The 4 Shocking Reasons Why Simon & Garfunkel Broke Up (And The Tearful Reunion That Followed)

The breakup of Simon & Garfunkel remains one of the most painful and enduring mysteries in music history, a classic tale of creative genius undone by a deeply complex and fractious personal relationship. For decades, the public has searched for the definitive answer to why two childhood friends, who created timeless masterpieces like "The Sound of Silence" and "Bridge over Troubled Water," abruptly walked away from their partnership at the peak of their success in 1970. As of December 2025, recent interviews and admissions from both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel have shed new, often heartbreaking light on the true "recipe" for their dissolution, revealing it was less about one single event and more about an accumulation of artistic jealousy, shifting ambitions, and a profound imbalance of power that started long before their final album.

The core of the issue, as Paul Simon has explained, was a toxic mix of creative control and Art Garfunkel's desire to pursue an acting career, which created an irreparable rift during the recording of their masterpiece. But beneath those professional disagreements lay a deep-seated personal rivalry that has simmered for over five decades, occasionally boiling over into public feuds and, most recently, a poignant, tearful moment of attempted reconciliation.

Simon & Garfunkel: A Biographical Snapshot of the Troubled Duo

The story of Simon & Garfunkel is one of two boys from Queens, New York, who found harmony in their voices but not in their lives. Understanding their complex history is crucial to grasping the depth of their professional split.

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• Paul Simon (Born: October 13, 1941): The primary songwriter, guitarist, and driving creative force behind the duo. His prolific talent for crafting intricate lyrics and melodies was the foundation of their success, but his role as the sole writer created an inherent power imbalance.
• Art Garfunkel (Born: November 5, 1941): The distinctive tenor vocalist whose angelic voice provided the iconic sound of their biggest hits. He met Simon in elementary school in 1953. Garfunkel later pursued an acting career, a move that Simon viewed as a betrayal of their musical partnership.
• Early Career (Tom & Jerry): They began performing as "Tom & Jerry" in 1957, scoring a minor hit with "Hey Schoolgirl." This early partnership already showed signs of strain.
• Major Success: After a brief split and a folk revival, they reunited and signed with Columbia Records, achieving global fame with albums like *Sounds of Silence* (1966), *Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme* (1966), and *Bookends* (1968).
• Final Album: *Bridge over Troubled Water* (1970) was their final studio album, recorded amidst intense personal and creative friction. It became their most commercially successful work.
• Post-Breakup: Both pursued highly successful solo careers, with Paul Simon becoming a critical darling and Art Garfunkel continuing to record and act. They have reunited sporadically for major tours, including *The Concert in Central Park* (1981) and *Old Friends* (2003–2004).

The Four Pillars of the 1970 Split: Creative Tensions and Shifting Ambitions

Paul Simon has been candid in recent years about the exact confluence of factors that led to the 1970 split following the release of *Bridge over Troubled Water*. He described the situation as a "recipe for the breakup" that was impossible to reverse.

1. The Creative Imbalance and Paul Simon's Dominance

The fundamental issue was the creative hierarchy. Paul Simon was the sole songwriter, which meant he controlled the artistic direction and the financial rewards. Art Garfunkel, despite his crucial vocal contributions, felt increasingly marginalized and like a "sideman" to his friend's genius. This dynamic led to deep-seated resentment.

• The Songwriter's Burden: Simon bore the pressure of constantly delivering hits, while Garfunkel felt his role was limited to interpretation.
• Early Betrayal: The seeds of distrust were sown early. Garfunkel revealed to *The Guardian* that their first split in 1956/1957 was because Simon recorded a solo single, "True or False," under the pseudonym "Jerry Landis" without telling him. "He made a record without telling me," Garfunkel stated. "That was 1956, maybe 1957. He was my best friend." This early act of secrecy created a lifelong fracture.
• The *Bridge Over Troubled Water* Conflict: The recording sessions for their final album were notoriously strained. Simon reportedly offered Garfunkel only one song to sing solo—the title track—which became a massive global hit, ironically highlighting Garfunkel's vocal brilliance while underscoring his limited input.

2. Art Garfunkel's Hollywood Ambitions

The most immediate and public catalyst for the split was Garfunkel's decision to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. In 1969, he took a role in Mike Nichols' film adaptation of Joseph Heller's novel, *Catch-22*.

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• The *Catch-22* Hiatus: Garfunkel spent months on location filming in Mexico while Simon was left in New York struggling to write and record new material alone. Simon felt abandoned and professionally insulted.
• The Second Film: The situation worsened when Garfunkel immediately accepted a role in Nichols' next film, *Carnal Knowledge* (1971), signaling his priorities had shifted away from the duo.
• Simon's Perspective: Paul Simon viewed this as a clear sign that Garfunkel was no longer committed to the music partnership, which fueled his desire to explore a solo career where he had complete creative control.

The Lingering Feud: "I Wanted to Hurt Him" and the Quest for Reconciliation

While the professional reasons led to the 1970 breakup, the personal feud between the two men has continued to make headlines for decades. Their relationship, which Paul Simon described as "really best friends up until *Bridge over Troubled Water*," devolved into a painful rivalry.

3. The Public Exchange of Insults

The years following the split were marked by a series of public digs and insults, revealing the depth of their bitterness. Garfunkel, in particular, has been outspoken about his feelings.

• "Jerk" and "Monster": In one highly publicized interview, Art Garfunkel referred to Paul Simon as a "Jerk" and a "Monster," expressing his long-held frustrations with Simon's controlling nature.
• Admitting Malice (2024 Update): In a December 2024 interview, Garfunkel made a shocking admission, confessing that during the height of their feud, he "wanted to hurt" Paul Simon. He acknowledged that his cruel words were a reaction to the pain and jealousy he felt over Simon's solo success and creative dominance.
• The Solo Career Comparison: Simon's solo career, launched with the critically acclaimed self-titled album *Paul Simon* (1972) and later cemented with *Graceland* (1986), far eclipsed Garfunkel's solo output, adding a layer of professional jealousy to their personal issues.

4. The Painful, Tearful Reunion

Despite the decades of animosity, a recent, private meeting between the two men revealed that the deep bond of their childhood friendship still exists beneath the surface of the feud. This new information highlights the complexity of their relationship and the enduring pain of the split.

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• Garfunkel's Tears: Art Garfunkel recently recounted a tearful reunion with Simon. When he asked, "What happened? Why haven't we seen each other?" Paul Simon brought up an old interview where Garfunkel had said hurtful things. Garfunkel admitted, "I cried when he told me how I had hurt him."
• Feeling the Hurt: Garfunkel, reflecting on the conversation, stated, "I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him." This moment suggests a flicker of hope for true closure, even if a full musical reunion remains unlikely.
• The Permanent Split: While they have reunited for tours like the *Concert in Central Park* and the *Old Friends* tour, these were always temporary. The 1970 split, though not initially intended to be permanent, became so due to the personal wounds that never fully healed, solidified by Paul Simon's successful pursuit of a solo career where he was the undisputed master of his own creative universe.

The Legacy of the Split

The breakup of Simon & Garfunkel is a tragic case study in how creative collaboration and intense personal friendship can clash. The split was a culmination of the songwriter's need for artistic freedom (Paul Simon) and the vocalist's desire for a greater role and personal space (Art Garfunkel). While the world lost decades of potential new music from the duo, the breakup gifted us two separate, brilliant solo careers and preserved the original, flawless catalog of albums, from *Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.* to the timeless *Bridge over Troubled Water*.

Their story is a constant reminder that sometimes, the greatest art is born from the most strained and complicated relationships, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful music and a heartbreaking friendship that continues to seek peace after more than 50 years.