The article identifies Simon & Garfunkel’s 1966 song ‘Homeward Bound’ as the track Paul Simon most closely associated with a particularly happy period of his life. It matters because Simon described the song as a vivid personal record of his early touring years in Britain, showing how his songwriting drew directly on lived experience.

Simon wrote ‘Homeward Bound’ in Liverpool while travelling, after leaving New York when the duo’s early career had stalled. He recalled being 22, playing clubs and spending time in Liverpool, calling the period “idyllic” and “the best time of my life”; the song captures both the routine of touring and a longing to return home.