Some songs feel less like pop hits and more like hymns. “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” released by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970, is one of them — and its story is as moving as the song itself.
Written in a Moment of Grace
Paul Simon has said the melody and opening lines came to him quickly, almost as if he were channeling an old gospel song. He wrote it with his partner’s soaring voice in mind, and Art Garfunkel’s tender, towering performance became the heart of the record.
A Comfort in Hard Times
The song arrived just as the duo’s own partnership was ending, giving its message of steadfast friendship a bittersweet weight. It won five Grammy Awards, including Record and Song of the Year, and has since been recorded by hundreds of artists, from Aretha Franklin to Elvis Presley.
More than fifty years later, its promise — to be there when someone is weary and small — still offers comfort to anyone who needs it. That is the mark of a truly timeless song.