197. Simon and Garfunkel | Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Bridge Over Troubled Water
2. El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
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

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Bridge Over Troubled Water is a melodic album. The music is folk rock. This music is inoffensive, but that's nothing to be proud of.

This album is an improvement over their previous two albums. The music is more diverse and interesting. The lyrics are less condescending and pontificating, but still lightweight, frivolous and shallow. I can't believe Bob Dylan did a cover of The Boxer. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

I'm more critical of the lyrics on Simon and Garfunkel albums because their lyrics are the main attraction. People listen to Jimi Hendrix because of his guitar playing and they listen to Simon and Garfunkel for the clever lyrics.

I do think this album is worth listening to, though. For two reasons, it's one of many entryways to the adult oriented style of rock that has plagued popular music ever since: the music is innocuous and the lyrics are vapid. I don't think it belongs on the 1001 Albums list because it's more like a loose collection of songs rather than an album.

The standout songs are: Bridge Over Troubled Water, El Condor Pasa (If I Could), Cecilia, The Boxer and Bye Bye Love.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆