The Only Living Boy in New York

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"The Only Living Boy in New York"
Song by Simon and Garfunkel
from the album Bridge over Troubled Water
A-side "Cecilia"
ReleasedJanuary 26, 1970
RecordedNovember 1969
Genre
Length3:59
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Paul Simon
Producer(s)

"The Only Living Boy in New York" is a song written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon & Garfunkel. It is the eighth track from the duo's fifth and final studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water . The song was also issued as the B-side of the duo's "Cecilia" single.

Contents

Background

Paul Simon wrote the song as a thinly veiled message to Art Garfunkel, referencing in the first stanza the time when Garfunkel went to Mexico to act in the film Catch-22 . Simon was left alone in New York writing songs for Bridge over Troubled Water ; hence the feeling of great loneliness expressed in "The Only Living Boy in New York". Simon refers to Garfunkel in the song as "Tom", alluding to their early days when they were called Tom and Jerry, and encourages him to "let your honesty shine . . . like it shines on me". [2] The background vocals feature both Garfunkel and Simon recorded together in an echo chamber, multi-tracked around eight times. [3]

Personnel

Covers

Use in film

Use in other media

Charts

Chart (1970)Peak
position
Indonesia (Aktuil) [7] 4

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ) [8] Gold15,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [9] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. Reed, Ryan (May 19, 2020). "The 25 Best Albums of 1970". Paste . Retrieved May 24, 2025. ...meanwhile, the aching, psychedelic ballad "The Only Living Boy in New York" is simply the greatest song they ever released—sort of like having your heart demolished and swiftly re-assembled in just under four minutes.
  2. "The Words and Music of Paul Simon", James Bennighof, p. 48, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007, ISBN   0-275-99163-6
  3. Swenson, John. Simon and Garfunkel – A Musical Biography. (1984)
  4. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . April 10, 1993. p. 21.
  5. "Official Singles Chart Top 75". Official Charts Company. May 8, 1993. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  6. Charlesworth, C. (1997). The Complete Guide to the Music of Paul Simon and Simon & Garfunkel. Omnibus Press. p. 52. ISBN   0-7119-5597-2.
  7. Aktuil Magazine 59. 1970.
  8. "New Zealand single certifications – Simon and Garfunkel – The Only Living Boy in New York". Radioscope. Retrieved December 21, 2024.Type The Only Living Boy in New York in the "Search:" field.
  9. "British single certifications – Simon & Garfunkel – The Only Living Boy in New York". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 7, 2023.