My Little Town
Encyclopedia
"My Little Town" is a 1975 song by the American duo Simon & Garfunkel. It was written by Paul Simon
, who produced the track along with Art Garfunkel
and Phil Ramone
. Although the song would not appear on any of the duo's albums until later, it was included on both the solo releases for Simon (Still Crazy After All These Years
) and Garfunkel (Breakaway
) in 1975.
album in 1970, both Simon and Garfunkel decided to part ways and record their own solo material.
In June 1972, they were asked to sing at a political benefit concert for United States president
ial candidate George McGovern
at Madison Square Garden
, New York City
.
On October 18, 1975, Simon hosted the second episode of the premiere season of the NBC
comedy sketch program Saturday Night Live
. During the musical numbers, Garfunkel performed with him, and together they sang three songs: "The Boxer
"; "Scarborough Fair
"; and their new collaboration, "My Little Town".
Simon has stated that the song is not autobiographical; instead he says that it is about "someone who hates the town he grew up in. Somebody happy to get out." He has been quoted describing the writing of the song: "It originally was a song I was writing for Artie. I was gonna write a song for his new album, and I told him it would be a nasty song, because he was singing too many sweet songs. It seemed like a good concept for him." After playing the song for Garfunkel, the two decided to collaborate again in the studio on this one track.
While Simon insists it is not autobiographical, Garfunkel has explained, in recent interviews, that it was about his own childhood, how he "grew up in an area where a career in music was not seen as either desirable nor exciting". This seems true since Garfunkel's parents did insist he gain some qualification aside from his pure tenor
voice (He gained a bachelors degree in Arts History in 1965, and a Master's degree in Mathematics in 1967). Garfunkel, upon Simon & Garfunkel's break-up, worked as a teacher in Connecticut, a draftsman in New York and a math tutor In Los Angeles.
The first verse mentions Garfunkel's religious views, "God keeps His eye on us all" and how, as a Jew, he was expected to "Pledge allegiance to the (western) wall
". The second verse describes him "coming home after school", where his mother, Rose (a housewife), would be "doing the laundry". It goes on to describe the lack of creative output and inspiration, in the form of a monochromatic rainbow. The final verse describes how Art had no identity of his own other than being "(his) Father's son", and how he was "twitching like a finger on the trigger of a gun" (presumably, from anxiety to escape the dead-end life the lyrics describe) before the final chorus plays.
The song starts off very quietly, beginning with a piano solo (by Garfunkel), and almost non-existent drumwork. They begin to sing together (there are no solo parts) which further showcases their vocals, with Paul Simon providing a subdued bass-guitar line. The choruses of "nothin' but the dead and dyin' back in my little town" are played with an increased intensity, especially the final repeat-and-fadeout section following the last verse, with some horns and backing vocals added to the mix.
chart in late 1975, peaking at number nine. It spent two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart, becoming their second number one on this survey as a duo. Both singers have hit number one on the adult contemporary chart as solo performers as well, Garfunkel four times and Simon twice.
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, who produced the track along with Art Garfunkel
Art Garfunkel
Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel...
and Phil Ramone
Phil Ramone
Phil Ramone is a South-African violinist, composer, recording engineer, and record producer.-Biography:As a young child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and performing for Queen Elizabeth II at age ten...
. Although the song would not appear on any of the duo's albums until later, it was included on both the solo releases for Simon (Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years
Still Crazy After All These Years is the fourth studio album by Paul Simon.Recorded in 1975, the album produced four US Top 40 hits, "Gone at Last" , "My Little Town" , "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" and the title track . It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1976...
) and Garfunkel (Breakaway
Breakaway (Art Garfunkel album)
Breakaway is the second solo album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Richard Perry who has produced albums for other artists such as Carly Simon. It includes three Top 40 singles: "I Only Have Eyes For You" , "Break Away" and the Simon And...
) in 1975.
History
After the success of their Bridge over Troubled WaterBridge over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list...
album in 1970, both Simon and Garfunkel decided to part ways and record their own solo material.
In June 1972, they were asked to sing at a political benefit concert for United States president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
ial candidate George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
On October 18, 1975, Simon hosted the second episode of the premiere season of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
comedy sketch program Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. During the musical numbers, Garfunkel performed with him, and together they sang three songs: "The Boxer
The Boxer
"The Boxer" is a folk rock ballad written by Paul Simon in 1968 and first recorded by Simon & Garfunkel. It was released as the follow-up single to their number one hit "Mrs. Robinson", and reached #7 in the US charts. It later appeared on their last studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, along...
"; "Scarborough Fair
Scarborough Fair
"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional ballad of the United Kingdom.The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks, such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well, adding that if she...
"; and their new collaboration, "My Little Town".
Simon has stated that the song is not autobiographical; instead he says that it is about "someone who hates the town he grew up in. Somebody happy to get out." He has been quoted describing the writing of the song: "It originally was a song I was writing for Artie. I was gonna write a song for his new album, and I told him it would be a nasty song, because he was singing too many sweet songs. It seemed like a good concept for him." After playing the song for Garfunkel, the two decided to collaborate again in the studio on this one track.
While Simon insists it is not autobiographical, Garfunkel has explained, in recent interviews, that it was about his own childhood, how he "grew up in an area where a career in music was not seen as either desirable nor exciting". This seems true since Garfunkel's parents did insist he gain some qualification aside from his pure tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
voice (He gained a bachelors degree in Arts History in 1965, and a Master's degree in Mathematics in 1967). Garfunkel, upon Simon & Garfunkel's break-up, worked as a teacher in Connecticut, a draftsman in New York and a math tutor In Los Angeles.
The first verse mentions Garfunkel's religious views, "God keeps His eye on us all" and how, as a Jew, he was expected to "Pledge allegiance to the (western) wall
Western Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
". The second verse describes him "coming home after school", where his mother, Rose (a housewife), would be "doing the laundry". It goes on to describe the lack of creative output and inspiration, in the form of a monochromatic rainbow. The final verse describes how Art had no identity of his own other than being "(his) Father's son", and how he was "twitching like a finger on the trigger of a gun" (presumably, from anxiety to escape the dead-end life the lyrics describe) before the final chorus plays.
The song starts off very quietly, beginning with a piano solo (by Garfunkel), and almost non-existent drumwork. They begin to sing together (there are no solo parts) which further showcases their vocals, with Paul Simon providing a subdued bass-guitar line. The choruses of "nothin' but the dead and dyin' back in my little town" are played with an increased intensity, especially the final repeat-and-fadeout section following the last verse, with some horns and backing vocals added to the mix.
Charts
The buzz surrounding the surprise reunion of the two singers helped to generate anticipation for each of their solo albums, which were released within a few weeks of the performance on Saturday Night Live. Credited on both albums as being performed by 'Simon & Garfunkel', "My Little Town" became the duo's eighth top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in late 1975, peaking at number nine. It spent two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart, becoming their second number one on this survey as a duo. Both singers have hit number one on the adult contemporary chart as solo performers as well, Garfunkel four times and Simon twice.
Chart performance
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 46 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 17 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 24 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |