Punky's Dilemma

"Punky's Dilemma" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their fourth studio album, Bookends (1968).

"Punky's Dilemma"
Song by Simon & Garfunkel
from the album Bookends
RecordedOctober 5, 1967
StudioColumbia Studio A (New York City)
GenreFolk rock
Length2:10
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Paul Simon
Producer(s)Paul Simon , Art Garfunkel, John Simon

Background

"Punky's Dilemma" was one of two songs (the other being "Overs") that Paul Simon offered to director Mike Nichols for his film The Graduate.[1] Nichols was not particularly taken with either, which led to Simon writing "Mrs. Robinson".[1]

The song was partially worked on by John Simon,[2] who was hired to "kick-start" the recording when Paul Simon had writer's block.[3] Morgan Ames, writer for High Fidelity magazine, attended a recording session during which "Punky's Dilemma" was being constructed, in October 1967.[2] The team spent over 50 studio hours recording "Punky's Dilemma," re-recording vocal parts, sometimes note by note, until they were satisfied.[4]

Composition

"Punky’s Dilemma" is breezy and minimal musically, with a soft jazz-style percussion and seemingly improvised guitar lines dominated by seventh chords.[5] As rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, the song "seems the essence of lightheartedness on casual hearing but is really a poignant and ironic presentation of a young man's military alternatives: resisting or playing along with the draft."[6]

Notes

    References
    1. Eliot 2010, p. 90.
    2. Fornatale 2007, p. 66.
    3. Fornatale 2007, p. 62.
    4. Simon & Garfunkel interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
    5. Bennighof 2007, p. 39.
    6. Christgau, Robert (1973). Any Old Way You Choose It. Cooper Square Press. p. 169. ISBN 0815410417.

    Sources
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.