About the song
Paul Simon Finally Breaks Silence on Art Garfunkel, And It’s Shocking
For decades, the partnership of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel defined an era of folk-rock brilliance. From the haunting beauty of “The Sound of Silence” to the uplifting “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” their harmonies became the voice of a generation. Yet, behind the timeless music lay a partnership fraught with tension, ego clashes, and decades of silence. Now, at 82, Paul Simon has finally broken his silence about Art Garfunkel—and what he revealed has left fans stunned.
Simon & Garfunkel’s journey began in Queens, New York, where the two childhood friends discovered a shared love of music. Their early years were filled with promise, but once fame arrived, so did friction. Paul Simon, the primary songwriter, often carried the weight of creating their hits, while Garfunkel’s ethereal voice brought them to life. This creative imbalance, coupled with clashing personalities, eventually tore the duo apart at the height of their fame in 1970.
For years, both men spoke cautiously about one another in public, often hinting at unresolved resentment. Garfunkel once described Simon as “a person who is jealous of me,” while Simon admitted he found working with Garfunkel “frustrating.” Their rare reunions, such as the legendary 1981 Central Park concert, thrilled fans but failed to mend the wounds between them.
Now, Paul Simon has chosen to finally speak with unfiltered honesty. In a recent conversation, he admitted that while their relationship was deeply complicated, he still views Garfunkel as both a blessing and a burden in his life. “Art had the voice of an angel,” Simon confessed, “but being in that partnership was sometimes suffocating. I wrote the songs, but people heard them as ours. That was hard for me to accept.”
What shocked many fans was Simon’s acknowledgment that jealousy ran both ways. He revealed that Garfunkel’s success as an actor in films like Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge left him feeling abandoned. “I felt like he walked away from the music when we were at our peak,” Simon said. “It hurt. It felt like betrayal.”
And yet, despite decades of bitterness, Simon admitted that he never stopped admiring Garfunkel’s gift. “When he sang my words, they became something bigger than me,” Simon explained. “I can’t deny that. No one else could have done what Art did. He made the songs soar.”
Perhaps the most shocking admission was Simon’s candid reflection on their estrangement in the later years of their lives. He confessed regret over not repairing their friendship. “We wasted so much time being angry,” he said softly. “Now, I realize that beneath all the tension, I loved him like a brother. We were a part of each other’s lives in a way no one else could understand.”
For fans who grew up with Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon’s words are bittersweet. They confirm the rumors of ego and rivalry but also reveal a deeper truth: behind the friction was a bond forged by music, love, and shared history.
The shocking truth is not that Paul Simon resented Art Garfunkel—it’s that, after all these years, he still recognizes him as an inseparable part of his soul. Their partnership may have ended, but their voices together remain eternal.
