The Paul Simon Songbook

Recorded in London in 1965, 'The Paul Simon Songbook' serves as a vital historical document of Paul Simon's transition from a Brill Building-adjacent songwriter to a serious folk poet. Following the initial commercial failure of 'Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.' in the US, Simon moved to England, where he recorded these twelve tracks for CBS Records. The album consists entirely of Simon and his acoustic guitar, featuring early versions of songs that would later define the Simon & Garfunkel catalog. Notably, it includes 'The Sound of Silence' without the electric overdubs that eventually made it a #1 hit. The recording is characterized by its starkness and Simon's impressive fingerstyle technique, influenced by the British folk scene of the time. While some tracks like 'A Simple Desultory Philippic' reflect the era's obsession with Bob Dylan, the core of the album - 'Kathy's Song,' 'April Come She Will,' and 'Patterns' - reveals the sophisticated melodic sensibility that would eventually make Simon one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century.