Bridge Over Troubled Water

Bridge Over Troubled Water is an album by Simon and Garfunkel released on January 26, 1970. In the title song from the album "bridge" is used as a metaphor for something stable and comforting, as opposed to the wildly streaming river, representing trouble, pain, unrest. It has been covered by many artists since. Bridge over Troubled Water hit #1 on Billboard Music Charts' Pop albums list. It won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, as well as for Best Engineered Recording[?].

Produced by Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and Roy Halee
Label: Columbia LP KCS 9914; QUADLP CQ 30995; CD CK 9914; Remastered CD 66004.

All songs by Paul Simon except * Felice and Boudreaux Bryant and ** Paul Simon, Jorge Milchberg, and Daniel A. Robles.

The songs "Cuba Si, Nixon No", "Groundhog", and the demo "Feuilles-O" were recorded during sessions but not released on the album. "Cuba Si, Nixon No" was later released on a bootleg copy of an 11 November 1969 concert by Simon & Garfunkel at Miami University[?], Oxford, OH, while the demo recording of "Feuilles-O" was released on 4 October 1997 on the box set Old Friends.

Personnel

• Paul Simon: lead vocals, guitar
• Art Garfunkel: lead vocals
• Los Incas: Peruvian Instruments
• Joe Osborn: bass guitar
• Larry Knechtel: piano
• Fred Carter, Jr.: guitar
• Hal Blaine: drums
• Jimmy Haskell and Ernie Freeman: strings

Tracks:

1. Bridge Over Troubled Water (4:52) SAMPLE
2. El Condor Pasa (If I Could)** (3:06) --arrangement of 18th century Peruvian folk anthem
3. Cecilia (2:54)
4. Keep The Customer Satisfied (2:33)
5. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright (3:47)
6. The Boxer (5:08) -- features a flute bridge instead of the "extra verse"
7. Baby Driver (3:14)
8. The Only Living Boy In New York (3:58)
9. Why Don't You Write Me (2:45)
10. Bye Bye Love* (2:55) --live recording from Ames, Iowa
11. Song For The Asking (1:49)

Chart positions

Billboard Music Charts (North America) - singles

1969

• The Boxer:
  • Pop Singles, #7
  • Adult Contemporary, #3

1970

• Bridge Over Troubled Water:
  • Pop Singles, #1
  • Adult Contemporary, #1
• Cecilia:
  • Pop Singles, #4
• El Condor Pasa:
  • Pop Singles, #18
  • Adult Contemporary, #6