Maps of Music

Watermark (1978)

Where the lyrics of Watermark take you, and where it was really made.

The first single from this album failed to chart, but its follow-up, a version of "(What a) Wonderful World", reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Key places

A&R Recording Studio, New York (1978)

Recording site A&R Recording Studio — Listed as a recording place in MusicBrainz. The Italian article names A&R Recording, Inc. in New York City as the mixing studio for one track. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cherokee Recording, Hollywood (1978)

Recording site Cherokee Studios — The Italian article lists Cherokee Recording Studios in Hollywood, California as a recording site. The same studio's Studio #3 also mixed the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Lombard Sound, Dublin (1978)

Recording site Lombard Studios — The Italian article lists Lombard Sound in Dublin, Ireland among the recording sites. MusicBrainz records the place as Lombard Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Muscle Shoals area recording (1978)

Recording site Muscle Shoals Sound Studio — The Italian article lists Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, Alabama as a recording site. MusicBrainz lists Portside Sound Studios at this coordinate, so the exact building is not confirmed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Village Recorder, Westwood (1978)

Recording site Village Recorders — The Italian article lists The Village Recorder in Westwood, California as a recording site for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A&M Recording, New York (1978)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The Italian article lists A&M Recording, Inc. in New York City as a recording site. Only the city center is known, so the dot sits at city level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Rudy Records, San Francisco (1978)

Recording site Soapbox West — The Italian article lists Rudy Records in San Francisco, California as a recording site. Only the city center is known, so the dot sits at city level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Watermark: third solo studio album by Art Garfunkel
• Released October 1977 on Columbia Records
• Jimmy Webb wrote all tracks except where indicated
• Some promotional copies of the single "Crying in My Sleep" called the album Art Garfunkel, suggesting a self-titled plan at first
• European release originally included "Fingerpaint"
• January 1978 reissue removed "Fingerpaint" and added "(What a) Wonderful World", with the track order changed

Background

• First single "Crying in My Sleep" failed to chart
• Follow-up "(What a) Wonderful World" featured harmony vocals from Paul Simon and James Taylor
• That follow-up reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart
• "Watermark" and "Paper Chase" had earlier been performed by Richard Harris on A Tramp Shining and The Yard Went On Forever
• The album is noted as the final recording sessions of saxophonist Paul Desmond, who died of lung cancer shortly afterward
• Laurie Bird, Garfunkel's girlfriend, made the cover photograph

Recording

• Recording sites listed: Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, Alabama; CBS Recording Studios in New York City; Lombard Sound in Dublin, Ireland; The Village Recorder in Westwood, California; Rudy Records in San Francisco; Cherokee Recording Studios in Hollywood, California; A&M Recording in New York City
• Mixing sites listed: Cherokee Recording Studio #3 in Hollywood, and A&R Recording in New York City for "(What a) Wonderful World"
• Mastering by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood, California
• Art Garfunkel produced the album, except "(What a) Wonderful World", which Phil Ramone produced
• Barry Beckett served as associate producer
• Session players included Paul Simon, Jimmy Webb, Paul Desmond, Joe Farrell and The Chieftains

Cover

• Cover photograph by Laurie Bird
• Art direction and design by John Berg

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org · ja.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 October 1977 on Columbia Records as Garfunkel's third solo studio album
• First single "Crying in My Sleep" failed to chart
• Promotional copies of that single named the album Art Garfunkel
• Follow-up "(What a) Wonderful World" featured harmony vocals from Paul Simon and James Taylor
• That follow-up reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart
• European pressings originally included "Fingerpaint", later replaced in the January 1978 reissue

Reappraisal

• Italian Wikipedia's external links list an AllMusic review by William Ruhlmann; the source gives no rating
• Korean Wikipedia highlights the album as the final recording sessions of saxophonist Paul Desmond
• Desmond died of lung cancer shortly after these sessions
• The source gives no critical verdict beyond these references

Records

• Billboard Hot 100: No. 17 for "(What a) Wonderful World"
• Adult Contemporary chart: No. 1 for "(What a) Wonderful World"
• "Crying in My Sleep": did not reach the chart

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

Trivia

• Some promotional copies of the single "Crying in My Sleep" called the album Art Garfunkel
• Laurie Bird, Garfunkel's girlfriend, made the cover photograph
• Richard Harris had performed "Watermark" and "Paper Chase" on his earlier albums
• Paul Desmond's final recording sessions are noted here; he died of lung cancer shortly after
• Early European versions included "Fingerpaint", which was later replaced

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org

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