

This theme is briefly circumnavigated in the second track, "Save the Life of My Child." A haunting, slightly electronic indictment of the government during the Vietnam era, the song centers on a boy on a ledge, ready to jump, and the frenzy of activity by everyone to a) avert the tragedy and b) protect their own appearence. Though the melody would be reintroduced later, the quiet, mystic introduction sets the tone for the album - one of attractively peaceful reflection. While not quite on the same level as Bridge (but then, few albums are), Bookends is a charming, eclectic and inspired collection of some of the best pop songs of the 1960s.īookends starts off with "Bookends Theme," a scant instrumental by a single acoustic guitar. The fact that Bookends wasn't overshadowed by S&G's crowning achievement Bridge Over Troubled Water, which came along a year later, gives an idea of this record's impressive stature.


Although at the time Simon & Garfunkel were already established pop stars, 1968's Bookends cemented their place as pop legends and went on to become one of the duo's alltime classic albums.
