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Happy Birthday to Art Garfunkel who is 70-years-old today. Art was born on November 5, 1941 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City and would achieve worldwide fame in the mid-1960s as a member of the legendary duo Simon and Garfunkel. Let’s celebrate Art’s birthday with seven great performances – one for each decade. These include a song from each of Simon and Garfunkel’s five studio albums, and two solo tracks.

“The Sounds of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel

If it were not for “The Sounds of Silence,” the Simon and Garfunkel partnership might have been over after their debut album “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.” The duo’s producer, Tom Wilson, hit upon the idea of overdubbing “The Sounds of Silence” with electric guitars, bass and drums, and the result was a number one single that brought the duo back together.

Here’s a great live version of the song from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival:

“April Come She Will” – Simon & Garfunkel

“April Come She Will” is a Simon and Garfunkel track with a great solo vocal from Garfunkel. It originally appeared on the 1966 album “Sounds of Silence” and also featured on the soundtrack to “The Graduate” movie in 1967.

“Scarborough Fair” – Simon & Garfunkel

“Scarborough Fair” is a great showcase for the skilled harmony singing of Simon and Garfunkel. The traditional song featured on their 1966 album “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.”

Here’s a live version of “Scarborough Fair” from Simon and Garfunkel’s renowned 1981 concert in New York City’s Central Park:

“Mrs Robinson” – Simon & Garfunkel

“Mrs Robinson” first appeared on the soundtrack of “The Graduate” in 1967, but in abbreviated form. The complete version would first appear on their “Bookends” album the following year and it would also become the duo’s second of three number one singles in the US.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” is Art Garfunkel’s defining moment on record. It was released on the album of the same name in January 1970 and is up there as one of the finest pop vocals of the decade. The single was the duo’s third and final US number one.

“All I Know” – Art Garfunkel

“All I Know” featured on Art Garfunkel’s first solo album, “Angel Clare,” and was his only Top Ten solo hit on the Billboard Hot 100. “All I Know” was written by Jimmy Webb, who also wrote such classics as “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Wichita Lineman.”

“Bright Eyes” – Art Garfunkel

“Bright Eyes” was penned by Mike Batt as the theme for the animated movie “Watership Down.” Garfunkel’s single was the biggest hit of 1979 in the UK, occupying the top spot for six weeks. It would also appear on the UK version fof his 1979 album “Fate for Breakfast,” but not the US edition.

Here’s a live version from Art Garfunkel’s live show on Ellis Island, New York in 1996.

The Simon and Garfunkel tracks are all present on the excellent “Simon and Garfunkel – The Collection” box set which features the duo’s five original studio albums and a DVD of the 1981 Central Park show.

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