Pop Song 117 of 500 'Bridge over Troubled Water' Simon and Garfunkel 1970

Pop Song 117 of 500 &over Troubled Water&Simon and Garfunkel 1970 "Bridge over Troubled Water" was composed by Paul Simon in early 1969; the song came to him very quickly, so much so that he asked himself: "Where did that come from? It doesn&seem like me." The title concept was inspired by Claude Jeter&line "I&be your bridge over deep water if you trust in my name," which Jeter sang with his group, the Swan Silvertones, in the 1959 song "Mary Don&You Weep." According to gospel producer and historian Anthony Heilbut, Simon acknowledged his debt to Jeter in person, and handed Jeter a check. Simon named Johann Sebastian Bach&"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" as inspiration for parts of the melody. Simon wrote the song initially on guitar but transposed it to the piano to reflect the gospel influence and suit Garfunkel&voice. Simon told his partner, Art Garfunkel, that Garfunkel should sing it alone, the "white choirboy way", though Simon adds harmony on the final verse. Garfunkel felt it was not right for him; he liked Simon&falsetto on the demo and suggested that Simon sing. At the suggestion of Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee, Simon wrote an extra verse and a "bigger" ending, though he felt it was less cohesive with the earlier verses. The final verse was written about Simon&then-wife Peggy Harper, who had noticed her first gray hairs ("Sail on, silvergirl"). It does not refer to a drug abuser&hypodermic needle, as is sometimes claimed.[20] The verse was Garfunkel&idea, but...