Scissors Cut
Encyclopedia
Scissors Cut is the fifth solo album by Art Garfunkel
released in August 1981 on Columbia Records
. It was his second album to miss the US Billboard
Top 40 and his second album containing no US Top 40 singles. However, the album convinced Simon & Garfunkel to reunite for their famous 1981 Concert in Central Park
.
." The album was co-produced by Roy Halee
, who also co-produced the Simon & Garfunkel albums, including Bridge over Troubled Water
. Paul Simon
makes a brief appearance on "In Cars" performing background vocals. Near the end of the song, Art sings, rather mystically, lines from "Girl From The North Country
" ("Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine" which itself comes from "Scarborough Fair" - an old English ballad covered by Simon and Garfunkel on the album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" - a lyric extracted from this song.) The album is dedicated to Laurie Bird
and includes a partial photograph of Ms. Bird on the rear cover.
Art was devastated by Ms. Bird's death in his New York apartment while he was in Europe filming Bad Timing - A Sensual Obsession
. Art was quoted at the time, "Laurie was the greatest thing I ever knew in my life, now I've lost it." In 1988, he added, "I took her death terribly and remained moody over it through much of the 80's." This is a possible reason why he did not release another solo album until 1988's Lefty
(excluding 1986's The Animals' Christmas
with Amy Grant
).
Art Garfunkel
Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel...
released in August 1981 on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It was his second album to miss the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top 40 and his second album containing no US Top 40 singles. However, the album convinced Simon & Garfunkel to reunite for their famous 1981 Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park is a live album by Simon & Garfunkel. On September 19, 1981 the folk-rock duo reunited for a free concert on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, attended by more than 500,000 people. They released a live album from the concert the following March...
.
History
In August 1981, Art released his fifth solo album Scissors Cut (U.S. #113, U.K. #51). This album included the Gallagher & Lyle hit "A Heart in New York" (U.S. #61). The U.K. version contains the track "The Romance" rather than "Bright EyesBright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)
"Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt, and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series adaptations. The track also appears on Garfunkel's fourth studio album,...
." The album was co-produced by Roy Halee
Roy Halee
Roy Halee is an American record producer and engineer, best known for working with Simon and Garfunkel.Halee grew up on Long Island, New York. His father, also named Roy Halee, provided the singing voice for Mighty Mouse in late 1940s Terrytoons cartoons, as well as the voices of Heckle and Jeckle...
, who also co-produced the Simon & Garfunkel albums, including Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 26, 1970 on both Quadraphonic and Stereo formats, it reached No. 1 on Billboard Music Charts pop albums list...
. Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
makes a brief appearance on "In Cars" performing background vocals. Near the end of the song, Art sings, rather mystically, lines from "Girl From The North Country
Girl from the North Country
"Girl from the North Country" is a song written by Bob Dylan. It was first released in 1963 as the second track on Dylan's second studio album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Dylan re-recorded the song as a duet with Johnny Cash in 1969. That recording became the first track on Nashville Skyline,...
" ("Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine" which itself comes from "Scarborough Fair" - an old English ballad covered by Simon and Garfunkel on the album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" - a lyric extracted from this song.) The album is dedicated to Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird
Laurie Bird was an American actress and photographer.-Biography:Bird's mother died when she was three. Her father, an electrical engineer, was ex-United States Navy and worked long hours...
and includes a partial photograph of Ms. Bird on the rear cover.
Art was devastated by Ms. Bird's death in his New York apartment while he was in Europe filming Bad Timing - A Sensual Obsession
Bad Timing
Bad Timing is a 1980 British film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas.-Plot:In Vienna, a young American woman in her twenties is rushed to the emergency room after apparently overdosing. With her is Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist teaching in Vienna...
. Art was quoted at the time, "Laurie was the greatest thing I ever knew in my life, now I've lost it." In 1988, he added, "I took her death terribly and remained moody over it through much of the 80's." This is a possible reason why he did not release another solo album until 1988's Lefty
Lefty (album)
Lefty is the seventh solo album by Art Garfunkel, released in 1988.The album's cover photo shows a pre-teen Art Garfunkel holding a baseball bat in the front yard of his childhood home in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York City. The picture was taken by his brother Jules...
(excluding 1986's The Animals' Christmas
The Animals' Christmas
The Animals' Christmas is the sixth solo album by vocalist Art Garfunkel. It is a Christmas-themed album which also has Garfunkel teamed with Amy Grant...
with Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
).
Track listing
- "A Heart in New York" (Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle) – 3:13
- "Scissors Cut" (Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
) – 3:49 - "Up in the World" (Clifford T. WardClifford T. WardClifford Thomas Ward was a popular English singer-songwriter, best known for his career as a solo artist.-Early life:...
) – 2:16 - "Hang On In" (Norman Sallitt) – 3:46
- "So Easy to Begin" (Jules ShearJules ShearJules Mark Shear is a US singer, songwriter, and guitarist born in Pittsburgh in 1952. Although he has had only one minor hit as a performer , he has recorded almost 20 albums to date...
) – 2:56 - "Bright EyesBright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)"Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt, and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series adaptations. The track also appears on Garfunkel's fourth studio album,...
" (Mike BattMike BattMichael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
) – 3:55
(Replaced with "The Romance" on U.K. release) - "Can't Turn My Heart Away" (John JarvisJohn JarvisJohn Jarvis may refer to:*John Jarvis , New Zealand karateka*John Jarvis , a set decorator*John Wesley Jarvis , American painter*John Arthur Jarvis , British swimmer...
, Eric Haz) – 4:22 - "The French Waltz" (Adam MitchellAdam MitchellAdam Mitchell may refer to:*Adam Mitchell *Adam Mitchell *Adam Mitchell , Canadian professional ice hockey player*Adam Mitchell , see Killers...
) – 2:12 - "In Cars" (Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
) – 3:47 - "That's All I've Got to Say (Theme from The Last Unicorn)" (Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
) – 1:54
Personnel
- Art Garfunkel - vocals
- Lisa Garber - vocals
- Tommy VigTommy VigTommy Vig is an award-winning jazz vibraharpist, drummer, percussionist, arranger, big band leader, film, television, and classical concert composer, inventor, author, and educator.- Life and Work :...
- vibraphone, background vocals - John Jarvis - piano
- Lew SoloffLew SoloffLew Soloff is a jazz trumpeter, composer and actor. He studied trumpet at the Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard School. He is likely best known for his work with Blood, Sweat & Tears from 1968 to 1973...
- flugelhorn, trumpet - David Campbell - strings
- Joe OsbornJoe OsbornJoe Osborn is an American bass guitar virtuoso, notable for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles and Nashville during the period from the 1960s through the 1980s. Osborn's work is widely admired by fellow musicians.Osborn began his career working in local clubs, then played on a hit...
- bass - Pete Carr - guitar
- Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- bass - Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
- guitar, vocals - Andrew GoldAndrew GoldAndrew Maurice Gold was an American singer, musician and songwriter. His works include the Top 10 single "Lonely Boy" , as well as the singles "Thank You for Being a Friend" , and "Never Let Her Slip Away" ....
- guitar, vocals - Teo MaceroTeo MaceroTeo Macero , born Attilio Joseph Macero, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer...
- conductor - Roland Harker - lute
- Rick ShlosserRick ShlosserRick Shlosser is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, has been a member ofVan Morrison's band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He's also been a varied sessions drummer.-Discography:* Andy Pratt - Records Are Like Life...
- drums - Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
- guitar - Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
- tenor saxophone - Jeffrey Staton - guitar, vocals
- Errol Bennett - percussion
- Ray CooperRay CooperRay Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
- percussion - Rob MounseyRob MounseyRob Mounsey is an award-winning composer, music producer, and musician. He was born in Berea, Ohio and grew up in Seattle, Washington and several Ohio towns. At the age of 17, he was awarded a BMI Student Composer's Award in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1971 to 1975...
- synthesizer - Scott Chambers - bass
- Michael BoddickerMichael BoddickerMichael J. Boddicker , is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. Three times N.A.R.A.S. Most Valuable Player "Synthesizer" and MVP Emeritus, he was awarded a Grammy as a songwriter for Imagination from Flashdance in 1984...
- synthesizer - Rick MarottaRick MarottaRick Marotta is a US-based drummer and percussionist who appears on many recordings by leading artists such as Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Stevie Nicks, Wynonna, Roy Orbison, Todd Rundgren, Roberta Flack, Peter Frampton, Quincy...
- drums - Del Newman - strings
- Michael Staton - guitar
- Leah Kunkel - vocals
- Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
- keyboards - Chris SpeddingChris SpeddingChris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
- guitar - Russ KunkelRuss KunkelRussell Kunkel , also known as Russ Kunkel, is an American drummer and producer who has worked as a session musician with a number of well-known artists.Kunkel was born in Pittsburgh, PA...
- drums - Eugene Orloff - concert master
- Larry KnechtelLarry KnechtelLawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...
- keyboards - Graham Lyle - guitar