It appears twice on the track listing, as the first (shortened version) and last (known as the Reprise) songs on side one of the original vinyl LP.
A "clean" version of "Bookends" (without the segued string from "Old Friends") was featured on Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits.
The "Bookends Theme" that opens and closes side one is played on the acoustic guitar, with no additional instruments.
[2] The song is a brief acoustic piece (once compared to English rock band the Moody Blues) that evokes "a time of innocence.
"[2][3] The “Bookends Theme (Reprise)” is preceded by "Old Friends", which segues into the song with a single high, sustained note on the strings.