regarding earlier parts of the show focused on the troubled performance and ruined songs, the closing number was a triumph, at least in context of Garfunkel’s problems.

    Oh, if you need a friend,
    I’m sailing right behind;
    Like a bridge over troubled water,
    I will ease your mind;
    Like a bridge over troubled water,
    I will ease your mind.

    Garfunkel made it through the difficult song, supported by his lifelong friend and sometimes nemesis, and urged on by the crowd. It is beautiful to watch, especially in light of the message of the song about supporting a friend.

    “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was the closing number of the 15-song set. But the two came back on stage for an encore with three more songs, “Sounds of Silence,” “The Boxer,” and “Cecilia.” It would be the main closer “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though, that remains most remembered for the song’s reliance on Garfunkel’s challenged solo voice to hit the high notes.

    Yet, despite what appears to be love and good will between the two men onstage in New Orleans, that good will would be lost once again after the performance. They had to cancel the rest of the tour due to Garfunkel’s vocal problems.

    After the show, Garfunkel looked forward to eventually continuing performing as a duo. But his claim to Simon that he would be able to continue within a year did not come true. Simon felt Garfunkel was not honest about the seriousness of the problem. Once again, their exchanges damaged the trust between the two men. The distrust, as well as the friendship, went back to when they were teenagers (when Garfunkel first felt Simon breached a trust by signing a record deal without him).

    After the New Orleans performance and delays, more words were exchanged through the media. In a 2015 interview, Garfunkel called Simon a “jerk” and “idiot” for breaking up the duo, though he still left open the possibility of a reunion. But in 2016, Simon said, a reunion was “out of the question” and that the two men no longer even talked.

    Garfunkel’s voice did return, as shown by a 2019 solo acoustic performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” But with the exception of the short 2010 tribute to The Graduate director Mike Nichols, Simon and Garfunkel never returned to the stage together.

    While we can still hope for a reunion, Paul Simon announced his retirement from touring in 2018. But he has appeared live since then, including a 2019 show where he sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

    What is your favorite Simon & Garfunkel song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Jackson C. Frank’s Beautiful Music From a Tragic Life

    Jackson C. Frank’s life featured a lot of pain, but he also created great beauty with his 1965 folk album, which featured “Blues Run the Game.”

    Jackson Carey Jones was born on March 2, 1943, later taking the surname of his stepfather to become Jackson C. Frank. Between the birth and his death at age 56 on March 3, 1999, Frank encountered many tragedies and released one of the great “lost” folk albums of the 1960s.

    Paul Simon produced Frank’s 1965 album, Jackson C. Frank. The album failed to launch the career that Frank’s music deserved, although it influenced other artists and is loved by man today. The leadoff track, “Blues Run the Game” has been covered by several artists and appeared on TV and in movies.

    Livin’ is a gamble baby,
    Lovin’s much the same;
    Wherever I have played, and
    Whenever I’ve thrown those dices,
    Wherever I have played,
    The blues have run the game.

    A number of singers have since covered the song. Artists who covered “Blues Run the Game” include Nick Drake, Sandy Dennis, Counting Crows, and John Mayer. The wonderful TV series featured Frank’s original version over a montage giving the heartbreaking backstory of one of the characters.

    Paul Simon would also record “Blues Run the Game” with Art Garfunkel. The song appeared on the Simon & Garfunkel box set Old Friends.

    Frank would never release another album during his lifetime, although he did create more music (now available). His life seemed to be haunted. When he was eleven, a furnace exploded at his school, severely burning Frank and killing fifteen of his classmates, including his young sweetheart.

    After recording his 1965 album, Frank suffered from depression and other mental and physical health problems. At one point he was homeless. He died of pneumonia in Massachusetts in 1999.

    The following short clip from a Buffalo news stations gives a little more information about his life.

    I only discovered Frank’s music recently after seeing a reference on Twitter. It is clear he was a great talent, so it is no wonder that he is well-respected despite the unfortunately small amount of music we have from him. Check out more of his music if, like me, you are new to his work.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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