Paul never intended a third verse for his "small hymn." But both Artie and Roy Halee insisted the song was aching to be "bigger," an anthem. So, against his better judgment, Paul wrote the "Sail on silver girl" verse right in the studio, referring to the graying hair of his first wife, Peggy Harper. The last verse pushes the song over five minutes, and the ultimate crescendo of that soaring Garfunkel final note. Sorry, Paul, the last verse belongs, even if it's not your favorite. The song became an instant standard it never would have without a third verse and the layers and layers of 16-track production, the first for CBS records (Halee talked Clive Davis into ponying up for the "toy," which they used to record over 100 hours of harmonies for "The Boxer" alone).
Paul never intended a third verse for his "small hymn." But both Artie and Roy Halee insisted the song was aching to be "bigger," an anthem. So, against his better judgment, Paul wrote the "Sail on silver girl" verse right in the studio, referring to the graying hair of his first wife, Peggy Harper. The last verse pushes the song over five minutes, and the ultimate crescendo of that soaring Garfunkel final note. Sorry, Paul, the last verse belongs, even if it's not your favorite. The song became an instant standard it never would have without a third verse and the layers and layers of 16-track production, the first for CBS records (Halee talked Clive Davis into ponying up for the "toy," which they used to record over 100 hours of harmonies for "The Boxer" alone).