Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

amazon
No one can say Simon & Garfunkel went out with a whimper. The popular duo's 1970 swan song produced four hit singles and won six Grammy awards, including Record, Album, and Song of the Year. An involving mix of sweeping epics ("The Boxer," the title track) and breezy throwaways (a live cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love," the rock & roll trifle "Baby Driver"), Bridge was one of the most popular albums of its era. What's particularly striking about this collection is how brightly lesser-acclaimed songs like "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright" and the gorgeous "The Only Living Boy in New York" shine
warr
Much more eclectic than its predecessors, but just as tuneful and lyrically clever. The "weak" tracks are merely half-formed (the ballad "Song For The Asking"), and Simon tries out every genre he can think of - epics (title track, at nearly five minutes far longer than anything he'd attempted before); creepy, orchestrated thought-pieces ("Frank Lloyd Wright"); foot-stomping sing-alongs (the testosterone-drenched "Cecilia"); an Everly Brothers cover (an energetic live cut of "Bye Bye Love"); and a great Andean folk song ("El Condor Pasa") - not to mention the mini-pop symphonies he already was known for ("The Boxer"). There are more questionable judgment calls and off-putting experiments than on the last record, but Simon's creativity and daring are at their peak here. 9/10
all music
Bridge Over Troubled Water was one of the biggest selling albums of its decade, and it hasn't fallen too far down on the list in the 30-plus years since. Apart from the gospel-flavored title track, which took some evolution to get to what it finally became, however, much of Bridge Over Troubled Water also constitutes a stepping back from the music that Simon & Garfunkel had made on Bookends — this was mostly because the creative partnership that had formed the body and the motivation for the duo's four prior albums literally consumed itself in the making of Bridge Over Troubled Water. The overall effect was perhaps the most delicately textured album to close out the 1960s from any major rock act. Bridge Over Troubled Water, at its most ambitious and bold, on its title track, was a quietly reassuring album; at other times, it was personal yet soothing; and at other times, it was just plain fun. The public in 1970 — a very unsettled time politically, socially, and culturally — embraced it; and whatever mood they captured, the songs matched the standard of craftsmanship that had been established on the duo's two prior albums. Between the record's overall quality and its four hits, the album held the number one position for two and a half months and spent years on the charts, racking up sales in excess of five million copies. The irony was that for all of the record's and the music's appeal, the duo's partnership ended in the course of creating and completing the album. — Bruce Eder 5/5
rolling stone
It wasn't clear at the time, but Bridge Over Troubled Water was an album about the end -- a casually ambitious look back at an expiring musical partnership (Simon and Garfunkel) and decade (the Sixties). Recorded in late 1969, it's largely remembered for a pair of big-themed production masterworks: "The Boxer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," led by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, respectively. "Bridge" quickly attained the beloved stature of a hymn, while "The Boxer" -- a metaphor for the immigrant experience in America -- ranks with Simon's finest songs. At the other extreme are sprightly tunes that hearken back to the duo's Fifties roots: "Cecelia," whose echoed hand claps sound like an early hip-hop drum loop, and "Keep the Customer Satisfied," the antic tale of a flimflam man staying ahead of the law. During the Bridge sessions, Garfunkel was often working on the film Catch-22 in Mexico; Simon gently notes his absence in "The Only Living Boy in New York." The notion of life chapters closing also permeates the folksy bossa nova "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright." It's ironic that "Bridge Over Troubled Water," a gospel-style song of reassurance and solidarity that Simon wrote as a vehicle for Garfunkel's golden tenor, would be one of their final collaborations. But they exited on an exhilarating note. 5/5
mouthshut
Ever heard of a band called Tom and Jerry or a song called Hey Schoolgirl which went on to be featured among the US top 50 hits way back in 1957 ? Well , I presume unless you are an absolute music buff , the answer would be ’no’ . But if I ask ,even the minimal listener whether they heard of Simon and Garfunkel , the answer I bet would be an overly enthusiastic ’yes’ .

For those of you , who haven’t figured out yet , the band I’m talking about were soon to be renamed Simon and Garfunkel made up primarily of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel , the two men who might as well walk around with a signboard saying ’The Best Folk-Rock Band Ever’ .They released their debut album ’’Wednesday Morning, 3AM’’ in 1964 which included an acoustic reading of The Sound Of Silence . The album was nowhere close to success and the guys split up , only to be reunited in a short time. It was that time in England when folk-rock boom was in the ascendant and producer Tom Wilson made the presumptuous but correct decision to overdub The Sound Of Silence with electric instrumentation . The song reached No. 1 slot in the US charts . Following this Simon and Garfunkel were hastily reunited in 1966 and released an album called ’’Sounds of Silence’’ which featured several huge hits like Homeward Bound ,I am a rock and a couple of songs based on the theme of suicide viz. A Most Peculiar Man and Richard Cory ,in keeping with the social commentary that permeated their mid-60s’’ work .

They were hugely accepted by audiences , specially the college crowd who took an instant liking to the duo who certainly looked the part with their college scarves, duffel coats and cerebral demeanour . The Dangling Conversation was their next single followed by the release of the album’’Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme’’ which again featured the elegant hit Scarborough Fair .In the succeeding years the band churned out a number of hits like Mrs. Robinson , America , Homeward Bound , Hazy Shade of winter and Boxer released in 1969 and soon featured in the 1970 album ’’Bridge Over Troubled Water’’ arguably the best S & G album and our case in point today .

The album was the swansong of the band which came to an abrupt cease after the release of this album following the irreconcilable differences between Paul and Art .Throughout this album there are indications that lead to this plain fact .But we’ll be talking about that in a while . The splitting up of
S & G has been one of the most unfortunate breakups of rock history . What was previously known as the music of farmers and villagers , was taken to new heights by them . They used the medium of folk-rock to raise politically relevant issues which gave a new status and impetus to the genre .

The title track of the album Bridge Over Troubled Waters is to my mind the best S&G song ever written and composed .Art’s voice is tremendously heart-searing and it always seems he uses more than his voice to sing . Soothing, intimate, sentimental, reflective, searching.........accolades really fall short . The song is sheer poetry .....

If there were nothing else on this album worth listening to, you might buy it anyway just for this song .But thats not the case . The album rolls over to El Condor Pasa , Paul’s translation of a Spanish song. Rich with comparisons, it stresses a desire to rise above mediocrity and depart from the mundane.

Cecilia and Baby Driver are the catalysts to the overall sombre mood reflected throughout the album . Both songs are rowdy and suggestive . The former having a Latino feel and the latter clearly inspired by the Beach Boys .

So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright and The Only Livin’ Boy in New York are both farewells from Paul to Artie .An ode , a farewell to a friendship that started way back in high school . Towards the end of So Long..... you could hear Roy Halee and Paul calling ’’So long already, Artie!’’ . Boxer ....one of Simon and Garfunkel’s most wildly successful songs finds a slot in the album as well . This again has vocals worth bragging and lyrics to cherish .Making excellent use of the tight harmony they had so long ago established, the harmony which was so evident in their first hit The Sound of Silence , they tell a tale of hard city life and the determination which allows one to rise above it. Boxer has often been described by Paul as autobiographical.Why Don’t You Write Me is another very energetic tune with a distinctly exotic flavor . A foot-tapping number at the best . Keep the Customer Satisfied is a loud song complaining about a life on the road in which hard work goes grossly unappreciated.

That brings us to The Everly Brothers cover Bye Bye Love which at times seems more sincere than the original. The album is nicely closed by Song for the Asking which brings everything poignantly together for us one last time.

Between the record’s overall quality and its four hits, the album held the number one position for two and a half months and spent years on the charts, racking up sales in excess of five million copies. The irony was that for all of the record’s and the music’s appeal, the duo’s partnership ended in the course of creating and completing the album

Before I end this discussion its safe to admit that my personal favourites in music are usually the Floyds or the Zeppelins . But when you hear something so different yet so beautiful and soothing its a pleasant change . Sure , the songs are extremely moody and not really uplifting . But the melancholy strain of the songs is almost certain to have a soothing impact over your heart and head alike . 5/5
super 70's
No one can say Simon & Garfunkel went out with a whimper. The popular duo's 1970 swan song produced four hit singles and won six Grammy awards, including Record, Album, and Song of the Year. An involving mix of sweeping epics ("The Boxer," the title track) and breezy throwaways (a live cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love," the rock & roll trifle "Baby Driver"), Bridge was one of the most popular albums of its era. What's particularly striking about this collection is how brightly lesser-acclaimed songs like "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright" and the gorgeous "The Only Living Boy in New York" shine

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