The Dangling Conversation
Encyclopedia
"The Dangling Conversation" is a song written by Paul Simon
, first released in September 1966 as a Simon and Garfunkel
single "The Dangling Conversation"/"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
". The song only climbed to 25 on the US charts and never made it onto the UK charts. Paul Simon was amazed it was not a big hit. He put it down to the song's heaviness. It was released a month later as a recording on the Simon and Garfunkel
album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
.
The theme is failed communication between lovers. The song starts in a room washed by shadows from the sun slanting through the lace curtains and ends with the room "softly faded." They are as different as the poets they read: Emily Dickinson
and Robert Frost
.
Simon has compared this song to "The Sound of Silence
", but says "The Dangling Conversation" is more personal.
recorded a version of the song which is one of her greatest hits, originally released in 1967 on the Joan
album. She changed one of the lines to "Is the church really dead?" and Simon insisted that a line be inserted on the album's back cover that read: "Paul Simon asks Joan to note that the original line is, 'Is the theater really dead?'"
Les Fradkin
has a dramatic version on his 2006 album, Jangleholic.
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...
, first released in September 1966 as a Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
single "The Dangling Conversation"/"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" is a 1966 song originally by Simon & Garfunkel released on their album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. Written by Paul Simon, it is a commentary on advertising...
". The song only climbed to 25 on the US charts and never made it onto the UK charts. Paul Simon was amazed it was not a big hit. He put it down to the song's heaviness. It was released a month later as a recording on the Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third album by Simon & Garfunkel, released in the United States on October 10, 1966. Its name comes from the second line of the album's first track, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", an English folk song from the 16th century, paired with a counter-melody and...
.
The theme is failed communication between lovers. The song starts in a room washed by shadows from the sun slanting through the lace curtains and ends with the room "softly faded." They are as different as the poets they read: Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...
and Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
.
Simon has compared this song to "The Sound of Silence
The Sound of Silence
"The Sound of Silence" is the song that propelled the 1960s folk music duo Simon & Garfunkel to popularity. It was written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. An initial version preferred by the band was remixed and sweetened, and has become...
", but says "The Dangling Conversation" is more personal.
Cover versions
Joan BaezJoan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
recorded a version of the song which is one of her greatest hits, originally released in 1967 on the Joan
Joan (album)
Joan was a 1967 album by Joan Baez. Having exhausted the standard voice/guitar folksong format by 1967, Baez collaborated with composer Peter Schickele , on an album of orchestrated covers of mostly then-current pop and rock and roll songs...
album. She changed one of the lines to "Is the church really dead?" and Simon insisted that a line be inserted on the album's back cover that read: "Paul Simon asks Joan to note that the original line is, 'Is the theater really dead?'"
Les Fradkin
Les Fradkin
Les Fradkin is a guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He is best known for being a member of the original cast of the hit Broadway show Beatlemania...
has a dramatic version on his 2006 album, Jangleholic.
Chart performance
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 85 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 25 |