Song by Song: "Homeward Bound" Quiz

Answer: 1966

"Homeward Bound" was released on January 19, 1966 as a single from Simon and Garfunkel's third U.S. studio album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, & Thyme." However, it was originally recorded on December 14, 1965 for their second album, "Sounds of Silence," and it was included on that album in the U.K. The recording was produced by Bob Johnston.

Answer: Swedish Singles Chart

"Homeward Bound" remained on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for twelve weeks, peaking at number five. It did even better in Canada, where it hit number two on the Canadian RPM 100. It peaked at nine on the UK Singles chart and at four on the Dutch Singles Chart. It didn't break the top ten in Sweden, however. There, it peaked at number 12 on the Swedish Singles Chart.

Answer: Central Park

"Homeward Bound" was the second song performed at the duo's "Concert in Central Park" on September 19, 1981. The album of the recorded concert was released in February of 1982. Five hundred thousand people attended the concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park, even with rainfall, making it the seventh largest concert in U.S. history (as of 2011).

Answer: A railway station in England

"I'm sittin' in the railway station
Got a ticket to my destination."

According to Marc Eliot in his 2010 book "Paul Simon: A Life," Paul Simon wrote the song on a scrap of paper while waiting for a train at a railway station following a performance in Liverpool. A plaque exists in Widnes railway station to commemorate the writing of the song.

Answer: poet

Poetry and railway stations are a common theme in Paul Simon's writing. In "A Poem on the Underground Wall" he turns vandalism into poetry when he writes of a man in the shadows at a railway station where "the underground is closing soon." Tingling with anticipation, the man writes "a single-worded poem comprised of four letters" with "a colored crayon."

Answer: silently

The chorus of the song runs:

"Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound...
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me."

Paul Simon had experienced an emotional parting with his then girlfriend Kathy Chitty when he left the U.S. to perform in England "on a tour of one-night stands" his "suitcase and guitar in hand." He was reportedly (according to Marc Eliot in "Paul Simon: A Life") missing her when he authored this song. Simon mentions Kathy in "Kathy's Song" and "America."

Answer: magazines

Paul Simon performed "Homeward Bound" live on "Saturday Night Live" on November 20, 1976. George Harrison of the Beatles also joined that episode. The two sang some of their own hits and also performed "Here Comes the Sun" together.

Answer: factories

"Homeward Bound" was also a hit in South Africa where it peaked at number six according to Springbrook Raido station, which operated from 1950 to 1985. "The New Zealand Listener" reported it peaking at number one in New Zealand, and the Australian Kent Music report placed it at number twenty.

Answer: in harmony

"Tonight I'll sing my songs again
I'll play the game and pretend
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me."

Simon and Garfunkel met all the way back in elementary school in Queens, New York. They adopted the name of Tom & Jerry in their teens, when they had their first hint of success with the song "Hey Schoolgirl." The duo was signed by Columbia Records in 1963 under the name of Simon & Garfunkel. Their debut album did not sell well, however, and Simon returned to pursuing his solo career in England, which was where he was when he wrote "Homeward Bound."

Answer: Cher

"Chér" was Cher's third studio album and consisted mostly of covers as well as some songs written by Sonny Bono, who also produced the album.

Willie Nelson also recorded a cover of the song on his 1983 album "Take It to the Limit," which he put out with Waylon Jennings. Many other musicians, from Glen Campbell and Chris Norman to Chad & Jeremy and Mel Tormé have also covered the song.