Lefty is the seventh solo studio album by American singer Art Garfunkel, released in 1988. The album features three songs by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop. The album's cover photo shows a pre-teen Art Garfunkel holding a stickball bat in the front yard of his childhood home in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York City. It was taken by his brother Jules. The album title came from the fact that Garfunkel is left-handed, which the picture established.
The album failed to make the Top 100 in the US (charting at 134) and hit the bottom half of the UK Top 100. Despite this, it yielded three minor hit singles.
The liner notes of the album contain a brief prose text Garfunkel had written in memory of his partner Laurie Bird who had committed suicide in 1979. The album marked a new beginning in Garfunkel's professional life after becoming somewhat of a recluse following the tragedy.
Contents
Track listing
"This Is the Moment" (David Foster, Cynthia Weil, Linda Thompson, Ray Parker Jr.) – 4:31
"I Have a Love" (Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein) – 4:28
"So Much in Love" (George Williams, Bill Jackson, Roy Straigis) – 2:24
"Slow Breakup" (Stephen Bishop) – 3:46
"Love Is the Only Chain" (Mary Ann Kennedy, Pam Rose, Pat Bunch) – 4:07
"When a Man Loves a Woman" (Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright) – 4:30
"I Wonder Why" (Bill Lovelady, Marita Phillips, Peter Skellern) – 3:22
"King of Tonga" (Bishop) – 3:27
"If Love Takes You Away" (Bishop) – 3:47
"The Promise" (Nick Holmes) – 3:57
Personnel
Art Garfunkel – vocals
Robbie Buchanan – synthesizers (1, 3)
David Foster – synthesizers (1, 3)
Jay Graydon – synthesizers (1, 3), guitars (1, 3)
Gary Chang – Synclavier (1, 3)
Nicky Hopkins – keyboards (2, 4–10)
Robert Sabino – synthesizers (2, 4–10)
Stephen Bishop – Omnichord (2, 4–10), vocals (2, 4–10)
Steve Lukather – guitars (1, 3)
Hugh McCracken – guitars (2, 4–10)
Joe Osborn – electric bass (2, 4–10)
Eddie Gómez – acoustic bass (2, 4–10)
Steve Gadd – drums (2, 4–10)
Michael Brecker – saxophone (2, 4–10)
Jeremy Steig – flute (2, 4–10)
Del Newman – brass, woodwinds and strings (2, 4–10)
Jim Haas – vocals (1, 3)
Jon Joyce – vocals (1, 3)
Clif Magness – vocals (1, 3)
Mary Ann Kennedy – vocals (2, 4–10)
Leah Kunkel – vocals (2, 4–10)
Production
Jay Graydon – producer (1, 3), engineer (1, 3)
Art Garfunkel – producer (2, 4–7, 9, 10)
Geoff Emerick – producer (2, 4–7, 9, 10), engineer (2, 4–10)
Steve Gadd – producer (8)
Ian Eales – engineer (1, 3)
Mick Guzauski – engineer (1, 3)
Stuart Breed – engineer (2, 4–10)
Ron Lewter – mastering
Doug Sax – mastering
The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
Christopher Austopchuk – cover design
Jules Garfunkel – photography
Caroline Greyshock – back cover photography