Simon & Garfunkel – The Concert In Central Park

Simon & Garfunkel – The Concert In Central Park

The Concert In Central Park captures the historic 1981 reunion of "Simon & Garfunkel", one of the most celebrated live performances in the history of American popular music. Recorded on 19 September 1981 in New York City's Central Park, the free concert attracted an enormous crowd and marked the first major live performance by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel together in more than a decade. The resulting live album was released in 1982 and became a major success, bringing together many of the duo's best-loved songs alongside selections from their solo careers.

The performance opens with the instantly recognisable Mrs. Robinson, before moving through classics including Homeward Bound, America, Scarborough Fair and April Come She Will. Their trademark vocal harmonies remain at the heart of the performance, while the expanded live band gives familiar songs additional depth and energy. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard, Wake Up Little Susie and Late In The Evening provide some of the concert's liveliest moments, balancing the more intimate acoustic performances.

The set also highlights the songwriting careers of both musicians, including Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years, American Tune, Slip Slidin' Away and Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover. The unusual Kodachrome: Mabellene medley adds another memorable moment, while the concert builds towards a powerful sequence of "Simon & Garfunkel" classics: The Boxer, Old Friends, The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) and the iconic The Sounds Of Silence.

The emotional centrepiece is undoubtedly Bridge Over Troubled Water, with Art Garfunkel's soaring vocal providing one of the defining moments of the concert. For fans of "Simon & Garfunkel", 1960s folk rock and classic live albums, The Concert In Central Park is an essential record, documenting a remarkable reunion in one of New York's most famous settings and preserving the enduring appeal of two of the era's most influential singer-songwriters.

Tracklist

1. Mrs. Robinson
2. Homeward Bound
3. America
4. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard
5. Scarborough Fair
6. April Come She Will
7. Wake Up Little Susie
8. Still Crazy After All These Years
9. American Tune
10. Late In The Evening
11. Slip Slidin' Away
12. A Heart In New York
13. Kodachrome: Mabellene
14. Bridge Over Troubled Water
15. Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover
16. The Boxer
17. Old Friends
18. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
19. The Sounds Of Silence