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Easy Simon And Garfunkel Songs
On The Acoustic
Learn these easy Simon and Garfunkel songs (and Paul Simon) on the acoustic guitar with the help of my free acoustic guitar demos and chord sheets. Help yourself to the free pdf chord sheets.
I've assembled some of the best Simon and Garfunkel songs for you to easily learn on guitar. Check out my full acoustic lessons from start to finish for a small fee if you need the full lesson.
You'll notice some Simon and Garfunkel album covers next to each song to indicate the album where you can find the song.
Bulk purchases for full lesson tutorials if required are available from the homepage with the code listed there that will bring down the cost of a lesson to as low as 50 cents per lesson.
Jump links to quickly access the sections.
Easy Simon And Garfunkel Songs
1. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover came out at the end of 1975 as a second single release from the album "Still Crazy After All These Years".
It was a #1 hit across several charts in the US and hit #2 in France.
Drummer Steve Gadd played that famous drum bit heard across the song. The melody comes from an old Danish song from 1917.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down down up and repeat then use a shuffle pattern for the chorus
- Picking = No
- Chords = Em, D, Cmaj7, B7, Adim, Cmaj7, Am, G, A+, C
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2. America
This song hails from the 1968 album "Bookends". It was also used as a B-side for the song "For Emily Wherever I May Find Her". The song eventually became an A-side single in 1972.
The band Yes re-arranged the song as did David Bowie and the lead singer Bert Sommer from The Left Banke who all covered the song.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up down down up and repeat
- Picking: a little in the rhythm
- Chords: C, G6, Am, Am/G, Em, A7, D, G, Cmaj7, A#
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3. At The Zoo
Paul Simon wrote various tribute songs about NYC, his home turf, and this song was one of those released in 1967. Written for the zoo scene in the movie "The Graduate", it wasn't even used in the movie. But zoo's around the country began to license the song for ads. The song peaked at #16.
This one is also found on the "Bookends" album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: use down down up down up up up down .. then root down root up down up and repeat or you can use some walking bass during the rhythm with a steady up and down
- Picking: No
- Chords: Amaj7, A7, D, G, Em, Dmaj7
Chords & Lyrics
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4. Bridge Over Troubled Water
The title for this song came from a Swan Silvertone's song called "Mary Don't You Weep" from the line "I'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in my name". The song was also the title track from Simon & Garfunkel's last album together back in 1970.
The album sold over 25 million copies and won two Grammy Awards. The other musicians on the album were also famous Wrecking crew members.
You can pick up the full Simon And Garfunkel guitar tutorial below for a small fee.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down down down up down down up will work but you'll have to adapt to the quick chord changes in places
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, C, G, Am, Db, B, A, Adim, D7, Ddim, Bm, D7/C, Gb, E7, A7
Chords & Lyrics
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5. Cecilia
This song came from the last album of the duo was was their 2nd single, following bridge Over Troubled Water.
The song was a #4 in the US but did not chart in the UK after the 1st single hit #1.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes blended into the rhythm
- Chords: G, C, D
Chords & Lyrics
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6. Duncan
Duncan was a single released back in 1972 from his album entitled "Paul Simon" and was the last single following Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard and Mother And Child Reunion.
The song peaked at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the lowest of the three singles.
Download the Paul Simon Duncan lyrics below.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up down up down up
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = C, G, D, Em, A7
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7. Father & Daughter
Father And Daughter was written by Paul Simon for the movie "The Wild Thornberry's" movie in 2002 and was released as a single in 2003 and again in 2006 on his album "Surprise".
The song reached #20 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 4th fret
- Rhythm = root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = F, C/E, Dm, G, C, Csus, Am, Em, C, G/G#
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8. Feeling Groovy
Also known as the 59th Street Bridge Song, which is the name of the Queensboro bridge in New York City. A children's TV puppet show called H.R. Pufnstuf used a song very similar in nature. After Paul Simon launched a lawsuit against the creators, they admitted to using the song and so added Paul Simon to the writing credits of "their theme" song.
This song can be found on the Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme album from 1966.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: root up down up root up down up in an arpeggio
- Picking: No
- Chords: C, G6, Am, G
Chords & Lyrics
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9. For Emily Wherever I May Find Her
This song reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 at #53.
This song is also from the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 5th fret
- Rhythm: root up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes in the rhythm
- Chords: D, D/C, G, Em, Cmaj7, A7
Chords & Lyrics
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10. Graceland
Graceland was released from the album of the same name back in 1986 which also featured the Everly Brothers on the album.
The song peached at #38 across several charts. The song helped the album win Grammy Of The Year in 1988 for best album.
Download the Paul Simon Graceland lyrics below.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up down up and repeat but as you'll see the rhythm moves very fast in this song
- Picking = No
- Chords = A, Dbm, B, E, D
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11. Homeward Bound
Written on a scape of paper at a Liverpool Railway station in 1964, this song peaked at #5 in the US and The Netherlands and at #2 in Canada in 1966. I consider this one of the easy Simon and Garfunkel songs to learn on the acoustic.
This song is also from the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down down up and then to a root down up down up down up and it switches between verse and chorus
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, C, F, D/Gb, A7, Am, D7, E7
Chords & Lyrics
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12. Kathy's Song
Kathy Chitty was a ticket agent in Liverpool in 1964 and became good friends with Paul Simon. Many believe this song is about that relationship. Art Garfunkel dedicated this song to his wife Kathryn at a live performance, but since he didn't write the song, it clearly wasn't written about her. Nancy Wilson from Heart and Eva Cassidy have both covered this song.
You can find this song on the "Sounds Of Silence" album from 1966.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes blended within the rhythm
- Chords: C/G, G, Am, Bm, G6, Gmaj7(13 no 3)/D
Chords & Lyrics
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13. Kodachrome
Kodachrome was released by Paul Simon in 1973 from his third album entitled "There Goes Rhymin Simon". From that album came two popular songs both reaching #2 on the charts, and Kodachrome was one of those songs.
The song was originally called "Goin Home" and Simon wil often change the line "everything looks better (or worse) in black and white" as he stated he's not sure which way he originally wrote that line.
Download the Paul Simon Kodachrome lyrics below.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up root up down up with some riffs blended in
- Picking = No
- Chords = E, A, Gbm, B7, E7, Db7, Gb, Bm, D
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14. Late In The Evening
Late In The Evening hails from the 1980 "One Trick Pony" album as the lead single. The song reached #6 in the US and was a top 20 in several other countries.
Drummer Steve Gadd played with 2 drum sticks in each hand on this track.
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = No - original key has capo 3rd fret
- Rhythm = this one is explained in the lesson due to the bass and horn sections
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, G, A
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15. Love Me Like A Rock
Love Me Like A Rock was released as a single back in 1973 and peaked at #2 on the charts. The other #2 was Kodachrome.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = use a down up down up down up down up pattern for this one
- Picking = No
- Chords = G, C7, D, F, Em
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16. Me And Julio
Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard hails from the Paul Simon album from 1972 and peaked at #6 in Canada and #7 in the US.
The 1988 video which was shot to promote a greatest hits album was in the neighborhood where Simon met Garfunkel while attending high school. Spud Webb, Mickey Mantle and John Madden are also featured in the video.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = use a steady up and down shuffle pattern for this song
- Picking = No
- Chords = G, C, D, A7, F
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17. Mrs Robinson
The Graduate movie has several Simons & Garfunkel songs in it including this one. But the movie version is not exactly the same as the record version because the song had a different vibe and wasn't even finished.
This song was released as a single and reached #1 and was a top 10 in several countries which was 3 months after the movie version was heard in theatres.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: steady up and down and then root down up root up down up
- Picking: a few riffs throughout
- Chords: E, A, D, G, C, G6, Am, E, D7
Chords & Lyrics
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18. One Trick Pony
One Trick Pony is a song released by Paul Simon from the album of the same name back in 1980. There was also a film by the same name starring Paul Simon.
The song did reach #17 on the charts in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat with bass ... a change with a down up down up shullfle
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Am, D, G, D/Gb, F, Bm, E7, C, C7, F, Cdim
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19. Richard Cory
This song hails from the "Sounds Of Silence" album of 1966. Paul Simon wrote the song in early 1965, but the duo never recorded it until Dec of that year in time for the album release in early 1966.
The song is based on an 1897 poem of the same name. Paul McCartney And Wings along with Van Morrison have covered this number.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down root up down and down strokes
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, A, G, Dm, F
Chords & Lyrics
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20. Scarborough Fair
Some believe this song stems from a Scottish ballad going back to 1670 .. yes that date is correct. Ohters believe it is a traditional English ballad. Either way, it wasn't written by Simon & Garfunkel. Other artists recorded versions before the Oct 1966 version by Simon & Garfunkel. Simon learned the song from English musician Martin Carthy in 1965.
This song is also from the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: you'll use mainly arpeggio of the strings throughout most of this one
- Picking: No
- Chords: Am, G, F, C
Chords & Lyrics
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21. Slip Sliding Away
Slip Sliding Away ended up on Paul Simons first Greatest Hits album in 1977 and released as a single.
How does a song end up on a greatest hits album if has never been released prior to a greatest hits album? Not sure but the song did well and The Oak Ridge Boys sang backup on this song.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = No
- Chords = G, Em, D, C, C7, F
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22. Sounds Of Silence
The original title of this song was "The Sounds Of Silence" when it was written by Paul Simon between 1963 and 1964 and was their first major hit. The album tile was shortened to "Sounds Of Silence" and eventually the song followed suit. Homeward Bound and I Am A Rock were the 3 singles from the album.
Todd Hoffman from the show Gold Rush has a great version of this song and is one of those easy Simon and Garfunkel songs to learn.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Am, G, F, C
Chords & Lyrics
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23. The Boxer
The Boxer was released in 1969 and was included on the 1970 album "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The single peaked at #7 in the US and was a top 10 in several other countries.
Over 100 hrs of work went into this tune before they got the end product we enjoy today.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: root down root up down up
- Picking: Yes within the rhythm
- Chords: G, D/Gb, Em, C, D7, Bm, D
Chords & Lyrics
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24. Train In The Distance
Train In The Distance hails from Paul Simon's "Hearts And Bones" album from 1983. Train In The Distance was released as a single as the B side to Mother And Child Reunion, which was originally released in 1972.
In 1983, neither song made the charts.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 1st Fret
- Rhythm = mainly downstrokes throughout the entire song except in the beginning and ending you can play a down down down up down up and repeat as you sing that ohhhh section
- Picking = No
- Chords = D, D7/C, G, F, A/Db, C, B7, Em, A7, C, G6, Edim, D/Gb, A+
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Thanks for stopping by this easy Simon and Garfunkel songs page. I hope you found what you were looking for. Until next time.
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