What does Bookends mean?

Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends Meaning

Album cover for Bookends album cover

Bookends Lyrics

Time it was and what a time it was it was,
A time of innocence a time of confidences.

Long ago it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    JonahFalcon
    click a star to vote
    May 19th 2006 !⃝

    The song is about savoring the present and making sure you savor it and capture it for posterity because soon, the only thing left of it will be memories.

  2. anonymous
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    Nov 23rd 2018 !⃝

    I have a ‘ significant’ cancer, as my Oncologist tells me and I now realise that my future is somewhat limited. But like most other people , I don’t know the answer to the question; ‘When will I die?” I do not know of course, but the endgame seems a lot closer now than before my Oncologist gave me the news about my cancer. What has all this to do with ‘Bookends’ by S and G you may ask and I replay that the bookend of my birth was many decades ago and the bookend of my death is now closer than ever before? How neat that Simon and Garfunkel simply used Bookends to refer to life and death.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 30th 2011 !⃝

    This song according to John Ivey (noseypi.com) This is about

    Time it was and what a time it was it was,
    (high school .. what a time it was)

    A time of innocence a time of confidences.
    (remember your innocence ..everyone telling everyone else's secrets .... John loves Becky and Steve likes Tina..... All of the 'drama' of school, you remember)


    Long ago it must be, I have a photograph
    (yearbooks, photos)

    Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you
    (Your children and grandchildren will never know the wonderful people you knew in high school. Memories is all you have left ..... no proof ,,, no ties ... just memories)


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