"Punky's Dilemma" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their fourth studio album, Bookends (1968).
"Punky's Dilemma" | |
---|---|
Song by Simon & Garfunkel | |
from the album Bookends | |
Recorded | October 5, 1967 |
Studio | Columbia Studio A (New York City) |
Genre | Folk rock |
Length | 2:10 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Paul Simon |
Producer(s) | Paul Simon , Art Garfunkel, John Simon (record producer) |
"Punky's Dilemma" was one of two songs (the other being "Overs") that Paul Simon offered to director Mike Nichols for his film The Graduate.[1] Nichols was not particularly taken with either, which led to Simon writing "Mrs. Robinson".[1]
The song was partially worked on by John Simon,[2] who was hired to "kick-start" the recording when Paul Simon had writer's block.[3] Morgan Ames, writer for High Fidelity magazine, attended a recording session during which "Punky's Dilemma" was being constructed, in October 1967.[2] The team spent over 50 studio hours recording "Punky's Dilemma," re-recording vocal parts, sometimes note by note, until they were satisfied.[4]
"Punky’s Dilemma" is breezy and minimal musically, with a soft jazz-style percussion and seemingly improvised guitar lines dominated by seventh chords.[5] As rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, the song "seems the essence of lightheartedness on casual hearing but is really a poignant and ironic presentation of a young man's military alternatives: resisting or playing along with the draft."[6]
Simon & Garfunkel | |
---|---|
Studio albums | |
Live albums | |
Compilation albums |
|
Box sets |
|
Soundtrack albums | |
Videos | |
Discographies |
|
Other |
|
|
Simon & Garfunkel singles | |
---|---|
| |
Sounds of Silence |
|
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme |
|
Bookends |
|
Bridge over Troubled Water |
|
Other singles |
|
Other songs | |
|
Authority control ![]() |
|
---|