Title: Bridge over troubled water
Artiste: Simon and Garfunkel
Year: 1970
Chronological position: Fifth (and final) album
Previous experience of this artiste?: Hey, everyone knows the hits!
Why is this considered a classic? Apart from being the final album from the immensely popular duo, it also holds their most classic and well-known song as well as a bunch of others. It went to number 1 in most countries and is considered the pinnacle of their career --- talk about going out with a bang! It also earned two Grammy awards and sold over 25 million copies. That’s right: two-five!
My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Great
One track in --- Great
Halfway through --- Great (Notes: none of these really apply fairly, as I know all the tracks up to the halfway point)
Finished --- Good verging to Great (few bad tracks)
Comments: In some ways this isn’t quite a classic album I’ve never heard, as I know about fifty percent of the tracklisting from various greatest hits compilations, or just from hearing them on the radio. But there are ones I don’t know, so leaving aside those I do --- over half of the album --- let’s check out “So long, Frank Lloyd Wright”. Well, right after I listen to the title track. Come on: you can’t pass THAT one over!
Okay, so it’s a nice whimsical little acoustic piece, kind of reminds me of “Bookends”, nice sort of soft bongos rhythm to it and maybe violin. Like this. Now I remember I heard “Baby driver” on the radio and thought it was awful. And it wasn’t that long ago either, I’m talking a month or two maybe, so I don’t expect my opinion of it will have changed. No, it hasn’t. A more uptempo track but not to my mind worthy of the dynamic duo. Too much Beach Boys nonsense and the alto sax is just annoying. “The only living boy in New York” is much better, kind of a “59th Street Bridge song” vibe about it, like the vocal harmonies. Hints of a very, very early example of Shoegaze?
That just leaves one track really, as I’ve always hated “Bye bye love” --- and the Everlys --- being a live version just annoys me more, and of course I know the closer. But “Why don’t you write me” doesn’t do it for me, with its slightly pop feel and its jungle/reggae rhythm, which usually doesn’t go down well with me. “Song for the asking”, while a beautiful song, is perhaps an odd way to end the album, seeing as this was their last one and there would be no more songs for the asking, or even begging. This was it. Great closer though even if it is a little incongruous.
Favourite track(s): Bridge over troubled water, El Condor pasa, Song for the asking, Keep the customer satisfied, The boxer, The last living boy in New York
Least favourite track(s): Baby driver, Bye bye love, Why don’t you write me
Final impression --- Hard to say, as I already knew much of the album so it wasn’t quite the revelation it could have been. But I definitely enjoyed it and it’s good to say I’ve heard it now. I couldn’t say I was blown away --- there were some definite low moments --- but as a swan song they could have done a lot worse. And of course, there’s the title track...
Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
F) Definitely enjoyed it, but again would I consider it a classic?
G) Enjoyed this album just purely on its own merits
H) Glad I listened to it (Yes, another category: I’m finding that in many instances the ones I already had don’t always say what I want them to say, or fit the situation)
This is, then, obviously a H. I do think it's a classic but I couldn't say I wish I had listened to it sooner, though I am glad I listened to it.