Record of the Year holds a special place in Grammy Awards lore. Artists strive for this award, which takes into account not only how well the song is written but also the performance and recording elements. On Grammy night in 1969, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” took home the title. But did it deserve it? We’re here to examine, first by looking back at the five nominees and then by rendering our verdict.
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“Hey Jude” by The Beatles
John Lennon famously shut down any worries about the length of “Hey Jude”, insisting that The Beatles’ brand would sway radio stations to play it. He didn’t mention that the song itself, penned by Paul McCartney to soothe Lennon’s son Julian upon learning of his parents’ divorce, was so colossal. And it’s a standout recording as well, featuring Ringo Starr’s just-right touch on drums and the coda to which you wish you could sing along forever.
“Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell
The partnership of songwriter Jimmy Webb and performer Glen Campbell hit a stunning apex on this track. Webb took inspiration when, during a drive, he noticed a worker up on a telephone pole. He turned the lineman into a metaphor for anyone driven by duty, far from the one they love. And he put it in the hands of Campbell, who had a knack for embodying everyday folks while also delivering beautiful vocals.
“Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Russell wrote “Honey”, a song that very nearly skidded off into anonymity when an early take struggled to capture its potential. A version by Bob Shane was scheduled for release when Russell played the song for Goldsboro after the latter asked him what songs he had in the pipeline. Goldsboro took the tearjerker and delivered the definitive take. He, producer Bob Montgomery, and arranger Don Tweedy amped up the pathos to match the topic.
“Harper Valley P.T.A.” by Jeannie C. Riley
Songwriter Tom T. Hall combined a knack for plainspoken humor with an ability to write about relatable subjects that were outside the norm. Small-town hypocrisy, which is at the core of “Harper Valley P.T.A.”, was a subject to which many could relate. Jeannie C. Riley did a fantastic job of delivering all the juicy gossip that the song provides. A strong Southern soul vibe lifts the recording above the norm.
“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon’s guitar work, with individual notes jutting out at askew angles from the chords, is the first thing you notice on “Mrs. Robinson”. The verses can come off as glib, and the “dee-dee-dee” backing vocals sound like flower-power silliness. But then the refrains come along, and all is redeemed. Simon famously chose Joe DiMaggio as the cultural icon because his personal hero, Mickey Mantle, had a name that didn’t scan right.
The Verdict
“Honey” is the first song we can throw out of the mix; its overly sappy lyrics are part of the problem. Honestly, we’d rate “Mrs. Robinson” as No. 4 on this list. S&G did much more affecting work that didn’t get half as much notoriety.
As sharp as “Harper Valley P.T.A.” might be, it’s still a bit of a novelty. “Wichita Lineman” features stunning lyrics and a killer performance, but it’s not much from a rhythmic sense. But for all those justifications, all we needed to say was that they were up against “Hey Jude”. The Beatles’ classic should have nabbed this award, and it would have been one of the most deserving winners ever.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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