September 19, 1981, started out gray. The kind of New York morning where the mist feels like it’s actually sticking to your skin. If you were there, you probably remember the mud. Or the smell of damp denim. By mid-afternoon, the Great Lawn was basically a carpet of human beings, all waiting for two guys who hadn't really liked each other for a decade to walk out and sing.
Honestly, the Simon and Garfunkel Central Park reunion shouldn't have worked. Paul Simon was coming off a massive commercial flop with One-Trick Pony. Art Garfunkel was... well, he was being Artie. They hadn't played a full show together since 1970. But when they stepped onto that stage, with the NYC skyline reconstructed as a backdrop, something shifted. 500,000 people—a number that seems physically impossible for that space—went dead quiet, then exploded.
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It wasn’t just a concert. It was a $3 million fundraiser to save a park that was literally falling apart. Back then, Central Park was kind of a mess. Graffiti, broken benches, and a reputation for being dangerous after dark. This show changed that narrative forever.
The Tension You Could Feel Through the Speakers
You’ve probably seen the footage. They look like "old friends," right? That’s the magic of professional harmony. But behind the scenes, things were, let's say, complicated. Paul Simon originally wanted it to be a solo show. He’d just had a bad year and figured bringing Artie back would "sweeten the deal."
Artie, meanwhile, wasn't thrilled about singing Paul’s solo hits like "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard." He wanted the classic S&G folk-rock vibe. The compromise? An 11-piece band filled with legendary session guys like Steve Gadd on drums and Richard Tee on keys. It gave the songs a New York street-groove energy they never had in the sixties.
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One moment most people forget is the stage invader. During "The Late Great Johnny Ace"—a song about gun violence and the death of John Lennon—a guy actually rushed the stage. Paul kept playing, but you can see the flash of genuine fear. Artie was off to the side, and Paul later joked (sorta) that his partner wasn't exactly ready to "take a bullet" for him.
That Impossible Attendance Number
Let's talk about the 500,000. It's the number everyone cites. It’s iconic. It’s also probably a bit of a New York exaggeration.
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Police at the time swore it was half a million. Years later, some experts looked at the square footage of the Great Lawn and argued that maybe only 50,000 people could actually see the stage. But it didn't matter. The crowd spilled into the trees, onto the paths, and blocks deep into the city. People were climbing 40-foot elms just to hear the echo of "The Boxer."
What was on the setlist?
The duo performed 21 songs, but only 17 made it onto the legendary double album released in '82.
- The Openers: They kicked off with "Mrs. Robinson" and "Homeward Bound." The energy was through the roof.
- The Solo Stuff: Paul’s "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded incredible with that big band.
- The Emotional Peak: "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Artie’s voice was crystalline that night. Even the most cynical New Yorker in the crowd had a lump in their throat.
- The Encores: "The Sound of Silence" played into a night sky. If you watch the video, the sea of lighters (pre-cellphone era!) is genuinely haunting.
The "Luxurious Bandage"
Paul Simon famously called the Simon and Garfunkel Central Park show a "luxurious bandage." It covered up the wounds of their partnership, but it didn't heal them. The success was so massive it "forced" them into a world tour and a new album project called Hearts and Bones.
But the old friction came back fast. Artie wanted to record harmonies in Switzerland while walking in the mountains; Paul wanted him in the studio in New York. Eventually, Paul wiped Artie’s vocals and released it as a solo album. The bandage ripped off.
Despite the drama, the legacy is untouchable. That one night in September proved that music could literally rebuild a city’s heart. The proceeds helped fund the Central Park Conservancy, turning the park into the pristine sanctuary it is today.
How to experience it now
If you’re looking to dive back into that 1981 magic, don't just settle for a Spotify playlist.
- Watch the HBO Special: The grainy film quality actually adds to the atmosphere. Look for the "Late in the Evening" reprise at the end—the band is absolutely flying.
- Visit the Great Lawn: Stand near the center of the lawn and look toward the South. Imagine 499,999 other people standing there with you. It’s a trip.
- Listen for the Nuance: Pay attention to the arrangements by Dave Grusin. They took "folk" songs and turned them into "New York City" songs.
The Simon and Garfunkel Central Park concert remains the gold standard for reunions. It wasn't perfect, and the friendship didn't last, but for two hours on a damp Saturday night, it was exactly what the world needed.