Popular musicians often produce real pieces of art, and the song “Richard Cory” by Simon and Garfunkel is one of them. The poem is based on Edwin Robinson’s eponymous poem about Richard Cory, an affluent man who, nevertheless, decides to end his life. In their version of “Richard Cory,” Simon and Garfunkel used different means such as meter, rhyme, and sound to convey the mood dynamics of the story, ranging from upbeat to sorrowful.
The poem by Simon and Garfunkel offers a perspective of the man who works for Richard Cory. The poem begins with iambic pentameter, which is effectively used to provide the listener with a sense of comfort and predictability. The authors continue using the iambic pentameter throughout the entire song in order to create an atmosphere of stability, “Whenever Richard Cory went down town” (Simon and Garfunkel, line 1). Additionally, the music played by the band also contributes to the upbeat mood of the first lines. The drums play at a relatively fast pace setting an energetic rhythm for the lyrics sung by the artists, while the guitar provides the melody.
The upbeat melodic pattern is also reinforced with the use of end rhymes. For instance, in the first stanza of the song, there are end rhymes such as “town/crown” and “him/slim” (Simon and Garfunkel, lines 1–4). At the same time, the mood of the song changes at the end, when the musicians sing, “put a bullet through his head” (Simon and Garfunkel, line 16). The line is accompanied by the complete silence of the music except for the sound of the drum, which imitates the sound of a shot being fired. The stop of the music enables the band to instantly change the mood of the poem from upbeat and positive to sorrowful.
Simon and Garfunkel managed to skilfully reflect on the sudden death of Richard Cory by using rhyme, rhythm, meter, and sound. Throughout the song, the musicians used the iambic meter in order to create a sense of stability and predictability and fast rhythm to show a positive atmosphere. Yet, at the end of the song, Simon and Garfunkel left only one drum to play in order to show the moment when Richard Cory killed himself.
Work Cited
Simon and Garfunkel. “Richard Cory.” Sound of Silence. Columbia Records, 1966.