You’d be forgiven for thinking Hazy Shade of Winter was a Bangles original. By the time the 1980s rolled around, most people who knew the original artists well, Simon & Garfunkel, probably thought of it as a deep cut from their Bookends album. It has been released in 1966 as a single, though, and it rose to no. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Bangles’ version from 1987 took it to number one, propelled not only by the imagery, but by that perfect riff that was just shouted to be let out of it’s acoustic guitar prison. If the original Simon & Garfunkel version is genius, the Bangle’s version is sublime. Many songs have been transformed in similar ways. Just because the song is about life passing you buy doesn’t mean the music and delivery has to be as subdued and dreary as the lyrics.
Hazy Shade of Winter: The Original
- First Recorded By: Simon & Garfunkel (1966)
- Famous Cover Version: The Bangles (1987)
- Songwriter: Paul Simon
- The Change: The original version was a folk-rock hit reaching #13, but the 1987 cover, fueled by a heavy Rick Rubin production—pushed the song all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and turned “Hazy Shade of Winter” into a definitive 80s rock anthem.
- The Verdict: The original version, which produced one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time, was finally released from it’s acoustic cage and allowed to shine in all its genius.
The Evolution: Escaping the Acoustic Prison
The original 1966 version of “Hazy Shade of Winter” by Simon & Garfunkel was a creative triumph, but it suffered from their signature folk-rock restraint. Paul Simon wrote one of the greatest riffs of the decade, and possible EVER, but it was essentially locked in an acoustic cage.
When The Bangles covered it in 1987 for the Less Than Zero soundtrack, they didn’t just play the song; they liberated it. Working with producer Rick Rubin, they converted that 12-string melody into loud-and-proud distorted pile-driver. It’s ironic that, much like the Sound of Silence (which only became a hit after a producer overdubbed electric instruments without the duo’s permission), “Hazy Shade of Winter” found its ultimate form when it was finally allowed to be loud, proud, and aggressive. And yet, aggression is only affective when it is tempered by restraint.
Did You Know? The transition from a folk-rock original to a darker, more aggressive cover isn’t unique to The Bangles. Discover the haunting story behind the Tears for Fears classic: Is the song Mad World about suicide?
The Original Success
It is important to point out that this is a subjective comparison of the two versions. I am NOT suggesting the Bangles’ version would have been a number one hit in 1966! The original Simon & Garfunkel version of Hazy Shade of Winter was commercially successful, received plenty of air-play, and reached no. 13 on the Billboard Charts. However, by the 1980s, it was largely forgotten or overshadowed by Simon & Garfunkel’s already legendary catalog.
Simon & Garfunkel did not truly become well-known and commercially successful until 1965/1967 and their greatest fame was yet to come. A Hazy Shade of Winter was released amidst some amazing classics that truly launched them. Sound of Silence, only peaked at #21. It would be easy to assume, then, that Hazy Shade of Winter was more successful! Yet, Sound of Silence spent nearly 3 YEARS on the charts! By the time Hazy Shade debuted, Sound Of Silence was already charting and would continue to chart. Then there were other massive hits like Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Homeward Bound and I Am a Rock.
The Original Mystery: “Hazy Shade of Winter” is a rare case where the cover became the definitive version for a new generation. Another song with a massive “identity crisis” is this folk classic: Who did House of the Rising Sun first before The Animals?
Dreary Lyrics vs. High-Energy Delivery
The contrast in the Bangles’ version is genius. The lyrics are notoriously bleak, written by Paul Simon during a period of creative stagnation in London. It’s a song about time passing you by, “unpublished rhymes,” and the bitter arrival of life’s “winter.”
However, The Bangles realized that just because a song is about the bleak realization that life is passing you buy doesn’t mean the delivery has to match. By using an ambient, ethereal vocal harmony at the start to build tension, and then releasing it into a high-energy pulse, they created a dynamic structure that echoes the ebb and flow of life itself.
In the Bangles’ version, much more space given for the music to breathe. Just like life itself, there are quieter moments, slower moments, faster moments, and heavier moments. Even without the lyrics, the pulse of the music conveys the feeling.
🕵️ Frequently Asked Questions: Hazy Shade of Winter
Who wrote “Hazy Shade of Winter”? The song was written entirely by Paul Simon. It was originally released as a stand-alone single by Simon & Garfunkel in 1966 and later appeared on their Bookends album.
Why is the Bangles’ version so much heavier? The Bangles had been playing the song live for years. When they recorded it for the movie Less Than Zero, producer Rick Rubin helped them lean into a more “garage band” rock sound, emphasizing the riff that was previously played on acoustic guitars.
Did The Bangles change any lyrics? Yes, they famously omitted the bridge that mentions “drinking my vodka and lime.” This change kept the tempo driving forward and made it a more consistent “power pop” track.
Was Susannah Hoffs the one who found the song? According to band history, Susannah Hoffs heard the song while working at a ceramics factory before the band was famous. She immediately felt it was the perfect fit for their harmonies and style.
Hazy Shade of Winter Quick Facts
- Songwriter: Paul Simon
- Original Version (1966): Simon & Garfunkel (#13 Billboard Hot 100)
- Hit Cover Version (1987): The Bangles (#2 Billboard Hot 100)
- Producer (1987): Rick Rubin
- Notable Use: Theme for the film Less Than Zero
Further Reading
- Fire by Bruce Springsteen: Who Did It First?
- Who Did Alone First Before Heart?
- Better Be Good to Me: Who Did It First Before Tina Turner?