Watermark is the third solo studio album by Art Garfunkel, released in October 1977 on Columbia Records. The first single, "Crying in My Sleep", failed to chart, but the follow-up, a version of "(What a) Wonderful World" (featuring harmony vocals from Garfunkel's old partner Paul Simon and mutual friend James Taylor) reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The songs "Watermark" and "Paper Chase" had previously been performed by Richard Harris on his albums A Tramp Shining and The Yard Went On Forever. Watermark is also noted as being the final recording sessions of legendary saxophonist Paul Desmond, who died of lung cancer shortly thereafter. Actress Laurie Bird, Garfunkel's girlfriend, made the album cover's photograph. Some promotional copies of the single "Crying in My Sleep", released in advance of the album, referred to the album as Art Garfunkel, suggesting Garfunkel initially planned for the album to be self-titled.
Track listing All tracks composed by Jimmy Webb, except where indicated Side one "Crying in My Sleep" – 4:06 "Marionette" – 2:36 "Shine It on Me" – 3:26 "Watermark" – 2:59 "Saturday Suit" – 3:16 "All My Love's Laughter" – 3:56 Side two "(What a) Wonderful World" (Herb Alpert, Sam Cooke, Lou Adler) – 3:32 (added to the January 1978 reissue, replacing the song "Fingerpaint") "Mr. Shuck'n Jive" – 4:48 "Paper Chase" – 2:37 "She Moved Through the Fair" (Traditional) – 2:45 "Someone Else (1958)" – 2:19 "Fingerpaint" - 3:55 (removed from the January 1978 reissue, replaced with ("What a) Wonderful World") "Wooden Planes" – 3:13
Personnel Art Garfunkel – vocals Jimmy Webb – keyboards, arrangements (10) Barry Beckett – keyboards Bill Payne – Oberheim synthesizer Pete Carr – guitars Jimmy Johnson – electric guitars David Hood – bass Joe Osborn – bass Roger Hawkins – drums Tom Roady – percussion Tommy Vig – vibraphone Paul Desmond – alto saxophone Jack Schroer – saxophones, horn arrangements Joe Farrell – flute, English horn, oboe David Campbell – string arrangements Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements Stephen Bishop – backing vocals David Crosby – backing vocals Bob Dorough – vocals, vocal arrangements Leah Kunkel – backing vocals
The Chieftains Paddy Moloney – Uilleann pipes, tin whistle, musical arrangements, arrangements (10) Michael Tubridy – flute Martin Fay – fiddle Seán Keane – fiddle Derek Bell – harp
Musicians for "(What a) Wonderful World" Art Garfunkel – vocals Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar James Taylor – vocals Richard Tee – electric piano Hugh McCracken – electric guitar Tony Levin – bass Steve Gadd – drums Rick Shlosser – drums Craig Krampf – cymbals Ralph MacDonald – percussion Thomas La Tondre – handclaps Chris Dedrick – string arrangements The Jay Clayton Voice Group (Jay Clayton, Fred Farell, Carol Flamm, Ed Hasselbrink, Shelley Hirsch, Alexandra Stavrou) – backing vocals The Oklahoma Baptist University Chorale – choir James D. Woodward – choir master Richard Greenberg – choir master assistant
Production Art Garfunkel – producer Barry Beckett – associate producer Steve Melton – engineer Bruce Robb – engineer Dee Robb – engineer Jim Boyer – assistant engineer Tony D'Amico – assistant engineer Gregg Hamm – assistant engineer Richard Leech – assistant engineer Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) Laurie Bird – cover photography John Berg – art direction, design
"(What a) Wonderful World" Phil Ramone – producer Baker Bigsby – engineer Paul Christensen – engineer Fred Meijer – engineer Steve Brandon – assistant engineer
Charts
Weekly charts ChartPositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)41
Year-end charts Chart (1978)PositionCanadian Albums Chart92
Certifications
References