Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge Over Troubled Water - CBS 1970

Tracks: 1. Bridge Over Troubled Water / 2. El Condor Pasa / 3. Cecilia / 4. Keep The Customer Satisfied / 5. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright / 6. The Boxer / 7. Baby Driver / 8. The Only Living Boy In New York / 9. Why Don't You Write Me / 10. Bye Bye Love / 11. Song For The Asking / 12. Feuilles-O / 13. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Comments:

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" from 1970 was Simon and Garfunkel's last studio album as a duo, and their biggest commercial success. Four rather different songs were released on singles; "The Boxer", "Bridge over Troubled Water", "Cecilia", "El Condor Pasa (If I Could) ". The first two were actually released before the album itself.

"The Boxer" is a great Paul Simon song, performed in the classic style of the duo, the kazoo that pops up here and there I find rather misplaced. The title track is a very nice gospel-style anthem, perhaps one of Simon's most timeless songs. "Cecilia" is a more unpretentious song about jealousy; the song was played a lot around that year, so it was easy to get a bit tired of it; street music style. "El Condor Pasa" was also a big hit; here Simon has borrowed from a Peruvian folk tune and this is perhaps the first time Simon reveals his interest in world-music.

The album alternates nicely between up-beat/unpretentious songs and more thoughtful and melodic songs. Among the latter is "The Only Living Boy in New York", which I think is one of the duo's finest. Beautiful melody with great vocals and an "Aah chorus" that leads the mind towards John Lennon's "A Day in the Life".

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