SIMON & GARFUNKEL - SO LONG, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

Released: January 26, 1970

"So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" is a track written by Paul Simon, featured on Simon & Garfunkel's 1970 album "Bridge over Troubled Water." Despite its title, the song isn't about the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, but rather serves as a nostalgic ode to Art Garfunkel, who had a passion for architecture and requested Simon to write a song about Wright. Simon, knowing little about the architect, used his name as a placeholder and instead crafted a reflective piece about his musical partner.

"So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" can be interpreted as a farewell from Paul Simon to Art Garfunkel, especially considering that “Bridge Over Troubled Water” marked the end of their collaboration as a duo. The repetition of "so long" throughout the song can be seen as a symbolic goodbye. In an interview with Mojo magazine in July 2011, Paul Simon revealed that the song's lyrics resonated with Artie's background in architecture, but it also reflected his personal disappointment when Art Garfunkel had to leave to film Catch 22 in Mexico. This separation was a significant factor in the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel, although Simon suggests that the duo may have parted ways eventually due to the inherent challenges of maintaining such a partnership, particularly when one person is responsible for most of the songwriting.

Despite not initially realizing that the song was intended to refer to their partnership, Art Garfunkel eventually came to terms with the track's subtext. In an interview, he expressed surprise that Paul Simon never shared this secret with him, finding it secretive and unpleasant. However, Garfunkel has since embraced the song, acknowledging its underlying meaning while appreciating its enjoyable qualities. In the liner notes of his 2012 compilation album, The Singer, where "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" was included, Garfunkel reflected on his relationship with Simon, expressing gratitude for the beautiful gift of music that Simon had given him.

The lyrics allude to the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who passed away in 1959. Art Garfunkel's architectural studies likely inspired the reference. While Garfunkel leads the song's fadeout with the words "so long," producer Roy Halee is heard interjecting with "So long already Artie!" Adding to the nostalgic tone, the lyrics mention the author's ongoing learning process and reminisce about harmonizing until dawn with an unspecified "we." The song concludes with the sentiment that when the author runs dry, they'll pause to reflect on the memories.

"So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" features a Brazilian influence in its chord changes, although Paul Simon is uncertain about their origin. The strings in the song were arranged by Jimme Haskell, who also worked on "Keep the Customer Satisfied”. The instrumentation includes congas, strings, an uncredited flute, bass, and a classical guitar played in a bossa nova style with seventh chords.

Unlike many of their previous songs, "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" is sung solo by Art Garfunkel, with Paul Simon joining in briefly during the bridge section. This departure from their usual harmonizing style is characteristic of their “Bridge Over Troubled Water” album.