Now I had seen Simon and Garfunkel's record on show at 'Sangeet Sagar' which drew my attention. The duo looked quite happy and colorful on the cover and somehow I felt I might enjoy their music. I asked the tall, helpful salesman, to play it for me. He did. I liked what I heard and I asked him to record it for me. Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest was mine to hear.
I heard it out and liked the songs 'Mrs. Robinson', 'Sounds of Silence', I' am a rock', 'Scarborough Fair', 'Bridge over troubled waters', 'El Condor Pasa', 'The Boxer' and the very peppy 'Cecilia' which soon became my favorites. They had a very different sound, some sincerity to their songs and a simplicity that was endearing. The lyrics were very interesting too.
Years later I discovered Mrs. Robinson in 'The Graduate'. Ad I must have listened to that tape so many times over and over again with those who wanted to listen to the duo. Shobha and I certainly spent many hours listening to S&G in Pune and Hyderabad. Really good afternoon music or evening music I always thought. Of course, the HPS gang - Kiri, Ranjan, Madhav and Vardha had heard it too. Choudary would have heard it by default.
One interesting memory of Simon and Garfunkel was this little bet I had with a good friend Shobha Meera, who knew more English and more western songs than I did (she would know the lyrics and full songs and the pronunciation too). I was humming Scarborough Fair and I thought it went like 'Are you coming to Scarborough Fair..' (it does). So I sang it like I knew. She was pretty sure it was 'going' and not 'coming'. It transpired into a bet - I don't remember what. I was unsure until we heard the song again and it was proven I was right. I would have never got the second line right - but the third and fourth are easy. But that was a good bet to win.
Of course we were a bit scandalised when we heard they were gay, which it turns out they were not. Paul came out with his singles later. I saw Art in a classy film with Jack Nicholson 'Carnal Knowledge'.
Years later I discovered Mrs. Robinson in 'The Graduate'. Ad I must have listened to that tape so many times over and over again with those who wanted to listen to the duo. Shobha and I certainly spent many hours listening to S&G in Pune and Hyderabad. Really good afternoon music or evening music I always thought. Of course, the HPS gang - Kiri, Ranjan, Madhav and Vardha had heard it too. Choudary would have heard it by default.
Of course we were a bit scandalised when we heard they were gay, which it turns out they were not. Paul came out with his singles later. I saw Art in a classy film with Jack Nicholson 'Carnal Knowledge'.
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