The Only Living Boy in New York by Paul Simon (cover)

[Glennwillow]

This song was another request that came from a YouTube subscriber recently when I put up my "Bleecker Street" cover. I learned this song years ago but have never played this on my newer Guild F512 12-string. So here it is -- I hope you like this.

The background photo of NYC was taken from Queens of the Triboro Bridge by my niece, Emily, who generously provided this photo on short notice this morning. My niece and her husband are both successful actors in New York City.

I added the background harmony vocals in my studio after doing the live performance. The reverb for the "Ahhh..." stuff in the song uses a huge, long-tailed reverb based on a Cathedral in Italy from the company, Valhalla. I never thought in a million years that I would ever want to use such a huge reverb, but I have 100% of the reverb mixed in to get a similar sound to that of Paul Simon's engineering people from his original 1969 recording from the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album. I sang the lower vocal part on the "Ahhh..." stuff when I did the live recording and then added two higher, falsetto parts and another lower part to double what I did live.

I thought very hard about how much to do here, but so much of the recording is all that "Ahhh..." stuff, I finally decided that I should just use the studio I have and add the harmony to the live recording. My singing only one part of this "Ahhh..." stuff just sounded lame in my opinion.

Thanks for watching -- Glenn

[TBman]

Excellent Glenn, I really enjoyed that one. The 12'er sounds awsum with my headphones on.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by TBman

Excellent Glenn, I really enjoyed that one. The 12'er sounds awsum with my headphones on.

Thank you Barry!

I do agree, this 12-string really does sound awesome. I am so lucky to have this F512! What a fantastic 12-string!

I hope all is well with you Barry! I'm doing great!

- Glenn

[stringman5]

Nice performance! I'm super impressed with your video/audio production!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by stringman5

Nice performance! I'm super impressed with your video/audio production!

Thank you Stringman!

I very much appreciate the kind words of encouragement on the video/audio production.

It takes a while to learn this stuff. I have been doing audio recording since I was 16, so that has been a lifelong endeavor. In the last year I have gotten some new preamps and mics and they certainly help.

I have been doing YouTube videos for 3 years now. So the video learning curve is much like the audio one, except that with modern computer software it seems that a person can learn more, faster as long as he/she is willing to be uncomfortable enough during the learning process.

Then again, I am using the computer for the audio recording, too. Seems that there is always more to learn.

It's good to keep recording new songs; it gives me something really interesting to do and presents new mental challenges each time.

Thanks so much for watching!

- Glenn

[guitarquango]

You really got it Glenn. You voice sounds perfect. Love this tune.

Greetings, Jimmy

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by guitarquango

You really got it Glenn. You voice sounds perfect. Love this tune.

Greetings, Jimmy

Hi Jimmy!

Thank you so much! You are always so generous with your comments! I'm so glad you thought this came out well!

Greetings back to you Jimmy! I hope you are well! I'm great!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Really great, Glenn!! The studio background with reverb does the trick!! Beautiful harmonies over this one which are impressive and sound glorious!

As usual.....can't forego mentioning that 12 string....love it.......there's something about those 12'ers!

Thanks for this one!
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Really great, Glenn!! The studio background with reverb does the trick!! Beautiful harmonies over this one which are impressive and sound glorious!

As usual.....can't forego mentioning that 12 string....love it.......there's something about those 12'ers!

Thanks for this one!
Fred

Hi Fred,

Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment. Much appreciated! And thanks for the kind words of encouragement!

Regarding 12-string guitars, it's interesting to me that Paul Simon recorded this song back in 1969 with a Guild 12-string, but in recent years he has been playing a Martin 12-string.

I hope all is well for you and your family Fred.

- Glenn

[FrankHudson]

No reason for me to get long-winded here: just lovely singing and, yup, that 12-string sounds great. Yes, I too think that high harmony part would be missed if it wasn't there.

I also agree with you that the great amount of reverb and echo used in those Sixties pop productions was a part of the sound. So by doing those high harmonies and adding appropriate 'verb you've now been, as the Bard of Queens would have it: "Roy Halleed and Art Garfunkeled" all in one video

[Chickee]

OK Glenn, after me...New Yourkk, New Yourkk. Now you try.😂
As always, quality all around.

Your friend,
Coney Island Frank

[marty bradbury]

That was simply amazing Glenn! Loved it from the background to your performance. Every time I hear this song I wonder if there is a story behind it?

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

No reason for me to get long-winded here: just lovely singing and, yup, that 12-string sounds great. Yes, I too think that high harmony part would be missed if it wasn't there.

I also agree with you that the great amount of reverb and echo used in those Sixties pop productions was a part of the sound. So by doing those high harmonies and adding appropriate 'verb you've now been, as the Bard of Queens would have it: "Roy Halleed and Art Garfunkeled" all in one video

Hi Frank!

Thank you for listening and for taking the time to comment! You always have interesting things to say!

You probably realize this, but the only part of the video that had the big reverb on it was the "Ahhh..." parts. I recorded those vocal parts separately from the other harmony on the "Half of the time..." bridge and from the lead vocal, so the huge cathedral reverb was applied only to the "Ahhh..." channels. My wife pointed out to me on an early mixdown that I was not being adventurous enough on the reverb for that "Ahhh..." part, so I went back and stuck those harmonies in a big Italian cathedral. Then the sound was much closer.

I was definitely Roy Halleed and Art Garfunkeled!

I really appreciated that you liked how this came out and that you took the time to let me know, Frank! Thanks so much!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Chickee

OK Glenn, after me...New Yourkk, New Yourkk. Now you try.😂
As always, quality all around.

Your friend,
Coney Island Frank

Hi Frank!

Thanks for your very supportive comments.

But... ??? .... I'm not pronouncing New York correctly? Well, I imagine you can tell that I am not an NYC native!

Thanks so much for making me laugh Frank! I hope all is well for you!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

That was simply amazing Glenn! Loved it from the background to your performance. Every time I hear this song I wonder if there is a story behind it?

Hi Marty,

I am so glad you liked how this came out and I very much appreciate your taking the time to comment here!

And there is a story behind this song!

"Tom" in the song is Art Garfunkel. When Simon and Garfunkel started out they called themselves "Tom and Jerry" and had a minor hit in the style of the Everly Brothers called "Hey Schoolgirl!"

Art Garfunkel was heading out to Mexico to play an acting part in the movie, "Catch 22," leaving Paul Simon behind in New York City. In a sense, this was the beginning of the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel as a singing duo. In spite of Paul Simon's sense of abandonment, he gives Art Garfunkel a huge compliment, telling him to "let your honesty, shine, shine, shine, like it shines on me..."

I hope you are well Marty! I'm doing great!

- Glenn