Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge" Album Quiz

Answer: "...feeling small"

"When you're weary,
feeling small..."
-"Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Art's voice is just incredible in this song. And when they sing "sail on, silver girl..." together, its magical!

Paul Simon allowed Art to sing it because he had written it a bit too high. Unfortunately, Art's incredible performance was not entirely appreciated by Paul, who was upset when people supposed that Art had written it; this is one factor that induced their break up.

Answer: "...snail"

"I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail"
-"El Condor Pasa (If I Could)"

Throughout the song, Paul Simon tells us all the things he'd rather be in comparison to another: sparrow, snail; hammer, nail; forest, street. Paul was inspired by an Andean folk song for this track.

Answer: "...when I come back to bed someone's taken my place"

"I got up to wash my face,
When I come back to bed
Someone's taking my place"
-"Cecilia"

A fun song! It is possibly written after St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. It is common to find religious references in Simon and Garfunkel tracks.

Answer: "...tell me what you come here for, boy"

"Deputy sheriff said to me
Tell me what you come here for, boy"
-"Keep the Customer Satisfied"

One interpretation of this song is that it is about drug dealing, but I personally believe that it is describing a street musician's life. Think about it. "One step ahead of the shoe shine" - both are street jobs, but a musician's job is considered higher. Other lyrics match up with this job, too, and when Simon and Garfunkel started out as Tom and Jerry, their hard work was oftentimes unappreciated, but they were just trying to "Keep the Customer Satisfied," referring to their producer or fans, possibly.

Answer: "...Mexico"

"Tom, get your plane right on time
I know your part will go fine
Fly down to Mexico..."
-"The Only Living Boy in New York"

This song is about Paul and Art's impending breakup. When they were younger, they called themselves "Tom and Jerry;" Paul was Jerry and Art was Tom. When Garfunkel gets a role in the movie "Catch-22," filmed in Mexico, you can see how in the first stanza Paul is telling his best friend to go on. They're both New York boys, so "The Only Living Boy in New York" left after Art leaves is Paul.

Answer: "...my mamma's in the Naval reserve"

"My daddy was a prominent frogman
My momma's in the Naval reserve"
-"Baby Driver"

This song is about the lives of teenagers during the '50s. The line including "sex appeal" is rather humorous because Simon and Garfunkel songs are almost always entirely innocent.

Answer: "...never change your point of view"

"Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of view"
-"So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright"

This song, like "The Only Living Boy in New York," is a "farewell" song. Art studied architecture and represents Wright in this song. "All the nights we harmonized till dawn" is speaking of Simon and Garfunkel's countless times together practicing their songs.

Answer: "scared"

"In the quiet of the railway station,
Running scared,
Laying low..."
-"The Boxer"

One of the most popular S and G songs ever! Lie la lie, lie la lie lie lie la lie... When Paul originally wrote the song, he wasn't sure about the chorus so he just kept the "lie la lie's," expecting to change it later. But he never did.

Paul wrote this song about himself.

Answer: "...of the airfare"

"Maybe I'm lost,
But I can't make the cost
Of the airfare..."
-"Why Don't You Write Me"

The only adequate interpretation of this song that I can find is that it depicts the life of a Vietnam soldier. He's stuck in the jungle, and all he wants is a letter from his girl. But of course he can't come home because he must fight in the war.

Answer: "...more than glad"

"Thinking it over, I've been sad
Thinking it over, I'd be more than glad..."
-"Song For the Asking"

A quiet song with a beautiful melody. The lyrics are simple but true, telling a sweet love story.

There is one last song in the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album: "Bye Bye Love," originally an Everly Brothers song. The Everly Brothers were a major influence on the young Tom and Jerry.