Misplaced Pages

Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by Simon & Garfunkel
Released	June 14, 1972 (1972-06-14)
Recorded	March 1964–November 1969
Genre	Folk rock
Length	43:25
Label	Columbia
Producer	Paul Simon Art Garfunkel Roy Halee
Simon & Garfunkel chronology
Bridge over Troubled Water (1970) Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (1972) Collected Works (1981)

Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits is the first compilation album from Simon & Garfunkel, which was released on June 14, 1972, two years after Simon & Garfunkel had parted ways.

The album is currently available on CD under Legacy's Playlist banner.

Overview

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The album was a mix of original studio recordings and four previously unreleased live recordings. The album's minimalist packaging does not specifically date the latter; however, the live versions of "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" and "Kathy's Song" included on Greatest Hits were also included on the 2008 album Live 1969. The liner notes to Live 1969 state that these two songs were both recorded at a November 1969 concert in St. Louis, Missouri. According to the liner notes from Collected Works, however, the version of "Kathy's Song" was taken from a 1968 concert in Vermont.

In a 1975 BBC Radio 1 interview, Roy Halee identified this version of "The 59th Street Bridge Song" as being from Simon & Garfunkel's 1970 performance at Carnegie Hall, "the last concert they did together" (prior to their disbanding later in 1970). A live version of "Homeward Bound" was also included on the album.

The remaining ten studio songs comprise nine singles released between 1965 and 1972, "America" being issued as a single several years after its appearance as a track on the Bookends album, and one album track, "Bookends" (without its parent song "Old Friends").

All the singles included, except "America," "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)," and "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" made the Top Ten, with the last peaking at No. 11. "Mrs. Robinson" topped the chart aided by its appearance in Mike Nichols' hit movie The Graduate. "The Sound of Silence" and "Bridge over Troubled Water" also peaked at No. 1 as singles in their studio versions, and "The Boxer" peaked as a single at No. 7.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Rolling Stone	(favorable)

Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits peaked on the U.S. albums chart at No. 5. On the UK Album Chart, it was a No. 2 hit. The album has proven a long and durable seller, currently being certified for 14 million units sold in the U.S. alone. It is easily their best-selling album in the U.S., and holds the record in the U.S. for the best-selling album by a duo.

In 2003, the album was ranked No. 293 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Track listing

All songs composed by Paul Simon unless otherwise noted.

Side one

1. "Mrs. Robinson" (some pressings use the single mix with an early fade-out at 3:51; later pressings revert to the Bookends album version at 4:02) – 3:51 or 4:02
2. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" (Live) – 2:25
3. "The Boxer" – 5:11
4. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" (Live with applause cross-fade into the studio version of "The Sound of Silence") – 1:50
5. "The Sound of Silence" (Acoustic version with electric overdubs) – 3:11
6. "I Am a Rock" – 2:53
7. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Traditional; arranged by Simon, Art Garfunkel) – 3:09

Side two

1. "Homeward Bound" (Live with applause cross-fade into the studio version of "Bridge over Troubled Water") – 2:42
2. "Bridge over Troubled Water" – 4:53
3. "America" – 3:33
4. "Kathy's Song" (Live) – 3:23
5. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" (Daniel Alomía Robles; English lyrics by Simon, arranged by Jorge Milchberg) – 3:08
6. "Bookends" (same track as "Bookends Theme" from the Bookends LP; although cross-faded from "Old Friends" on Bookends, on this album it is a stand-alone track) – 1:21
7. "Cecilia" (some pressings use the single mix from 1970; reissues use a hybrid of the single and the album version from Bridge over Troubled Water) – 2:53

Charts

Peak positions

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

See also

• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of diamond albums in France

References

1. "Art Garfunkel Official Website - 1970-1974 Chronology". Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
2. Allmusic Review
3. Stephen Holden (August 3, 1972). "Simon & Garfunkel: Greatest Hits". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 23, 2009.
4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
5. "ultratop.be Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits". Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original (ASP) on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
6. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 18, No. 4, September 09 1972". RPM. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
7. "dutchcharts.nl Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
8. "Album Search: Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
9. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
10. "charts.nz Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
11. "norwegiancharts.com Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits" (ASP). Retrieved 2014-01-10.
12. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
13. "Swedish Charts 1969–1972 / Kvällstoppen – Listresultaten vecka för vecka > Augusti 1972 > 15 Augusti" (PDF) (in Swedish). hitsallertijden.nl. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2014-04-29. Note: Kvällstoppen combined sales for albums and singles in the one chart. Greatest Hits peaked at the number-four on the hit parade, next to two singles — "Sister Jane" by New World and "Beautiful Sunday" by Daniel Boone.
14. "Simon & Garfunkel > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
15. "Billboard ((( Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". billboard.com. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
16. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1972" (ASP) (in Dutch). Retrieved April 1, 2014.
17. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1976. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
18. "The Official UK Charts Company : ALBUM CHART HISTORY". 2007-12-17. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
19. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1977. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
20. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1978. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
21. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1979. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
22. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1980. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
23. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2007". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
24. "Canadian album certifications – Simon and Garfunkel – Greatest Hits". Music Canada.
25. ^ "Simon & Garfunkel" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
26. "French album certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits" (in French). InfoDisc. Select SIMON & GARFUNKEL and click OK. 
27. "West Germany - Domestic Product Makes Chart Inroads". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 2. January 16, 1982. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via Google Books.
28. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simon & Garfunkel; 'Greatest Hits')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
29. "Grecian Gold" (PDF). Billboard. August 28, 1982. p. 40. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
30. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong.
31. Stewart, Ken (October 27, 1973). "From the Music Capitols of the World - Dublin" (PDF). Billboard. p. 58. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
32. "Italian album certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
33. "New Zealand album certifications – Simon and Garfunkel – Greatest Hits". Radioscope. Retrieved December 21, 2024. Type Greatest Hits in the "Search:" field.
34. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Greatest Hits')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
35. Harris, Bill (November 17, 2006). "Queen rules – in album sales". Jam!. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
36. "British album certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry.
37. "British album certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
38. "American album certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America.

• 1972 greatest hits albums
• Columbia Records compilation albums
• Simon & Garfunkel compilation albums
• Albums produced by Roy Halee
• Albums produced by Paul Simon
• Albums produced by Art Garfunkel
• Albums produced by Tom Wilson (record producer)
• Albums produced by Bob Johnston