The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).
Bridge Over Troubled Water, by Simon and Garfunkel
- Fifth (and last) studio album by Simon and Garfunkel, released in January 1970.
- Paul Simon is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. If you follow marksmusicmania, you know that I am a huge fan of harmony vocals – and Simon and Garfunkel are among the greatest of harmony vocalists of all time – Art Garfunkel’s high tenor harmony is spectacular.
- This album was the swan song for the duo. In the mid-60s, they had become one of music’s most successful artists. But, their relationship deteriorated, and by 1970, Simon just wanted out. Their last performance (at that time) was in July 1970 (there have been many reunion concerts, but their relationship remains acrimonious even today).
- Despite the rift in their relationship, this final album was a classic. The album won a Grammy award, and the title track won another 4 Grammy awards (including Record of the Year and Song of the Year). The album is ranked #51 on Rolling Stone’s list of the Greatest Albums of All Time, and 2 songs from the album – The Boxer and Bridge Over Troubled Water – are at #106 and #48 respectively on the magazine’s list of the Greatest Songs of All Time.
- The album is certified 8x platinum, and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
- I remember hearing The Boxer for the first time, and thinking that it was the best song ever performed. Today, in 2019, almost 50 years later, I would put it in the top 5 – maybe even top 3. I hear it frequently, and still sing it word for word (of course, I take on Garfunkel’s falsetto harmony). The other singles from the album – the title track, Cecilia, and El Condor Pasa (If I Could) also are classics that stand on their own as among the greatest songs.
- Here are 2 videos – first, The Boxer from the duo’s famous reunion concert at Central Park (in front of 500,000 concert goers, at the time, the largest audience ever to see a live concert), and second, Bridge Over Troubled Water, the signature performance by Art Garfunkel (Simon did not sing at all on the song, much to his dismay), from the same concert. Listen and enjoy!