I first heard Simon and Garfunkel singing on the soundtrack of the movie The Graduate and immediately fell in love with their music, as did a lot of other people at that time.

The Boxer

This folk rock ballad was written in 1968 and first recorded by Simon and Garfunkel. Released as the follow up single to their number one hit, Mrs. Robinson, together with Baby Driver it was later included on their final studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Paul Simon has said that the lyrics are largely autobiographical, written when he felt he was being unfairly criticized: "I think the song was about me: everybody's beating me up, and I'm telling you now I'm going to go away if you don't stop."

Bob Dylan covered the song on his album, Self Portrait. It has also been covered by Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Alison Krauss and The King's singers.

Here is my performance and here are the lyrics.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

This is the title song of Simon and Garfunkel's final album together, Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970). It was a number one hit, and stayed at the top of the charts for six weeks, when it was replaced by The Beatles' Let it Be.

Simon wrote the song in1969 specifically for Garfunkel to sing, while Garfunkel was in Europe filming Catch 22. The original version had two verses and the lyrics were rather different. Garfunkel suggested Simon should sing it and thought it needed an extra verse, so a third was added. Apparently Simon regretted letting Garfunkel do the song as a solo, and in their recent "Old Friends" tours they have sung alternate verses.

The song won the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1971. A cover by Aretha Franklin later won a Grammy award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1972. Here are Simon and Garfunkel performing it in 1969.

Other artists who have covered it include Elvis Presley, Eva Cassidy, Charlotte Church and American Idol star, Clay Aiken.

Here is my attempt at the song, and here are the lyrics.

Kathy's Song

Kathy's Song is from the wonderful 1966 album, The Sounds of Silence. In my opinion it is a beautiful and sensitive piece of romantic poetry, and as good as anything Simon has written.

My video of the song is here, and here are the lyrics.