For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her

Last updated
"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her"
Song by Simon & Garfunkel
from the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Language English
RecordedAugust 22, 1966
Genre Folk rock
Length2:07
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon
Producer(s) Bob Johnston
"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (Live)"
For Emily S+G.jpg
Single by Simon & Garfunkel
from the album Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
B-side "America"
ReleasedAugust 10, 1972
Genre Folk rock
Length2:25
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon
Producer(s)
Simon & Garfunkel singles chronology
"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"
(1971)
"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (Live)"
(1972)
"America"
(1972)

"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" is a song written by Paul Simon and recorded by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel on their third studio album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966). It is sung solely by Art Garfunkel, and consists mainly of his vocals with heavy reverb and a 12-string acoustic guitar. The lyrics concern finding a lover, although Simon once characterized the subject matter as being about a "belief," rather than about a specific individual.

Contents

First issued as a single as the B-side of "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (1966), the song was later reissued in live form in 1972 to promote the release of the compilation album Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits . The track reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1972. [1] Afterwards, the song was switched to the B-side of the single with “America” as the A-side and re-entered the charts in November 1972. It has been covered numerous times by many notable artists, and remains a staple of Art Garfunkel's live sets. He regards it as one of the most challenging songs to perform. [2]

Background

"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" has sometimes been thought to be named after poet Emily Dickinson, who is referenced in another song on the record, "The Dangling Conversation." [3] It has also been considered to be inspired by Simon’s relationship with Kathy Chitty, which is forefront in "America". "For Emily" is more lyrically comparable with "Homeward Bound" and "Kathy’s Song" in that it details finding solace in a lover. [4]

While other songs, such as "The Sound of Silence," had taken months for Simon to complete writing, others, such as "For Emily," were written in a single night. [5] In their 1968 appearance on Kraft Music Hall , Simon explained that "For Emily" is not about an imaginary girl Emily, but about a belief, while the song "Overs" (from the album Bookends ) is about the loss of that belief. [6]

The live recording of the song released as a single in August 1972 peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent seven weeks on the chart. [1]

Composition

"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" has been called an "ethereal showpiece for [Art] Garfunkel," containing a "mystical quality, created not only by the timbre of the guitar, but also by some of the rhythmic and pitch elements." [7] The song’s production is simple, and consists mainly of a 12-string acoustic guitar played by Simon and various studio techniques, such as reverberation and unison overdubs on the vocals. [7]

The song is composed in the key of F major, and is played by Paul Simon with the capo on 3rd fret, which means the harmonies are in relative D. The song barely lasts two minutes, covering five verses. The first three employ "ornate imagery to tell of his dream of finding his lover," the fourth is an instrumental interlude, and the fifth finds the protagonist awakening to find his lover with him. [7] The melody consists of five brief phrases, with the first three being descending series of thirds. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" draws on the Mixolydian scale, which is identical to the major scale but with its seventh step lowered. [8] James Bennighof, in his book The Words and Music of Paul Simon, considers the composition exceptionally flexible in regard to its harmonic and melodic scheme: "Simon feels free to vary the syllable and accent pattern of the text lines within the verses, and he adjusts the rhythms and pitches in order to accommodate these alterations." [7]

Within the album’s sequence, the song follows "A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)", which is considerably different in tone: a satirical rant regarding pop culture. [3] This sharp contrast between successive songs is a theme carried throughout Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. [7]

Reception

In 2014, a Rolling Stone readers poll ranked it among the duo's best compositions, with the magazine declaring, "Over the years, fans have recognized it as one of the duo's sweetest love songs." [2]

Cash Box described the original studio version as "a soft ballad." [9] Record World said it has "one of S & G's loveliest lyrics and heart-stopping melodies." [10]

Cover versions

The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Glenn Yarbrough (as the title track of his 1967 album For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her), Johnny Rivers (on his 1967 album Rewind ), The Arbors (on their 1968 album The Arbors Featuring I Can't Quit Her - The Letter), Ricky Nelson (on his 1969 album Perspective), Paul Desmond (on his 1969 album Bridge over Troubled Water ), Cliff Richard (on his 1969 album Sincerely Cliff), David Essex (on his 1973 album Rock On ), John Frusciante (at Red Hot Chili Peppers shows), Overwhelming Colorfast (on their 1992 EP Bender) and The Czars (on their 2006 album Sorry I Made You Cry). Paul's son Harper used some lines from the song on his "Berkeley Girl." Lani Hall (on her 1972 album Sun Down Lady ) sings the song as "Wherever I May Find Him." It is sung a cappella.

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] 53

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon & Garfunkel</span> American folk music duo

Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo comprising the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s. Their most famous recordings include three US number ones: "The Sound of Silence" (1965) and the two winners of the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, "Mrs. Robinson" (1968) and "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1970). Other hits include "The Boxer" (1969), "Cecilia" (1970) and the four 1966 releases "Homeward Bound", "I Am a Rock", "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter", as well as the 1968 album track "America".

<i>Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.</i> 1964 studio album by Simon & Garfunkel

Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. is the debut studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Following their early incarnation as rock 'n' roll duo Tom and Jerry, Columbia Records signed the pair in late 1963. The album was produced by Tom Wilson and engineered by Roy Halee. The cover and the label include the subtitle "exciting new sounds in the folk tradition". Recorded in March 1964, the album was released on October 19.

<i>Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme</i> 1966 studio album by Simon & Garfunkel

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Produced by Bob Johnston, the album was released on October 24, 1966, in the United States by Columbia Records. Following the success of the re-release of their debut single "The Sound of Silence", Simon & Garfunkel regrouped after a time apart while Columbia issued their second album, a rushed collection titled Sounds of Silence. For their third album, the duo spent almost three months in the studio working on instrumentation and production.

<i>Bookends</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Simon & Garfunkel

Bookends is the fourth studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Produced by Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel and Roy Halee, the album was released on April 3, 1968, in the United States by Columbia Records. The duo had risen to fame two years prior with the albums Sounds of Silence and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and the soundtrack album for the 1967 film The Graduate.

"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional English ballad. The song lists a number of impossible tasks given to a former lover who lives in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The "Scarborough/Whittingham Fair" variant was most common in Yorkshire and Northumbria, where it was sung to various melodies, often using Dorian mode, with refrains resembling "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" and "Then she'll be a true love of mine." It appears in Traditional Tunes by Frank Kidson published in 1891, who claims to have collected it from Whitby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America (Simon & Garfunkel song)</span> 1968 song written and composed by Paul Simon

"America" is a song performed by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel, which they included on their fourth studio album, Bookends, in 1968. It was produced by the duo and Roy Halee. The song was later issued as the B-side of the single "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her " in 1972 to promote the release of the compilation album Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. After peaking in the charts in July 1972, the song was switched to the A-side of the single and re-entered the charts in November 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am a Rock</span> 1965 song written by Paul Simon

"I Am a Rock" is a song written by Paul Simon. It was first performed by Simon as the opening track on his album The Paul Simon Songbook which he originally recorded and released in August 1965, only in the United Kingdom. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, as the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, re-recorded it on December 14, 1965, and included as the final track on their album Sounds of Silence, which they released on January 17, 1966. It was released as a single in 1966, and subsequently included as the B-side of the 1971 A-side reissue of "The 59th Street Bridge Song ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)</span> Single by Simon and Garfunkel

"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" is a song by folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, written by Paul Simon and originally released on their 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. Cash Box called it a "sparkling, spirited lid".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon & Garfunkel discography</span>

Simon & Garfunkel, an American singer-songwriter duo, has released five studio albums, fifteen compilation albums, four live albums, one extended play, twenty-six singles, one soundtrack, and four box sets since 1964. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel first formed a duo in 1957 as Tom & Jerry, before separating and later reforming as Simon & Garfunkel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song)</span> 1966 single by Simon & Garfunkel

"Homeward Bound" is a song by the American music duo Simon & Garfunkel, released as a single on January 19, 1966, by Columbia Records. It was written by Paul Simon and produced by Bob Johnston. Simon wrote the song during his time in England, possibly while waiting for a train at Widnes railway station in the northwest of England. Simon said later he actually composed it at a railway station in Warrington.

<i>Old Friends</i> (1997 Simon and Garfunkel album) 1997 box set by Simon and Garfunkel

Old Friends is the second box set of Simon & Garfunkel songs, released in November 1997. The three-disc anthology collects most of the duo's best-known works, as well as previously unreleased outtakes. Some of these outtakes later appeared on the reissues of Simon & Garfunkel's five studio albums, as well as the subsequent boxed set The Columbia Studio Recordings (1964-1970).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Hazy Shade of Winter</span> 1966 single by Simon & Garfunkel

"A Hazy Shade of Winter" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on October 22, 1966, initially as a stand-alone single, but subsequently included on the duo's album Bookends (1968). It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dangling Conversation</span> 1966 single by Simon and Garfunkel

"The Dangling Conversation" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel, released in September 1966 as the second single from the duo's third studio album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duncan (Paul Simon song)</span> 1972 single by Paul Simon

"Duncan" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the third and final single from his second self-titled studio album (1972), released on Columbia Records in July 1972 backed with "Run That Body Down". The song peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fakin' It (Simon & Garfunkel song)</span> 1967 song by Simon & Garfunkel

"Fakin' It" is a song recorded by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel for their fourth studio album, Bookends (1968). The song was initially released only as a single on July 7, 1967 through Columbia Records. It was later compiled into the second half of Bookends.

"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" is a 1966 song by Paul Simon released on Simon & Garfunkel's album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, and as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation", which charted at number 25 on Billboard's Hot 100. It is a commentary on advertising.

<i>Bridge over Troubled Water</i> 1970 studio album by Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on January 26, 1970, by Columbia Records. Following the duo's soundtrack for The Graduate, Art Garfunkel took an acting role in the film Catch-22, while Paul Simon worked on the songs, writing all tracks except Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "Bye Bye Love".

"Cloudy" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their third studio album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966). It was co-written by Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley of the Seekers; that band later covered it on their 1967 album Seekers Seen in Green. The Cyrkle released a version of the song on their 1966 debut album, Red Rubber Ball. The title track, Red Rubber Ball, was also written by the duo of Woodley/Simon.

"Overs" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their fourth studio album, Bookends (1968).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still Crazy After All These Years (song)</span> 1976 single by Paul Simon

"Still Crazy After All These Years" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the third and final single from his fourth studio album of the same name (1975), released on Columbia Records. Though the song briefly reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., it was a bigger hit on the magazine's Easy Listening chart, where it peaked at number four.

References

  1. 1 2 "Simon & Garfunkel – Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Andy Greene (January 15, 2014). "Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Simon and Garfunkel Songs". Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Bennighof 2007, p. 30.
  4. Bennighof 2007, p. 6.
  5. Jackson, Laura (2004). Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography. New York: Citadel Press, p.99. First edition, 2004.
  6. "Three for Tonight". Kraft Music Hall . January 3, 1968. NBC.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Bennighof 2007, p. 31.
  8. Bennighof 2007, p. 178.
  9. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 29, 1966. p. 40. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  10. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. August 19, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  11. "Simon & Garfunkel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2014.

Bibliography