At 17, I never thought I would be 71. I've lost friends, gained friends, and watched my friends grow old with me. Time goes by so fast, so don't waste it.
hard to imagine they were in their 20's when writing these songs. i was in my teens then and now am 71. they were old souls at a young age. now i'm just old ! S+G will never be duplicated - they were truly special
What an amazing and touching story about the soldier who met his old comrade on a park bench 50+ years later. Tearing up here. Excellent reaction, Shawn, and I'm sorry about your friend.
Just turned 70 this year, Death could be knocking on my door any time now. Loss many friends of 20 years. Live your Life as if it is your last. Love Simon & Garfunkel. Love this song! GOOD Reaction! ❤️
The guitar part at the end..”Bookends” Back when this album was out I was determined to learn how to play that on my guitar…. I worked & worked & figured it out. Then when I watched Paul play it… he made it look wayyy easier than I did. He is so talented. Love S&G. This was a great request!
Yes, I’m 70 now. The first part is two young men trying to imagine what it would be like to be old. The second is the same two men when they ARE old, remembering that innocent youth, and having nothing but fading memories, maybe an old photo. I recently found just such an old photo of my college roommate and me in 1973, when we were just 20. How young we looked! I’ve been lucky, I still have that old friend today. This song spanned our lives. What a gift. On our 70th birthdays, we both remembered this song… how terribly strange to be 70.
Thank you, Shawn, for playing this song for me. I must admit that my eyes were filled with tears. With illness, the early onset of Alzheimer's, all I have left are precious memories and some faded photographs (some black & white) of many of the Brothers I deployed with so long ago and through many years. We love your heart, Brotherman; all the guys send you a hello and thanks.
I got this album "Bookends" long ago. There is a recording of people in a retirement home talking about "their memories" on this album, right before this song "Old Friends" starts. I later found out they recorded these senior citizens talking of their memories at the retirement home just down the street from my home on Reseda Blvd. in Reseda (Los Angeles county San Fernando valley) where I grew up. Now here I am a senior citizen myself...but I'm still "rocking out" and love all kinds of music and still dancing and loving and still learning and growing.
My elderly grandmother lived with us for most of our childhood. She was one of my heroes and I’ve always had old age on my mind. Now I’m almost 70 and it’s getting to be my reality. But I don’t wear round toed shoes and I’m not lost in my overcoat LOL
Never heard this before, I could tear up for I have many friends who are gone, some went in their 50’s, some older. I miss the old times with them all. 😪♥️
As has already been mentioned, the track before Old Friends, (Voices of Old People) is bits from interviews of elderly people. I love the way it is edited with voices of different people, with different feelings and cocerns seeming to weave in and out. One fades as another gets stronger. The last speaker is a woman who says, "It just is, beautiful. Like, just a room. Your own room, in your own home." Then the music of 'Old Friends' comes in. I encourage you to listen to the two together on your own. The transition between the spoken words and the song is beautiful; sad, touching, thought provoking and beautiful.
On U tube there is a video of the announcement of their 20003 tour named Old Friends. They sang this & they were 62 at the time. At the end of the song they got a little emotional. They were 8 years away from 70. It was beautiful.
A good companion song o this would be John Prine's "Hello In There", preferably the studio version. BTW, Simon was about 26 when he composed this song, a young man looking into the future. Now, react to "Bob Dylan's Dream", written at the age of 21 about looking to the past with the wisdom of someone much beyond his years.
The kids in my class going through school are all turning 70 this year. Listening to this I started thinking about everyone who's no longer with us, and started to tear up.
They toured together in the 80's, starting with their Concert in Central Park. Then preformed in the 90's. Then they had their big Old Friends tour which started in 2003. It picked up again in 2009, until Art had vocal cord problems in 2010. Until Paul moved to Texas in 2018 , they saw each other often.
Thanks for this one, shawn. I remember it newly released and still love it the same today. Friends do pass, no way around that one, so love them deeply for the treasure that they really are. And be glad they've been given to you. Have good adventures with them and alone. Don't forget to thank your Maker. Peace -
Heard this for the first time when I was 16. Now I'm 72. Memories.
At 17, I never thought I would be 71. I've lost friends, gained friends, and watched my friends grow old with me. Time goes by so fast, so don't waste it.
At 76, this song has a whole different meaning for me than it did at 21...❤
hard to imagine they were in their 20's when writing these songs. i was in my teens then and now am 71. they were old souls at a young age. now i'm just old ! S+G will never be duplicated - they were truly special
What an amazing and touching story about the soldier who met his old comrade on a park bench 50+ years later. Tearing up here. Excellent reaction, Shawn, and I'm sorry about your friend.
So young to have such knowledge about being old.
Paul Simon as a great lyricist.
this one always hits me hard no matter how many times I hear it.
Just turned 70 this year, Death could be knocking on my door any time now. Loss many friends of 20 years. Live your Life as if it is your last. Love Simon & Garfunkel. Love this song! GOOD Reaction! ❤️
The guitar part at the end..”Bookends” Back when this album was out I was determined to learn how to play that on my guitar…. I worked & worked & figured it out. Then when I watched Paul play it… he made it look wayyy easier than I did. He is so talented. Love S&G. This was a great request!
Yes, I’m 70 now. The first part is two young men trying to imagine what it would be like to be old. The second is the same two men when they ARE old, remembering that innocent youth, and having nothing but fading memories, maybe an old photo. I recently found just such an old photo of my college roommate and me in 1973, when we were just 20. How young we looked! I’ve been lucky, I still have that old friend today. This song spanned our lives. What a gift. On our 70th birthdays, we both remembered this song… how terribly strange to be 70.
Thank you, Shawn, for playing this song for me. I must admit that my eyes were filled with tears. With illness, the early onset of Alzheimer's, all I have left are precious memories and some
faded photographs (some black & white) of many of the Brothers I deployed with so long ago and through many years. We love your heart, Brotherman; all the guys send you a hello and thanks.
I got this album "Bookends" long ago. There is a recording of people in a retirement home talking about "their memories" on this album, right before this song "Old Friends" starts. I later found out they recorded these senior citizens talking of their memories at the retirement home just down the street from my home on Reseda Blvd. in Reseda (Los Angeles county San Fernando valley) where I grew up. Now here I am a senior citizen myself...but I'm still "rocking out" and love all kinds of music and still dancing and loving and still learning and growing.
So much more to listen to on the album.
Damn that hit hard. I haven’t heard this one in years.
Make lots of good memories because in the end it will be all you have.
Lovely reaction to this beautiful song. Paul Simon is a genius.
Mom played this all the time for me as a child.
My elderly grandmother lived with us for most of our childhood. She was one of my heroes and I’ve always had old age on my mind. Now I’m almost 70 and it’s getting to be my reality. But I don’t wear round toed shoes and I’m not lost in my overcoat LOL
Our grandmother lived with us for most of our childhood. She was my hero. But I’m only 68, old timer. 😂
Never heard this before, I could tear up for I have many friends who are gone, some went in their 50’s, some older. I miss the old times with them all. 😪♥️
As has already been mentioned, the track before Old Friends, (Voices of Old People) is bits from interviews of elderly people. I love the way it is edited with voices of different people, with different feelings and cocerns seeming to weave in and out. One fades as another gets stronger. The last speaker is a woman who says, "It just is, beautiful. Like, just a room. Your own room, in your own home." Then the music of 'Old Friends' comes in. I encourage you to listen to the two together on your own. The transition between the spoken words and the song is beautiful; sad, touching, thought provoking and beautiful.
On U tube there is a video of the announcement of their 20003 tour named Old Friends. They sang this & they were 62 at the time. At the end of the song they got a little emotional. They were 8 years away from 70. It was beautiful.
On the album, the transition at the end of "Old Friends" into the next song "Save the life of my child" is powerful and the song is amazing!
A good companion song o this would be John Prine's "Hello In There", preferably the studio version. BTW, Simon was about 26 when he composed this song, a young man looking into the future. Now, react to "Bob Dylan's Dream", written at the age of 21 about looking to the past with the wisdom of someone much beyond his years.
Lovely request 💔💔💜💜
The kids in my class going through school are all turning 70 this year. Listening to this I started thinking about everyone who's no longer with us, and started to tear up.
Definitely a constant in life is losing goof people 😞
Sadly, now that they are in their 80s, they're no longer friends. Best friends from middle school until their split in 1971, the friendship ended.
They toured together in the 80's, starting with their Concert in Central Park. Then preformed in the 90's. Then they had their big Old Friends tour which started in 2003. It picked up again in 2009, until Art had vocal cord problems in 2010. Until Paul moved to Texas in 2018 , they saw each other often.
Thanks for this one, shawn. I remember it newly released and still love it the same today. Friends do pass, no way around that one, so love them deeply for the treasure that they really are. And be glad they've been given to you. Have good adventures with them and alone. Don't forget to thank your Maker.
Peace -
Bookends is one of the best musical pieces ever written. Just wish it was a bit longer.
I believe it was also in Wonder Years which was a great show.
Now their both in their early 80$
Heard this when I was 14, so I sang it as: How terribly strange to be 17.
Concert in Central Park 1981!!
68 y/o guy here- grew up with Simon and Garfunkel. Most of us don't fear death...it's simply the end of a long life.
Nostalgia is beauty and desappointment.
I fkin love this song. Bookends is my favorite part 👏🏽👏🏽
Art recently said 70 was not bad. But he said turning 80 was strange. He will be 83 next month. Paul turns 83 this month.
How terribly strange to be seventy.
Right??