Richard Cory (song)

"Richard Cory"
Song by Simon and Garfunkel from the album Sounds of Silence
Released	January 17, 1966
Recorded	December 1965
Genre	Folk rock
Length	2:57
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Paul Simon
Producer(s)	Bob Johnston

"Richard Cory" is a song written by Paul Simon in early 1965, and recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their second studio album, Sounds of Silence. The song was based on Edwin Arlington Robinson's 1897 poem of the same title.

Plot

The song tells the tale of a Richard Cory from the perspective of one of the men who works in his factory. The factory worker is envious of the advantages and enjoyments available to Cory, believing him (Cory) to be a satisfied man. The last verse of the song ends similarly to the Robinson poem: Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head. The chorus repeats again after this verse. This signifies that, despite Cory's unhappiness - explained by his suicide - the worker still "curses his [the worker's] poverty", and would still rather be Richard Cory.

Personnel

Paul Simon: joint lead vocal, guitar
Art Garfunkel: joint lead vocal
Joe South: guitar
Hal Blaine: drums

Covers

The song was covered by Wings during their 1975-1976 Wings Over The World tour (available on the 1976 album Wings Over America). Denny Laine sang lead.

The song has also been covered by Van Morrison (and with his band, Them), The Watchmen, The Heptones, Angst, The Back Porch Majority, Yami Bolo, Cuby & the Blizzards, Chicago Loop and Martini Ranch, and the Monterey, CA band "Jet".

A live cover by Mark Seymour appears on Live At the Continental, which was packaged with King Without a Clue (1997).

The song inspired Steve Gerber's naming of Richard Rory.^[1]

References

↑ letters column, Man-Thing #6

Review of Richard Cory on allmusic.com

Simon & Garfunkel

Paul Simon Art Garfunkel

Studio albums	Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. Sounds of Silence Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Bookends Bridge over Troubled Water

Live albums	The Concert in Central Park Live from New York City, 1967 Old Friends: Live on Stage Live 1969

Compilation albums	Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits Collected Works The Simon and Garfunkel Collection 20 Greatest Hits The Definitive Simon & Garfunkel Old Friends The Best of Simon and Garfunkel Two Can Dream Alone Tales from New York: The Very Best of Simon & Garfunkel The Columbia Studio Recordings (1964–1970) Tom & Jerry The Collection The Essential Simon & Garfunkel Before the Fame Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel The Collection: Simon & Garfunkel America: The Simon and Garfunkel Collection

Soundtrack albums	The Graduate

Videos	The Concert in Central Park Old Friends: Live on Stage

Discographies	Simon & Garfunkel Art Garfunkel Paul Simon

Other	Songs Paul Simon solo albums Paul Simon songs Art Garfunkel solo albums Bridge over Troubled Water (Paul Desmond album)

Book Category

Simon & Garfunkel singles

Discography • List of songs

Sounds of Silence	"The Sound of Silence" / "We've Got A Groovey Thing Goin'" "I Am a Rock" / "Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall"

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme	"Homeward Bound" / "Leaves That Are Green" "The Dangling Conversation" / "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" / "April Come She Will"

Bookends	"A Hazy Shade of Winter" / "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" "At the Zoo" / "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" "Fakin' It" / "You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies" "Mrs. Robinson" / "Old Friends" / "Bookends"

Bridge over Troubled Water	"The Boxer" / "Baby Driver" "Bridge over Troubled Water" / "Keep the Customer Satisfied" "Cecilia" / "The Only Living Boy in New York" "El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)" / "Why Don't You Write Me"

Other singles	Hey Schoolgirl Our Song This is my Song Surrender, Please Surrender I'm Lonesome "America" "My Little Town" "Wake Up Little Susie"

Other songs	"Richard Cory" "Patterns" "A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)" "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" "Save the Life of My Child" "Overs" "Punky's Dilemma" "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright"

Category

Them

Van Morrison Billy Harrison Eric Wrixon Alan Henderson Raymond Sweetman Ronnie Millings Pat McAuley Jackie McAuley Peter Bardens

Regular UK albums	The Angry Young Them (1964) Them Again (1965)

Singles (Decca, Parrott)	"Don't Start Crying Now" (1964) "Baby, Please Don't Go" / "Gloria" (1964) "Here Comes the Night" (1965) "One More Time" (1965) "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" "Call My Name" "I Can Only Give You Everything" "Richard Cory" (1966)

Compilations	The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/13/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.