“Bridge Over Troubled Water” was a huge success. The addition of session musicians dubbed The Wrecking Crew – including Joe Osborn on bass guitar, Larry Knechtel on piano and organ, and Hal Blaine on drums – bumped the production to a new level. But the success of the album was just another wedge between the two.
Their partnership was falling apart, and Simon was even starting to hate the tours, especially when Garfunkel would do a solo rendition of the song “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” As the crowd went wild, Simon would be standing in the wings, looking on with jealousy.
Songs and Their Personal Nature
Simon poured his frustrations with Garfunkel into some of his songwriting and music. In the song “The Only Living Boy in New York” are the lines “Tom, get your plane right on time / I know your part'll go fine / Fly down to Mexico.” It's pretty easy to see this is Simon dinging Garfunkel (AKA Tom) for ignoring his band duties for filming.
Garfunkel returned in September 1969, and work resumed on the album, recorded in Detroit and Wichita. Both members were exhausted, which wore nerves thin. Garfunkel even confessed that he was getting pretty upset with Simon.
More Acting, More Problems
It turns out Garfunkel really enjoyed acting. He even took another role from Nichols, alongside Jack Nicholson in "Carnal Knowledge". Years later, Simon would admit he was so frustrated with Garfunkel for jetting off once again he started to really think about the future of their partnership.
He recalls asking Garfunkel, “Why didn't you tell me?” Garfunkel was afraid Simon would stop working on the music.” Simon was unhappy – disturbed was the word he used – with the choices Garfunkel had made, and it led to a big change in the future of their career.
Rockumentary
In 1969, CBS aired "Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America" a unique television special about the duo. It was a conventional rockumentary that featured interviews with the two, footage of them working in their studio, and footage from their 1969 tour.
Songs from "Bridge Over Troubled Water" made early appearances, and even has a rehearsal of the never formally-recorded “Cuba Si, Nixon No.” The rest of the special is a series of montages depicting the cultural upheavals of the sixties, including Martin Luther King Jr. and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Saying Goodbye
Since Simon had solo songs to perform in most shows, Garfunkel thought it was unfair that he didn't have a song that was just him on his own. Fair point! When Garfunkel learned about Simon's concerns and feelings, he didn't respect them enough, and so the stage was set for a breakup for good.
The two continued performing until July of 1970 – after a concert at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, the two shook hands in the parking lot and called it quits for good.