Maps of Music

Songs from a Parent to a Child (1997)

Where the lyrics of Songs from a Parent to a Child take you, and where it was really made.

Art Garfunkel's 1997 children's-song concept album was built around his own family, with his wife and six-year-old son singing on it.

Key places

Recording at Sony Music Studios (1997)

Recording site Sony Music Studios — Sony Music Studios in Santa Monica, California is listed as a recording location for this album. The source does not give session dates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Quad Recording Studios (1997)

Recording site MSR Studios — Quad Recording Studios in New York City is listed as a recording location for this album. The source does not give session dates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cover photo on Bow Bridge (1997)

Album cover Record Plant Studios — The cover photograph was taken by Douglas Foulke on Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York City. The point is placed at the park landmark level, not at an exact spot on the bridge. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Songs from a Parent to a Child is the eighth solo studio album by Art Garfunkel
• It is his first new studio release since Lefty, nine years earlier
• Released in 1997 as a concept album
• The album is built on the concept of children's songs
• It features his son, his wife and a host of celebrity musicians

Background

• His wife Kim and his son James, then six years old, took part as singers
• Musicians include Billy Preston, Warren Bernhardt, Jimmy Webb, John Sebastian and Steve Gadd
• The track listing includes 'Morning Has Broken', 'Baby Mine', 'Dreamland' and 'The Lord's Prayer / Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep'
• The Japanese Wikipedia entry lists the album under the title 心の詩

Recording

• Stuart Breed handled recording and mixing
• Stephen Marcussen mastered the album at Precision Mastering in Hollywood, California
• Becky Mancuso-Winding served as executive producer
• Garfunkel produced most tracks, while Billy Preston and Merry Clayton produced track 7

Cover

• The cover photograph was taken by Douglas Foulke on Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York City
• Howard Fritzson is credited for art direction and design

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Arthur Ira Garfunkel, born November 5, 1941 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York.
• Met Paul Simon in sixth grade at PS 164, both cast in an elementary school play, Alice in Wonderland.
• Performed as Tom & Jerry in the late 1950s, imitating the Everly Brothers' close two-part harmony; "Hey, Schoolgirl" reached number 49 on the pop charts in 1957.
• Studied at Columbia University, earning a bachelor's in art history in 1965 and a master's in mathematics education in 1967.

Career

• Simon & Garfunkel reformed in 1963; "The Sound of Silence" reached number one on the Billboard pop charts in 1965 after producer Tom Wilson added electric backing.
• Hits included "Mrs. Robinson" (written for The Graduate, 1967), "Scarborough Fair", "The Boxer" and "Bridge over Troubled Water".
• The duo split after Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), then reunited occasionally, including for "My Little Town" (1975) and The Concert in Central Park (1981).
• Solo: Angel Clare (1973), Breakaway (1975), Watermark (1977), and Fate for Breakfast (1979), which gave him his first UK number one with "Bright Eyes".
• Acted in Mike Nichols films Catch-22 (1970) and Carnal Knowledge (1971); nominated for a Golden Globe for the latter.
• Earned eight Grammy Awards in total, and he and Simon were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
• Reunited with Simon for a 2003 world tour, followed by a 2004 free concert at the Colosseum in Rome.
• Released Father and Son with his son Art Garfunkel Jr. in 2024; on April 10, 2023 he cancelled his remaining concert dates.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released as a concept album in 1997
• Eighth solo studio album by Art Garfunkel
• First new studio release since Lefty, nine years earlier
• Built on the concept of children's songs
• Features his son, his wife and a host of celebrity musicians

Records

• Grammy nomination for Best Musical Album for Children
• Thirteen tracks, from the traditional 'Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet?' to 'The Lord's Prayer / Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep'
• Personnel credits list many session players across the tracks
• Eric Weissberg is credited on guitars, banjo, dobro, acoustic guitar and mandolin
• Steve Gadd is credited on drums on tracks 3, 4, 6 and 11

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The cover photograph by Douglas Foulke was taken on Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York City
• James Garfunkel sings on track 8, 'Good Luck Charm'
• Kim Cermak Garfunkel sings on tracks 1 and 12
• Billy Preston plays acoustic piano on tracks 2 and 7
• Japanese Wikipedia lists the album under the title 心の詩

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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