Totally weird Bookends has some typical Simon & Garfunkel themes and sounds, but they tweaked it in such a way that it enters the dark and bizarre. From what I read the first side of this record is a conceptual piece, from childhood to old age. After reviewing the lyrics, sure, I guess they touch on the quote unquote theme. But from what I saw on the lyric sheet is that they mention several New York periodicals, and expand on what you'd read in the paper, from childhood trauma to being old and hanging out in the park -- histoire humaine. It felt like a mini-personal tour of what it would have been like to grow up in such a big city, what you'd hear about and what you'd see.
Side two's numbers were written for the Graduate soundtrack, and mostly rejected, except
Mrs. Robinson. Compared to the first side's synth-folk, folk sound, side two is more what you'd expect from the duo, insightful folk rock. Bookends is a tough record to follow, but worth every minute wasted trying to figure out what it all means, but such is the Bookends of life! Right?
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