Scissors Cut Explained

Scissors Cut
Type:	Album
Artist:	Art Garfunkel
Cover:	artscissors.jpg
Released:	August 25, 1981
Recorded:	October 1980 – May 1981
Studio:	Mediasound, New York City Wally Heider, Hollywood Criteria, Miami mixed at Sound Mixers, Los Angeles
Genre:	Pop
Length:	32:10
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Roy Halee, Art Garfunkel (except "Bright Eyes" produced by Mike Batt)
Prev Title:	Fate for Breakfast
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	The Art Garfunkel Album
Next Year:	1984

Scissors Cut is the fifth solo studio album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in August 1981 on Columbia Records; it was his second album to miss the US Billboard top 40 (charting at 113) and his second album to contain no US top 40 singles. In the month following its release, Garfunkel reunited with former partner Paul Simon for their famous 1981 Concert in Central Park.

History

In August 1981, Garfunkel released his fifth solo album Scissors Cut (US No. 113, UK No. 51). This album included the Gallagher & Lyle hit "A Heart in New York" (US No. 61). The UK version contains the track "The Romance" rather than "Bright Eyes". The album was co-produced by Roy Halee, who also co-produced the Simon & Garfunkel albums, including Bridge over Troubled Water. Paul Simon makes a brief appearance on "In Cars" performing background vocals. Near the end of the song, Garfunkel sings lines from "Scarborough Fair" – an old English ballad covered by Simon and Garfunkel on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme). The album is dedicated to his late partner, Laurie Bird, and includes a partial photograph of her on the rear cover.

Garfunkel was devastated by Bird's death in his New York apartment in June 1979 while he was in Europe filming Bad Timing. Garfunkel was quoted at the time, "Laurie was the greatest thing I ever knew in my life, now I've lost it."^[1] In 1988, he added: "I took her death terribly and remained moody over it through much of the 80's." He became somewhat of a recluse following the tragedy and wouldn't release another album until 1986's The Animals' Christmas with Amy Grant.

Track listing

Side One

1. "A Heart in New York" (Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle) – 3:13
2. "Scissors Cut" (Jimmy Webb) – 3:49
3. "Up in the World" (Clifford T. Ward) – 2:16
4. "Hang On In" (Norman Sallitt) – 3:46
5. "So Easy to Begin" (Jules Shear) – 2:56

Side Two

1. "Bright Eyes" (Mike Batt) – 3:55
   (Replaced with "The Romance" on UK/Japan release)
2. "Can't Turn My Heart Away" (John Jarvis, Eric Kaz) – 4:22
3. "The French Waltz" (Adam Mitchell) – 2:12
4. "In Cars" (Jimmy Webb) – 3:47
5. "That's All I've Got to Say (Theme from The Last Unicorn)" (Jimmy Webb) – 1:54

Personnel

• Art Garfunkel – vocals
• Lisa Garber, Leah Kunkel – background vocals
• Tommy Vig – vibraphone, background vocals
• John Jarvis – piano
• Lew Soloff – flugelhorn, trumpet
• David Campbell – strings
• Joe Osborn, Tony Levin, Scott Chambers – bass guitar
• Pete Carr, Dean Parks, Michael Staton, Graham Lyle, Chris Spedding – guitar
• Paul Simon, Andrew Gold – guitar, background vocals
• Teo Macero – conductor
• Roland Harker – lute
• Rick Shlosser, Russ Kunkel, Rick Marotta – drums
• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Jeffrey Staton – guitar, background vocals
• Ray Cooper – percussion
• Errol "Crusher" Bennett – congas, percussion
• Rob Mounsey, Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
• Del Newman – strings
• Jimmy Webb – piano
• Larry Knechtel – keyboards
• Eugene Orloff – concertmaster

Production

• Roy Halee – producer, engineer
• Art Garfunkel – producer
• Mike Batt – producer
• Terry Rosiello – mixing
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• John Berg – design
• Anthony Loew – artwork

Notes and References

1. Web site: Official Website . Art Garfunkel . 2001-09-11 . 2012-03-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120305163710/http://www.artgarfunkel.com/chrono/1984-1980.html . 2012-03-05.
2. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 121.