Bridge Over Troubled Water

5: The moustache that appear on Art if you put your thumb on Pauls face on the album cover. 5: The songs.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel (1970) There are no dull moments in this musical smorgasbord of aural delights; and no serious listener of recorded music should fail to become familiar with this well constructed album. One would be hard pressed to come up with any other album in the history of recorded that has such a universal scope. Styles include gospel, reggae, rockabilly, Latin jazz, Andean folk, and a superbly recorded live cut (Ames, Iowa) in which the audience actually knows how to clap. The engineering/mixing alone cements this work as a classic. The leadoff title track “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is a powerful lyric of love. Its selfless, giving message is rendered in perfectly pitched angelic tones by Art Garfunkel, and energized with an ever-expanding intensity, utilizing echo-enhanced percussion and a superlative orchestral arrangement. The recording of the bass lines is unequalled. Play it loud. The second track, “El Condor Pasa” invites the listener to take a (needed) deep breath, becoming entranced by the ethereal, wooden sounds of Peruvian instrumentals (performed by Los Incas, or “Urubamba”). Carango and dueling quena flutes never sounded so good on an American album. Next, for a shift in mood, “Cecilia” raises silliness to art, taking heartbreak to a comic level through the ingenious use of percussive sounds that defy identification. The only thing it’s missing is cowbell. Great song. On the rockabilly pot-dealing lament “Keep the Customer Satisfied”, pay attention to the nonstop build. And prepare yourself for the bombastic horns on the outro, splayed out before your ears from stomping bass trombone to the sky high wailing of the lead trumpet. Wonderfully mixed. Then just when you need to rest your hands from clapping, bossa nova slides in with the weirdly evocative “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright”, a moving eulogy to a genius (in architecture, of all things). Is there any genre Paul Simon can’t creditably perform on acoustic guitar? Bongos, jazz flute, and string quartet flavor this mellow reflection. Obituaries don’t get any better than this. Side two (remember, this is an album) begins with “The Boxer”, in the ‘old’ Simon & Garfunkel vocal/guitar style of folk duo, flavored with sultry baritone sax and muted bass drum providing an anxious heartbeat—and that shudder-inducing snare crash in the chorus. The orchestral arrangement and recording technique on the first part of the extended outro are paralyzing. Simon presents here a dramatically poetic first person ballad that transitions to the third person in the final verse for the knockout punch, the surprise of which I will not spoil. The comical “Baby Driver” is up next, which rivals anything The Beach Boys put on vinyl, with stepping, thumping bass and a swingin’ baritone & tenor sax duet in the bridge. Here, at the age of 16, I discovered the synthetic nexus between sex and drag racing. Vroooom! Then we settle in again to a quietly reflective “The Only Living Boy in New York”, the first song I chose to learn to play and sing for performance (in a bar in Subic City, Philippines—There’s a story there that I won’t go into). “Hey, I’ve got nothing to do today but smile”is a line everyone needs to hear more often. (By the way, “Tom” is Garfunkel, who had gone to Mexico to film “Catch-22”, a career move that contributed to the split up of S&G later in 1970.) “Why Don’t You Write Me” is back to more musical whimsy, with teasing internal rhyme and the cleverest baritone sax duet in the bridge you’ve ever heard. A wild and live cover of the Everly Brothers hit “Bye Bye Love” follows, with deft mix of electric bass and muted drum, segueing into the all-too-brief “Song for the Asking”, with Paul Simon closing out the album with his signature acoustic stylings accompanied by delicate Garfunkel harmonies and tasteful strings in the background. Makes you want to play the album over again, which I just did. Twice. If you can’t fall in love with this album, you should give your heart to someone who can make better use of it. 5/5

Close to a perfect album. The Only Living Boy In New York and The Boxer are two of my all time favorite songs. So good it doesn't even lose points for being my ex-mother-in-law's favorite album. Art of course was given his moment to shine on the title track. This is a surprisingly easy 5.

If you don’t like this. It’s because you don’t have ears

Some of the all-time best pop songwriting of all-time. Lovely and gentle lovely Paul. I love it, so sue me.

What a monster of an album. So many huge tracks. Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Cecilia, The Only Living Boy in New York, Baby Driver... Huge. There's one weird duck in the mix (So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright is SUPER weird) but, other than that, it's pretty much folk-banger after folk-banger.

The title track is one of the most beautiful songs ever written with one of the best vocal performances, and all of the songs are great too.

I don't need to listen to this album (for the 5 millionth time) to give it 5 stars. Every song is a winner.

A classic, no doubt about it. Simon and Garfunkel's last album before the tension was too much and they went their separate ways, lending an atmosphere of melancholy, hurt and reconciliation (which ultimately wasn't to be) to the lyrics. It makes for therapeutic, cathartic listening, and that's saying nothing of the music itself: some of the most gorgeous songs recorded. The title track fully deserves a place in the pantheon of 20th century pop standards, "The Only Living Boy in New York" sends waves of gorgeous harmonies crashing against the shore, and "The Boxer" would be a career highlight for any folk singer-songwriter: here it's just one of many killer tracks. It's not all melancholy separation music, though: one of my main surprises first hearing this was how S&G continued to develop right to the end, pushing the envelope further from their rule-book in genre and sound. "Keep The Customer Satisfied" is a driving, brass-laden slice of soul-pop that shoots for Motown. "Baby Driver" is the most engaging, carefree Beach Boys homage since "Back in the USSR." There are exercises in Peruvian folk, bossa nova and the giddy joy of "Cecilia." If I had any quibbles, it's that the album threatens to tail off at the end: "Why Don't You Write Me" doesn't come on as strong as the wave of excellency before it, and "Bye Bye Love" is a head-scratching live addition with intrusive crowd noise. However, the plaintive "Song for the Asking" redeems it, giving a tender send-off to the pair's partnership. Above all, this is a winning combination of intricate, wry lyrics, inspired and varied arrangements, and accessible melodies beautifully sung. I'm so glad to have it in my collection.

My god, I get goose bumps every time I hear Garfunkel’s soaring, angelic vocals over the swelling orchestra in the crescendo of the opening track. Not many albums can do that from the get go. And whilst nothing quite matches the title track, there are some pretty, entertaining, witty and lyrical songs here to enjoy and luxuriate in the harmonies.

Love it so much. One of my favorite folk albums. My favorite Simon album for sure. I love the harmonious yet natural vocals, the beautiful and often dramatic accompaniment, and the insane songwriting that beats anything anyone was able to come up with until then. Insane to think Simon pretty much wrote it all alone. Half the album is full of insane strongs that define the era... The Boxer, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Cecelia... I don't want to imagine what music wouldn't exist if these tracks never existed. El Condor Pasa and The Only Living Boy in New York are two other masterpieces, albeit not as essential. The other three tracks up to that point are also really good. Only complaint is that the last 3 songs are kinda weak, but I still sorta like them. Making the cover "Bye Bye Love" live was an interesting choice. "Song for the Asking" is such a serene, quiet, and snappy closer you don't even notice until it's over. Regardless, those last 7 minutes isn't enough to deduct from a full score.

A near-perfect album. So good.

Fantastic album, had not listened I. A while. Will again very soon.

Not bad, but not really my cup of tea tbh.

My dad and I have spent a generation fighting about this album, most particularly whether Cecilia is a good song (I say it’s fucking great; he hates it); whether Art’s solo vocals on Bridge or the harmony part is better; and which song is better, The Boxer or Only Boy Living in NYC. Honestly, we’re both right on all of. I am undeniable biased on this album, which is great, but my memory of it is even better.

One I can listen to on vinyl today! So you can imagine that I already have quote a strong bias towards it. I can't really approach something I love like this with a critical eye. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright is the weakest track, I guess? It has Bridge, Cecilia, The Boxer, Baby Driver, El Condor Pasa, The Only Living Boy and Baby Driver. 7 of the 11 tracks would make a best of. That kind of hit rate is ridiculous.

Up until the second to last track this would be a perfect 5/5. The songs and arrangements (especially the lovely instrumental details in the arrangements) are fantastic and the title track as well as The Boxer are masterpieces of songs, with El Condor Pasa not far behind. The perfect score is only marred by the live track Bye Bye Love which would already easily and by far be the worst song if it were not a live arrangement. The audience noise is a jarring contrast to the rest of the album's serene beauty and crystal clear production. I'll still round it up to a 5, but I really wish that track weren't on there.

One of the best albums of all time.

This album has a lot of old favorites. I love singing Bridge over Troubled Waters and frankly everything else.

“Everywhere I go I get slandered, libeled, I hear words I never heard in the Bible” is getting incorporated into my vocabulary.

This made me feel like frolicking through the forest like a lil garden nymph. I was into it heavily.

Ultra sappy. Painful to listen to.

Don't hate it, just don't care and have heard some of these songs too many time in 55 years

So many classics on this one. I'd never heard their version of BOTW, and it gave me chills, and I was only 2/3 through the song. As I continued listening to this album, almost every song was excellent, and I feel like the ones I didn't love right away would just take a few more listens. Top to bottom wonderful. Highlights: bridge over troubled water, el condor pasa, cecilia, the boxer, the only living boy in new york (harmonies!)

I love Simon and Garfunkel. The piano goes hard. The music is grandiose, and the vocals compliment each other beautifully. I love any time traditional instruments are used (pianos, violins, trumpets, oh my!) The boxer is a classic, it's really sweeping and comes to a massive climax. I really liked the inclusion of 1 live song that wasn't just a repeat of a previously played song - it added some energy and excitement towards the end of the album. Top songs: Bridge over troubled water Keep the customer satisfied The boxer The only living boy in new york Song for the asking

Can’t believe this isn’t a greatest hits album.

An absolute classic. This album is very much of its time, but the songs are SO good. Some of the songs sound better in subsequent live versions. I found myself watching The Concert in Central Park after listening to this - Garfunkel singing Bridge Over Troubled Water in that concert was possibly his crowning moment. Similarly, The Boxer is one of my favorite songs of all time (I love playing it on guitar), but I prefer subsequent live versions (check out the Concert in Hyde Park for a great version). Regardless of version, I get chills every time I hear "In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade/and he carries the reminders/ of every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame/ "I am leaving, I am leaving" but the fighter still remains." What a moment. Plenty of other great moments: El Condor Pasa takes you somewhere else. This is the first time I listened to the original version by Los Incas which sounds almost identical except the Los Incas version is an instrumental and has a bit of craziness in the last minute. Cecilia is a classic and Keep the Customer Satisfied is a fun little rockabilly song. Baby Driver is a fun classic-sounding rock n roll song (I even originally thought it was a cover, but it's not). The Only Living Boy in NY is a good track - I like the overlaid vocals in that one. The only tracks I find (relatively) weak are So Long Frank Lloyd Wright and Why Don't You Write Me. They could have ended with the live version of Bye Bye Love since it's a callback to their early days and the influence of the Everly Brothers. But Song for the Asking is a nice touch and perhaps it's poignant that the last Simon & Garfunkel album ends on a song that almost sounds like Simon is singing alone (I can barely hear Garfunkel in it). In fact, that's consistent with the cover - Paul Simon appears to be eclipsing Art Garfunkel. It makes sense...Paul Simon wrote pretty much all the music for Simon & Garfunkel and it was time for him to move on, leading to an amazing career. Great album.

Of course I liked it. Fucking assholes. And on my final class for my Master's? Irritatingly great, douchebags.

Did not expect to get something I've already known so soon as the thrid in the journey! Bridge over Troubled Water itself is one of my all-time favourites since 2007, although it was introduced to me in 2005 and was not a "love at the first sight". Words are touching, music is full of love and expanding energy. Learnt all the words by heart and was encouraged by it numerous times. For this song itself this album deserves a 5. Love the duo all the time since teenage years. Other songs in this album were no strangers nor disappointments. Elegant, witty folk songs.

Absolutely one of the greatest albums of all time. The songwriting, the harmonies - a stunning piece of work

+100 for every word I never heard in the bible.

I've never heard any song from this album, but seeing the words "folk rock" is enough for me to know that I probably won't like it. Yeah, after listening, not a huge fan. There were some good moments - I'm a sucker for the flute so I enjoyed "El Condor Pasa". The "la la la" part of The Boxer also tickled my brain in a fancy way. That's it though. The rest was really generic, uninteresting folk music. I can definitely see this being enjoyable if you like this type of music though.

Simon & Garfunkel's most musically ambitious work, this album is lush with angelic vocals and piano-driven arrangements, blending elements of rockabilly (influenced by the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love"), gospel ("Bridge Over Troubled Water"), and jazz (“So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright”), marking a departure from their earlier, acoustic style. The album features terrific drum work and the inclusion of horns. The title track is deeply moving and concludes with a powerful, almost gospel-like tone. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" stands out as my favourite Simon & Garfunkel cover, particularly with its catchy chorus ("Away, I'd rather sail away like a swan that's here and gone"). While I find Side B to be somewhat weaker overall, the songs, like "The Only Living Boy in New York," are still beautiful. What a stunning way to end their discography!

10/10 Straight up banger 1-23-2025

Love it from beginning to end. This is like returning to the womb.

I still have the Old Friends box set with their entire output even though I haven't listened to a CD in...17 years? Anyway, this album is classic and has many of their best work. In my imagination, once Simon got Garfunkel to sing Bridge he knew it was the pinnacle of their paring and they'd never top that song. They had to break up. I saw them at their Old Friends reunion tour in 2003, and I'm pretty sure Simon was deeply, deeply, stoned and Garfunkel inexplicably didn't change Bridge to a key his much older vocal chords could handle. It was an experience. I look forward to Simon's solo stuff popping up here.

Paul! Paul, Watch out!! He's right behind you, Paul! Oh my god, he's got his airpods in, he can't hear us!

just a classic, in every way. Poor garfunkel always having to stand in simon's shadow.

Fun fact: Bridge over trouble waters was the first song I learned how to play on saxophone and my band teacher always had this vinyl hanging up in the classroom. For that reason alone I have no choice but to Stan. Keep the Customer Satisfied, Baby Driver, and Bye Bye Love were some of my other favorites.

So good, basically the folk-songwriter "Rumours" in both banger content and hurt feelings. An album with "The Boxer" that also has not one but *two* songs that are perhaps even better ("..Customer.."/"..Living Boy..") - remarkable!

Clearly one of the best albums of all time and well worth a listen 5 stars

Paul Simonis one of the great American songwriters of the 20th century. And this is one of his best pieces of work. Just the title track and "The Boxer" secure a 5/5 for this one, but there's so much more. 8x Platinum in US, 11x Platinum in UK, it was certainly successful. Besides the hits, there's several great deep cuts, including one of my favorite S&G songs "The Only Living Boy in New York". That said, there are a couple of throwaways. The only head scratcher is thecover of "Bye Bye Love", which is a live recording with the vocals too low in the mix, and the crowd too high. It is jarringly out of place. But not nearly enough to drop the score. Yep, this is an album that everyone should listen to before they die. 5/5

Without this site I definitely wouldn’t have listened to it ( not that i hate it it’s just not my normal kinda thing i go for). I am so grateful that I herd it though cause it’s a really good folk rock album I recommend it to anyone really: Side one is my favourite starting with the title track what a song! I really like that the album starts with the only piano centric song, also it has to have one of my favourite chorus’s and those explosion sounds at the end are good as well. El condor pasa is my least favourite from this for me having a better intro then actual song. The three next songs Cecelia to so long frank loyd wright are great more specifically; Cecelia is a really well placed single and I love all the hand claps at the start. Keep the customer satisfied has great orchestral instruments ( sorry i’am bad at naming these bits) and So long frank loyd wright is a great pace changer and a great closer to side one ; but when side two starts the boxer comes on you know you’re in for a treat! Everything from the lyrical highs of the verses and the simple but effective chorus just show brilliance a definite favourite for me. I like the lyrics and the samples on baby driver but musically it’s really not a favourite of mine. The only living boy in New York sounds a lot more gloomy in the verses and I like how it briefly explodes into the more optimistic chorus. Why don’t you write me isn’t my least favourite on here but its the only one I would call a little bit filler-ish and i do like the horns on it and the fade out works for bye bye loves live cheering. Speaking of… i’am not huge on bye bye love as a song but I like that they used a live version which makes the handclaps sound so much better. I love how bye bye loves cheering goes into song for asking which is good but its short length makes it quite unsatisfying for me.

Very pleased to see this album show up today. I usually listen to Bookends, but absolutely love me some Simon and Garfunkel. Aw heck and now I want to give the Graduate yet another re-watch. Gotta be 5/5 for me every time.

Classic, but surprised at the number of songs I didn't recognize. And what's with that Frank Lloyd Wright one?

In simulated reality created by sentient machines, A program designed to investigate the human psyche once said “Everything that has a beginning has an end” and when the end”. This was the end of some of musics most iconic hairstyle silhouettes partnership, but when the ends comes the best we can all hope for is that it is on a high. Just like a suit from Savile from, this album is tailored to near perfection, Head to toe, Start to finish. An album that “suits” any occasion any emotion and any slow motion montage of performing artist we have lost this year. As a new decade begins,A cry of the British capital is calling in the distance with teenagers getting there kicks all thinking they can be hero’s. The 60s sound is starting to look for property’s on the coast, Leaving us with this one last gift. Safe in the knowledge that for many years to come Frank Sinatra will have competition for the most played song at a cremation.

These songs, every single one of them, they're great. Just great. Song for the asking is such a nice ending to a beautiful album. Almost sad that the album's title is a reference to only one song on it since there's so much more on offer. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.

Quando eu vi a capa do album do dia meu cérebro fez "yessss". Metade dele já estava na minha lista.

Sounds more like a collection of songs than an 'album'. But the songs! Besides the all-timers, Keep the Customer Satisfied and Only Living Boy are additional standouts.

9/10

I think this album is significant proof that Paul Simon is the superior member of this duo. It’s a beautiful folk record that hits on tons of different styles, but it does so in a way that feels natural and not at all forced. My only complaint here is that it’s not a Paul Simon solo record. Favourite song on the record: “The Boxer” Least favourite: N/A There’s really not a lot left for me to say that hasn’t been said. It’s Paul Simon’s world and we’re just living in it. 4*

I love me some Baby Driver.

S&G are despised by many for the sentimentality, the bold lunge towards the middlebrow, and for Paul Simon being a bit of a prat. These criticisms all seem fair to me, and this album still triggered several flashes of weeping for me today. There’s a degree of nostalgia there from hearing much of this in the car as a child, but Simon’s hooks and feints have some innate power that has me wanting to bawl. Maybe a couple of placeholders on this, but the hits smash me.

Un très bon album bien que la nonchalance de Garfunkel et son manque de motivation commence sérieusement à bien faire. Celui-ci passera son temps à souffler, traîner les pieds, et oubliera parfois même que c'est à son tour de chanter. On aurait aimé le sentir plus impliqué.

Cet album nous présente un Garfunkel au bord du gouffre émotionnellement. En effet, ce dernier ne supporte plus de vivre dans l'ombre de Simon. Il refusera d'ailleurs dans un premier temps d'enregistrer l'album avec Simon, mais après de nombreux pourparlers, il accepta de se rendre au studio en traînant des pieds. C'est à ce moment précis que la photographie figurant sur la couverture d'album a été prise.

Well, it has a few drop-dead classics on it (title track, The Boxer, Cecilia), but is it generally just well-produced filler? Not so deep as it seems? Certainly not as deep as it thinks it is! It's not a surprise that it sold 25 bazillion copies, 'cause there's not much here to offend. Great melodies, wonderful lead singing by Art Garfunkel, terrific harmonies, fantastically produced album. But I think I agree with Robert Christgau who remarked that "its flawless, rather languid loveliness is ultimately soporific". I also feel that Paul Simon is over-represented on this project. Dimery clearly has a major love of his oeuvre, but I just feel he's a bit over-rated, and certainly not worthy of six albums' inclusion. We also see here a few examples on this album of Simon's willingness to take credit for other people's work (El Condor Pasa, originally credited as 'Trad.', and Bridge Over Troubled Water, based on the Swan Silvertones' Mary Don't You Weep). Considering his repeat offenses over the course of his career, some might go as far to accuse him of serial plagiarism. Glad I listened, but I feel no need to own.

Boring folk music Would probably enjoy more if i was an elf living inside a comically large mushroom

5/5 who couldn't love this

The song Bridge Over Troubled Water annoys my. Always has. Way too much drama. The rest of this album is fantastic.

Some of their finest work.

Canciones compuestas por dios: la homónima del disco

Iconic

Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of my desert island discs and I’ll have it at funeral. Was *delighted* that this was number 2 for me!

This album was one I grew up with. My parents listened to it together when they were dating some 50-odd years back so we had two copies of it. My primary school teacher, Mr Woods, used to get us to sing the Boxer during music class. He changed the words. Up until I was about 40 I thought he was getting come ons from the "wars" on 7th Avenue. Never made sense at the time. When I realised... Last year as my father passed away, Bridge Over Troubled Water was the song that was playing as he took his last breath. I can't say anything bad about the album. It's too prominent an album in my life.

A true classic.

This one 'keeps the customer satisfied.' Any album that proposes 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters,' 'The Boxer,' and 'The Only Living Boy in New York' is a perennial knockout. 'Half of the time we're gone / But we don't know where / And we don't know where.' It's the 'but' and the 'and' that make that a masterful and emotive line. The whole thing exhibits a pensive and cheerful vibe, a simultaneity not easy to attain, but one that's essential to experience. And I love hearing their live cover of the Everly Brothers, the duo's principal influence, at least vocally.

Feelings music.

Cecilia, bridge over troubled water, only living boy in New York, the boxer

So many incredible songs on one album. The Only Living Boy in New York is my favorite, but the Boxer is not far behind. Honestly would prefer more stripped down versions of most songs.

Excellent album. 10/10

Absolutely delightful to listen to.

Needed this today

Absolutely amazing. The Boxer is one of my favorite songs of all time but the whole album is just top notch.

This reminds me of the early days of shopping for vinyl records, desperately trying to beef up the small collection. I feel like it was a first-purchase for many indie, young, millennial college students - probably because you could find it at almost any thrift store, or because there was a song on the Garden State soundtrack, and we all felt hip for knowing it from its original album. That being said, it's one of the greats for a reason. The whole album feels like a soft, nostalgic lullaby, with appropriate hand-clapping and foot-tapping breaks. The kind of album you know all the words to without even trying. "The Boxer" will get an instant repeat listen almost anytime I hear it in the car.

This album was actually extremely pleasant, it pretty much lulled me to sleep by the end of it. I would listen to this album and more by Simon & Garfunkel now that I know they are such a calming folksy duo. Of course I knew sound of silence and thought it was kinda corny, and maybe they are corny fellows, so now I like them even more for it.

The Bridge Over Troubled Water album is special because it represents Simon & Garfunkel at the peak of their creative powers while also marking the duo’s final studio album together, making it both a creative high point and a bittersweet farewell. I've had this record on vinyl since I started collecting records way back in my freshman year of college. I remember loving it then and I still do today. No mystery why, as the themes of love, friendship, and perseverance feel timeless. Standouts for me are “Cecilia” and the very nostalgic classic, “The Only Living Boy in New York.”

In the age of DAWs and smartphone studios, music created using physical, analog tools and techniques seems so archaic and cumbersome by comparison. Bridge Over Troubled Water was meticulously engineered and crafted before those convenient, time-saving innovations, and Roy Halee was the mastermind behind most of that sonic wizardry. He conjured intriguing, mysterious dynamics from knobs and dials and microphone arrays on all of Simon and Garfunkel’s records during their five album affair over as many years. His efforts created an immersive and expansive soundscape that carved out ample space for the strength of their vocal performances to shine through. To exemplify the trios dedication to novel recording techniques — and subsequently to the unique sonic qualities those efforts produce — the enormous, delayed gated reverb that trails the snare on the chorus of ‘The Boxer’ (a definitive aspect of one of their biggest songs) was famously recorded in an open Columbia Studios elevator shaft, simultaneously tracked alongside the rest of the band in a nearby studio, connected by cables snaking down the hallway. On previous albums there are notable inclusions of audio Art recorded with portable equipment while talking to and interviewing strangers — quirky, real-life moments that imbue the songs and records with an ethereal quality. This technique brought the outside world into the studio, and would be further employed and developed by artists that followed. We are now familiar with many examples of this across all genres of music — movie quotes, answering machines and voice memos, elaborate skits, and ambient environmental field recordings are commonplace today, but this was a novel, nascent innovation at the time. Despite the success of their collaboration, Paul and Art were already on the outs and set to break up when this record was released in 1970. The album’s last track ‘Song for the Asking’ is an on-the-nose ending, the final song on their final album — two friends book-ending an immensely successful creative and commercial partnership with dignity and grace. IMO this is not the greatest Simon and Garfunkel record. They had a legendary run of albums from ’66-’69 included Sounds of Silence, Parsley Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, The Graduate OST, and Bookends, of which my favorites are Bookends and PSR&T. Those two records found the duo at their most creative and exploratory as they formed their definitive sound that’s on full, effortless display on Bridge. And while the songwriting and vocals are impressive in their own right, the duos musicianship was amplified by a crucial partnership with members of The Wrecking Crew. This legendary collection of musicians literally played on every consequential album during their reign in the 60s and 70s, and they were essential to the sound of all five Simon and Garfunkel records. Their origin as a backing band is important to note here, as they started as Phil Spector’s band and helped him create what would be coined as the “wall of sound” — an approach that stacked many instruments on top of each other, replicating chords, melodies, and rhythms that propelled even mediocre songs toward infectious grooviness. This approach is palpable on all five of Paul and Art’s records. When you incorporate Paul Simon’s fascination with the rhythmic and sonic qualities of world music, what results is a bold, adventurous execution of pop music that feels timelessly fresh.

The most solid 5 I've had on this list so far. Everything just works, and the songwriting is off the charts. I will never understand how “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” fits in with the rest of the album, but everything else is incredible.

This was one of my fist albums that I got (well cassette) when I was about 13 so has a special meaning. I think The Boxer is my favorite with Cecilia a close 2nd.

I'm so white.

I feel like it should be a 4 but then you hear the Boxer and Cecilia and realize it really is a 5.

classic

Solid 5 - beautiful. The bonus of Art Garfunkel’s moustache on the cover photo just adds to the experience.

Maybe a 4 purely music wise but for me it’s 100% 5/5

There are a lot of memories tied to this album. My English teacher used to make me listen to songs from this album and my parents used to play this in the car. Bridge Over Under Troubled Water never fails to pull on my heartstrings. Without a doubt my favourite overall Simon & Garfunkel album (edging out Bookends). That being said, I think my dislike of Keeping The Customer Satisfied and other songs knock down the rating of the album by a little. 8.9

A classic, beautiful in many parts.

This is fantastic omg

OH MY GOOOOOODDD i love this album. i already love simon and garfunkel but this is for sure their best. i've played it many times in the background while i work or write or paint, some of these songs are permanently ingrained in my life at this point. beautiful, gentle, comforting. it's helped me through a lot.

one of my favorite albums

Love!! Grew up on this record. One of my dad’s favorites.

A beautiful album, and no doubt an enduring classic. This one was in my parent’s collection, and got steady playtime. Most definitely a part of my musical rearing. Odd that these lads were on the verge of their breakup when this one dropped. Can’t we all just get along?

My wife’s favorite album is an all time classic

The only song on this album that isn't nearly perfect is Baby Driver.

9.3/10. Enjoyed it all the way through. Lots of songs made the playlist.

Great album, and a staple of any family album collection in the 70’s. Songs like “The Boxer”, ElCondor Pasa, and several others were on regular rotation on Radio and in pop culture. My normal barometer for a full 5 is I have to almost prefer a full play through vs single tracks. Not quite the case here but it’s so steeped with classics, had so much impact, and one of the most iconic album covers of the period that I’ll round up for sure. The music, instrumentation and harmonies are unique and timeless. 4.5/5

Timeless sounds and timeless memories associated with this one. Ironically I never thought the ubiquitous title track was the strongest, but the whole album is stocked with really good songs. It sounds as fresh today as it did in 1970. Probably sits between a 4 and 5 for me, but rating up due to legacy.

Another reviewer pointed out a mustache that appears on Art if you put your thumb on Paul's face on the album cover... and it may now be my favorite thing about this album. Ha! Not really but I love it so much. This is a tough one for me. It obvi has a strong 4 rating as its floor but question is whether it is a 5-banger. I was tilting more towards 4 but after revisiting it is hard to deny a 5. there are five really great songs that I enjoy quite a bit (title track may actually be my least favorite of the bunch). I am giving this a reluctant 5 because I think it deserves it even if it doesn't exactly hit for me. 4.25/5

I don't need to listen to this album (for the 5 millionth time) to give it 5 stars. Every song is a winner. 5⭐️ 5⭐️ 5⭐️

banger after banger

a lifelong favorite and simon & garfunkel's magnum opus