As in most countries outside the USA, the first lp by Simon & Garfunkel that was released was the album ” Sounds of Silence”, in 1966. This album was recorded shortly after immense success of ” The sound of silence” which had become a Numer One hit at the end of 1965.
Above pictured is the CBS YS-659-C released In Japan in August 1966.It came with OBI and had a sheet with the lyrics:
CBS LL-894-C released in March 1966
The singles that were released from this album were:
CBS LL-864-C released January 1966: The Sound of silence / We’ve got a groovey thing goin’
LL-894-C released in March 1966: Homeward Bound / Leaves That Are Green
and CBS LL-938-C released in July 1966: I Am A Rock / A Most Peculiar Man
CBS LSS-500-C EP released in September 1966: Simon & Garfunkel – I am a rock
In Japan many Simon & Garfunkel records were released using the SX 68 system by Sony. I am not technician, but this is what it is about:
” CBS Sony built their cutting system with the Neumann SX-68 head and their own solid state amps and gave the logo “SX-68 Sound” to the record covers.
It was replaced later by SX 68 II and SX 74.
Here’s a release in this series using SX 68 Sound:
SONX 60195 Simon & Garfunkel – Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits II SX68Sound
Tracks A1 Mrs. Robinson 4:02 A2 For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her 2:04 A3 The Boxer 5:07 A4 The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) 1:43 A5 The Sound Of Silence 3:02 A6 I Am A Rock 2:50 A7 Scarborough Fair / Canticle Composed By – Art Garfunkel 3:08 B1 Homeward Bound 2:30 B2 Bridge Over Troubled Water 4:52 B3 America 3:34 B4 Kathy’s Song 3:16 B5 El Condor Pasa (If I Could) Composed By – Daniel A. Robles, Jorge Milchberg 3:06 B6 Bookends 1:16 B7 Cecilia 2:55
This one was released in 1972. But of course CBS Sony started releasing Simon & Garfunkel albums in 1968/1969. Here are two examples:
CBS/Sony – SOPB 55103~4 Simon & Garfunkl (Gift Pack Series)CBS/Sony – SONX 60054 (= The Paul Simon Songbook from 1965)
All albums come most of the time in so-called gatefold covers with lots of information (like recording dates). And the sound quality is indeed very good.
The Italy-based (?) Festival label used the same cover as SONX 60195 with that same title, but the tracks were not the same: