Old Friends/Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel's 'Old Friends/Bookends' is a deeply reflective song that explores the themes of aging, friendship, and the passage of time. The song paints a vivid picture of two elderly friends sitting on a park bench, their lives intertwined like bookends on a shelf. The imagery of a newspaper blown through the grass and settling on their shoes evokes a sense of stillness and the slow, inevitable march of time. These 'old friends' are described as 'winter companions,' suggesting that they have weathered many seasons of life together, now finding solace in each other's company as they wait for the sunset of their lives.

The lyrics delve into the bittersweet nature of growing old, with lines like 'How terribly strange to be seventy' capturing the surreal and somewhat disconcerting experience of reaching an advanced age. The song also touches on the shared memories and fears that bind these friends together. The phrase 'Memory brushes the same years' suggests that their pasts are so intertwined that they almost become one, silently sharing the same fears about the future and the unknown.

The musical interlude transitions into a nostalgic reflection on the past, with the lines 'Time it was, and what a time it was, it was / A time of innocence / A time of confidences.' This part of the song serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of time and the importance of preserving memories. The final lines, 'Preserve your memories / They're all that's left you,' underscore the idea that as we age, our memories become our most valuable possessions, serving as a bridge to our past and a comfort in our later years.