Song by Song: "Richard Cory" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sounds of Silence

"Sounds of Silence" was Simon & Garfunkel's second studio album, after "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM" and before "Parsley, Sage Rosemary, and Thyme." Their fourth studio album was "Bookends," and their final studio album was "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The fourth choice, "Highway 61 Revisited," is a Bob Dylan album. "Sounds of Silence" was released in January of 1966 and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and at number 13 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Answer: Edwin Arlington Robinson

The poem was first published in 1897 as part of an anthology called "The Children of the Night." The poem was written during the depression that followed the Panic of 1893, which lasted until 1897. The economic crisis began with the collapse of the nation's two largest employers and led to a panic on the stock market and a run on the banks. The poor economic conditions for the average man, who often subsisted on day-old bread, are reflected in the poem.

Answer: A nameless factory worker

Richard Cory is the wealthy factory owner in the song, which is narrated by a nameless man who works in his factory:

"But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty."

This parallels the lines in Robinson's poem:

"So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread."

Answer: Joe South

Paul Simon and Joe South both played guitar on the song. Hal Blaine played drums. Art Garfunkel, along with Paul Simon, supplied lead vocals.

A live cover of "Richard Cory" by Australian musician Mark Seymour appears on "Live At the Continental," which was released as a bonus disc packaged with his 1997 debut studio album "King Without a Clue." His version of "Richard Cory" was performed live on May 17, 1997 at the Continental Cafe in Melbourne, Australia.

Answer: no

Three singles were released from "The Sounds of Silence" album. The title song was released in September of 1965. "Homeward Bound" was released in February of 1966. "I Am a Rock" was released in May of 1966. "Richard Cory" was not released as a single from the album.

Answer: political

Robinson's original poem expresses a jealous admiration for Richard Cory, while Paul Simon's version seems to contain a slightly more bitter envy. The poem does not mention the political connections of Paul Simon's version. Both versions agree, however, that the narrator would wish himself in Richard Cory's position. Robinson's poem says:

"In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place."

Similarly, the Paul Simon's song says:

"Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory."

Answer: banking

"Born into society, a banker's only child
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style."

The child of a banker, Richard Cory himself goes on to own a factory in which the narrator of this song works. It is unclear from the song what the factory produces.

Robinson's poem describes Richard Cory's "grace and style" as follows:

"He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed."

Answer: opera

The song continues:

"And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got."

Paul Simon's song uses specific life examples of Richard Cory's amusements to describe his wealth. Robinson's poem states, more directly: "And he was rich - yes, richer than a king."

Answer: He shot himself

Simon and Garfunkel sing:

"So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
'Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head.'"

This mirrors the conclusion of Robinson's poem:

"And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head."

This however, is where the poem solemnly ends, with the eerie and unexpected contrast between a calm summer night and a gunshot to the head. Simon and Garfunkel, however, launch again into their chorus:

"But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory."

This return to the chorus of "I wish that I could be Richard Cory" even after the report of the man's suicide has led to speculation about a potentially darker theme to the song - does the narrator wish himself dead?

Answer: Them

Two versions of the song may be found on "The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison," which was released in 1997 and contains all of the songs recorded by Them in their two years together from 1964-1966, before Van Morrison left the group. Them does a bluesy rock version of the song, with Van Morrison wailing out the vocals.

The song has also been covered by The Watchmen, The Back Porch Majority, The Heptones, and Angst.