Art Garfunkel Quotes

Powerful Art Garfunkel for Daily Growth

About Art Garfunkel

**Art Garfunkel:** A Musical Journey Through Life and Song Born Harold Rudolph Garfunkel on November 5, 1941, in Queens, New York, Art Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, best known for his harmonizing duo with Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel. Garfunkel's early life was steeped in music, with both parents singing in a choir. At the age of ten, he met Paul Simon at school, and they began their musical collaboration that would define much of Garfunkel's career. Their first hit, 'The Sound of Silence,' released in 1964, was a folk-rock anthem that catapulted them into stardom. Simon & Garfunkel's discography includes classics like 'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme,' 'Bookends,' and 'Bridge over Troubled Water.' The last album, released in 1970, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Despite numerous successful singles and albums, the duo parted ways in 1970, only to reunite periodically until their final concert in Central Park in 1981. As a solo artist, Garfunkel has released ten studio albums, with his debut 'Angel Clare' (1973) being particularly notable for its folk-pop sound and introspective lyrics. He also ventured into acting, appearing in films like 'Catch-22,' 'The One Hour Photo Man,' and 'Annie Hall.' In 2007, Garfunkel published his memoir, 'What Is It All But Luminous: Notes From an Underground Man,' offering a personal insight into his life and career. Today, Art Garfunkel remains a revered figure in music, admired for his soaring tenor voice and poignant songwriting. His music continues to resonate with generations, solidifying his place as a legendary artist.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into a book and learn how the world worked."

This quote underscores the profound role music can play in providing solace and serving as an educational tool for individuals. For Art Garfunkel, music was not just entertainment but a sanctuary where he could find respite and also gain knowledge about life. The notion of immersing oneself in literature to understand the world is similarly reflected, demonstrating a deep-rooted appreciation for self-growth through art. In essence, this quote highlights how creativity can provide comfort and wisdom in navigating life's complexities.


"I've never been an artist that thrives on chaos and confusion."

Art Garfunkel, through this statement, expresses a preference for orderliness and clarity in his creative process. He identifies as an artist who finds inspiration and productivity in a well-structured environment rather than one characterized by disorder or complexity. This quote suggests that he seeks to minimize chaos and confusion, finding these conditions detrimental to his artistry.


"Songwriting is the most beautiful form of human expression. It's like painting with words."

Art Garfunkel suggests that songwriting, much like painting, is a powerful form of artistic expression. While painting uses colors to create images, songwriting uses words to convey emotions, ideas, and stories in a musical context. The beauty lies in the ability to evoke feelings, tell tales, and share experiences through this delicate blend of language and melody. This quote underscores the unique power of music as an art form that can touch hearts, stimulate minds, and connect people across cultures and time.


"The only thing I'm good at is singing, and that's not an important enough skill to be a full-time job."

Art Garfunkel, in this quote, expresses his humility regarding his singular talent – singing. He acknowledges that while he excels in singing, he perceives it as not being a critical or vital enough skill to sustain a full-time career, suggesting that he values the depth and scope of other professions over his own. This perspective is reflective of a modest individual who recognizes the value of diverse skills and career paths beyond his chosen artistic pursuit.


"When it comes to singing, there are no second acts."

Art Garfunkel's quote suggests that in the realm of singing, or perhaps music more broadly, an artist does not get a chance at a "second act" - a second opportunity to make their mark or regain lost fame and success. This could be interpreted as a reflection on the nature of the entertainment industry, where careers can be short-lived, or it might be seen as a reminder that each individual's creative peak is unique and often unrepeatable. In essence, Garfunkel underscores the importance of making every performance count and recognizes the fleeting nature of fame in the artistic world.


After all these years, I'm finally into soccer. The World Cup is on, and my band is an international group - they're all around me, cheering in the hotel bars.

- Art Garfunkel

World Cup, Soccer, Finally, Bars

Paul's the writer. Yeah, I wrote a little of that stuff, but that's just technically true. In spirit, and in essence of the truth, it doesn't matter. So I don't know, maybe I'm being foolish for not being technical. Yeah, I wrote a certain portion of the things.

- Art Garfunkel

Maybe, Essence, Technical, Foolish

Rodgers and Hammerstein didn't mean anything to me. I just wanted to have a hit, I just wanted to be like those people on the radio. It was all of a case of the present tense with no projecting into the future, particularly.

- Art Garfunkel

Like, Particularly, Rodgers, Present Tense

We human beings are tuned such that we crave great melody and great lyrics. And if somebody writes a great song, it's timeless that we as humans are going to feel something for that and there's going to be a real appreciation.

- Art Garfunkel

Song, Going, Crave, Writes

When Paul and I were first friends, starting in the sixth grade and seventh grade, we would sing a little together and we would make up radio shows and become disc jockeys on our home wire recorder. And then came rock and roll.

- Art Garfunkel

Rock And Roll, Roll, Our, Recorder

Paul has more, I think, of a feel for the stage. Whereas I have it more for the notes themselves. I love record making and mixing, arranging, producing. That I love. I love to make beautiful things, but I don't like to perform.

- Art Garfunkel

Love, Think, Making, Arranging

Paul is a very creative artist but I'm more that thorough, meticulous, disciplined nut.

- Art Garfunkel

Artist, Very, Disciplined, Creative Artist

I like working solo and it was a lot of fun joking around with the audience, saying things. I'm only just learning how to do certain things.

- Art Garfunkel

Audience, Certain Things, Joking

So it's mix and match. Hold your line when you really feel something you're saying is wonderful and you really want to get this point across and prove it to your partner by just throwing it into the tape and letting it speak for itself.

- Art Garfunkel

Feel, Prove, Line, Mix

I would start seeing, in just the sense I was saying now, the kind of record it was going to be and what the arrangement demands, and what my vocal part should be in the record. This was all emerging as the song was emerging.

- Art Garfunkel

Song, Kind, Going, Emerging

I was a student at Columbia College, actually, in the Architecture school. Paul would drive in from Queens, showing me these new songs. I can't remember us working it out.

- Art Garfunkel

College, New, Student, Queens

We'd go to the fraternity house. It was a good place to practice. But we really wanted the kids to overhear us. And whoever heard us would go nuts over it.

- Art Garfunkel

Practice, Over, Over It, Fraternity

I teach well. I used to really like teaching a lot. I enjoyed it a lot and I was good at it.

- Art Garfunkel

Teach, Like, Lot, Enjoyed

I'm the kind of person who can hear that stuff. If you sing along to the radio and you're not going to sing unison with the melody, but find the harmony, I find that pretty easy to do.

- Art Garfunkel

Harmony, Pretty, Unison, Melody

Records have images. There are wet records and dry records. And big records.

- Art Garfunkel

Big, Records, Images, Wet

I did have a lucky thing going on there in my throat.

- Art Garfunkel

Lucky, Going, Thing, Throat

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