The Well-Wishing Lyric Paul Simon Wrote When Art Garfunkel Started His Acting Career

The professional relationship between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel ended suddenly in 1970 after the release of the monumental album Bridge Over Troubled Water. From that point onward, the pair only worked together sporadically. And they never made another studio album together.

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But that last record shows that there were still warm feelings brewing between the two men. For example, “The Only Living Boy In New York” features Paul Simon wishing Art Garfunkel well in the endeavor that would eventually hasten the breakup.

The New York Blues

As the 60s started to wind down, no act stood on more solid critical and commercial ground than Simon & Garfunkel. The pair had advanced beyond the “folk-rock” songs that brought them from obscurity in the mid-60s. With each new album and single, they seemed to push the musical envelope further, all while maintaining their touch as hitmakers.

To be fair, not all the blame for their breakup can be laid on Mike Nichols’ film Catch-22. Jealousies and rivalries had always existed between the pair, even as they maintained a close friendship while they worked together. But the film caused a kind of tipping point.

Art Garfunkel was chosen for a role in the movie. Originally, Nichols cast Simon as well, but he eventually cut his part. Thus, Garfunkel spent a good chunk of time in 1969 in Mexico filming the movie. Simon remained in New York to work on the songs for Bridge Over Troubled Water.

“The Only Living Boy” came at a point when Simon was clearly missing his musical partner. He slyly referenced Garfunkel by naming the character in the song “Tom.” It’s a nod to the fact that Simon & Garfunkel once went by the name Tom and Jerry in their pre-fame days.

Within the song, the narrator wishes Tom well, all while admitting his own feelings of loneliness. But eventually, Simon’s frustrations built up with Garfunkel’s absence. He also felt that he could do well on his own, since he was the one writing all the duo’s songs anyway. While it proved to be a peak for the duo, Bridge Over Troubled Water also turned out to be the final album of their studio career.

Examining the Lyrics of “The Only Living Boy In New York”

“Tom, get your plane right on time,” Simon sings. “I know your part will go fine / Fly down to Mexico.” Those opening lines are about as autobiographical as it gets. From there, “The Only Living Boy” resonates as a song that anyone who’s missing someone far from them can understand and appreciate.

The narrator can’t be distracted by current events. “I get the news I need from the weather report,” Simon sings. In the middle eight, he muses on life’s infinite comings and goings. “Half of the time we’re gone / But we don’t know where.”

In the final verse, Simon references Garfunkel’s career wanderlust when he sings, “I know that you’ve been eager to fly now.” He then ladles some praise on his singing partner’s character. “Hey, let your honesty shine, shine, shine now,” he pleads. “Like it shines on me.”

“The Only Living Boy In New York” stands out for the thrilling vocals performed by the two men, a sound achieved by recording in a kind of echo chamber. That kind of musical harmony reigns over this lovely song, even if it wasn’t too long before personal harmony between Simon & Garfunkel was interrupted.

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