Simon & Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade of Winter Album: Bookends [1968]
"a hazy shade of winter" was a sizable hit for simon & garfunkel, reaching number 13 on the billboard charts, although it's not quite as frequently played or famous as their biggest hits. that's unfortunate, as it was one of their best songs, and certainly one of the toughest and more rock-oriented by a duo more noted for being relatively mild and dignified. a brusque, stiff drum rhythm sets the pace on the opening instrumental section, built around an edgy, up and down guitar riff; the melody and arrangement of the instrumental section are duplicated on the track's subsequent vocal choruses. the lyric is one of simon's more downbeat early ones, particularly on the chorus, with its images of leaves turning brown and the sky looking like a hazy shade of winter. though the verse is less melodically memorable than the chorus, it's commendably urgent and well-arranged, particularly in the lonely bleats of trumpet after some of the lines, and the part at the ending where the bass and a bassoon busily bring the verse to a climax. there's only a brief bridge which, though not as vital a part of the song as the main courses, does serve the purpose of adding a little bit more of a dark clouds gathering feel. it's also nifty how the song comes to an unexpected dead, final stop on the last chorus, after the line about a patch of snow on the ground.
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